Thomas Greene Wiggins
Thomas Greene ‘Blind Tom’ Wiggins (1849-1908): ‘The Battle of Manassas’; John Davis, piano; Newport Classics 85660

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

Thomas Greene ‘Blind Tom’ Wiggins (1849-1908): ‘The Battle of Manassas’; John Davis, piano; Newport Classics 85660

Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904): String Quartet (‘American’); Vlach Quartet; Naxos 8.553371

Alan Hovhaness (1911-2000): ‘And God Created Great Whales’; Seattle Symphony; Gerard Schwarz, conductor; Delos DE-3157

Wynton Marsalis (b. 1961): Symphony No. 3 (‘Swing’); Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra; St. Louis Symphony; David Robertson, conductor; Blue Engine Records BE-0017

Cary John Franklin (b. 1956): ‘Falls Flyer’; Klemp-Kachian Duo; Schubert Club/Ten Thousand Lakes 115

Elliott Carter (1908-2012): ‘Conversation,’ from ‘Two Controversies and a Conversation’; Eric Huebner, piano; Colin Currie, percussion; New York Philharmonic; David Robertson, conductor; NYP 20120112

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958): Symphony No. 3 (‘Pastoral’); Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra; Kees Bakels, conductor; Naxos 8.550733

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791): ‘Don Giovanni’; Berlin Philharmonic; Herbert von Karajan, conductor; Deutsche Grammophon 419635 Frederick Loewe (1904-1988): ‘My Fair Lady’; Original Soundtrack Recording; Sony 66711

Richard Wagner (1813-1883): Act I Prelude, from ‘Siegfried’; Vienna Philharmonic; Georg Solti, conductor; London 414 110

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897): ‘Albumblatt’ (1853); Sophie-Mayuko Vetter, piano; Hännsler 98048
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.