Haydn's imperial anthem
Franz Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809) String Quartet, Op. 76, no. 3 (Emperor) Emerson Quartet DG 427 657
John Birge
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Composers Datebook®
Reminding you that all music was once new ® • with host John Birge
Donizetti's "Daughter" in 1840 and 1940
Gaetano Donizetti (1797 - 1848) La Fille deRegiment excerpt Joan Sutherland, soprano; Covent Garden Orchestra; Richard Bonynge, cond. London 414 520 Claude-Joseph Rouget de Lisle (1760 - 1836)/arr. Berlioz La Marseillaise Jessye Norman, soprano; Paris Orchestra; Semyon Bychkov, cond. Philips 422 922
Beethoven in Boston
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827) Symphony No. 5 Royal Philharmonic; Rene Leibowitz, cond. Chesky 17 Charles Ives (1874 – 1954) Sonata No. 2 (Concord, Mass., 1840 – 1860) Marc-Andre Hamelin, piano New World 378
Verdi's "Falstaff"
Antonio Salieri (1750 - 1825) Falstaff Overture London Mozart Players; Matthias Bamert, cond. Chandos 9877 Giuseppe Verdi (1813 - 1901) Finale, fr Falstaff Cincinnati Pops; Erich Kunzel, cond. Telarc 80364
Wagner on the banks of the Mississippi?
Richard Wagner (1813 - 1883) Das Rheingold excerpt Soloists and Bavarian Radio Symphony; Bernard Haitink, cond. EMI 54633 Parsifal excerpt Netherlands Radio Philharmonic; Edo de Waart, cond. BMG 44786
Eubie Blake flunks retirement
Sousa arr. Eubie Blake (1887 - 1983) Semper Fidelis Eubie Blake, piano Columbia (LP) C2S-847
Brant's "Angels and Devils"
Henry Brant (1913 - 2008) Angels and Devils Bonita Boyd, flute; Eastman Wind Ensemble; Donald Hunsberger, cond. Centaur 2014
Zwilich's "Gardens" Symphony
W.A. Mozart (1756 - 1791) Symphony No. 35 (Haffner) Prague Chamber Orchestra; Sir Charles Mackerras, cond. Telarc 80203 Ellen Taaffe Zwillich (b. 1939) Symphony No. 4 (The Gardens) MSU Symphony and Choirs; Leon Gregorian, cond. Koch International 7487
Liszt pulls a switcheroo
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827) Piano Trio, Op. 1, no. 2 Kempff-Szeryng-Fournier Trio DG 453 751
A summer Sextet by Brahms
Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897) String Sextet No. 2, Op. 36 L'Archibudelli Sony Classical 68252
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.