Poster John Birge
John Birge
YourClassical MPR

Composers Datebook®

Reminding you that all music was once new ® • with host John Birge

Composers Datebook for May 4, 2011

YourClassical
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YourClassical

Bloch's "Greatest Hit"

Ernest Bloch (1880 - 1959) Schelomo Mischa Maisky, cello; Israel Philharmonic; Leonard Bernstein, cond. DG 427 347

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YourClassical

Higdon's "Splendid Wood"

Jennifer Higdon (b. 1962) Splendid Wood New England Conservatory Percussion Ensemble Naxos 8.559683

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YourClassical

Mozart and Gershwin go pop?

W.A. Mozart (1756 - 1791): Marriage of Figaro Wind Suite Amadeus Ensemble; Julius Rudel, cond. MusicMasters 67118 George Gershwin (1899 - 1937): Catfish Row Suite, fr Porgy and Bess Chicago Symphony; James Levine, cond. DG 445 768

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YourClassical

Zwilich anniversaries

Ellen Taaffe Zwilich (b. 1939) Symphony No. 1 Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra; John Nelson, cond. New World 336 Ellen Taaffe Zwilich (b. 1939) Bass Trombone Concerto Charles Vernon, Bass Trombone; MSU Symphony; Leon Gregorian, cond. Koch 7487

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YourClassical
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Meyerbeer's "African Maid"

Giacomo Meyerbeer (1791 – 1864) O paradis, from L'Africaine Ben Heppner, tenor; London Symphony; Myung-Whun Chung, cond. DG 471 372

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YourClassical

Stravinsky goes dancing

Igor Stravinsky (1882 – 1971) Apollon musagète Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra; Riccardo Chailly, cond. London 448 142 Igor Stravinsky (1882 – 1971) Jeu de Cartes Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra; Neeme Järvi, cond. Chandos 9014

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YourClassical

Sibelius Symphony No. 1

Jean Sibelius (1553 - 1612) Symphony No. 1 in e Lahti Symphony Orchestra; Osmo Vänskä, cond. Bis 861

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Beethoven waits for Liszt

Franz Liszt (1811 – 1886) Reminiscences de Robert le Diable Leslie Howard, piano Hyperion 66861

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About Composers Datebook®

Host John Birge presents a daily snapshot of composers past and present, with timely information, intriguing musical events and appropriate, accessible music related to each.

He has been hosting, producing and performing classical music for more than 25 years. Since 1997, he has been hosting on Minnesota Public Radio's Classical Music Service. He played French horn for the Cincinnati Symphony and Pops Orchestra and performed with them on their centennial tour of Europe in 1995. He was trained at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Eastman School of Music and Interlochen Arts Academy.

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