Handel and Mattheson bury the hatchet (and not in each other)
George Frederic Handel (1685 – 1757) Oboe Concerto No. 3 Heinz Holliger, oboe; English Chamber Orchestra; Raymond Leppard, cond. Philips 454 363
John Birge
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Composers Datebook®
Reminding you that all music was once new ® • with host John Birge
The recomposing of Mr. Bruch
Max Bruch (1838 – 1920) Concerto for Two Pianos, Op. 88a Güher and Süher Pekinel, pianos;Philharmonia Orchestra; Sir Neville Marriner, cond. Chandos 9711
Cowell in Cuba
Henry Cowell (1897 – 1965) Piano Concerto Stefan Litwin, piano; Saarbrucken Radio Symphony; Michael Stern, cond. Col Legno 20064
Lisztomania hits Berlin
Franz Schubert (arr. Franz Liszt) Erlkönig Murray Perahia, piano Sony 66511
John Morton in a box
Daniel Jensen Spin Spin Edelweiss 8" music box (Angelo Rulli collection) Scandia 2323 John Morton (b. 1954) White Tara John Morton, music boxes and piano; William Blossom, bass innova 553
Humperdinck and Vivaldi on NBC
Englebert Humperdinck (1854 –1921) Hansel and Gretel Overture Bamberg Symphony;Karl Anton Rickenbacher, cond. Virgin 61128 Antonio Vivaldi (1674 – 1741) Concerto Grosso in D, R. 565 Moscow Virtuosi; Vladimir Spivakov, cond. BMG 60240
Verdi passes on the pyramids
Giuseppe Verdi (1813 – 1901) Grand March, fr Aida New York Philharmonic; Leonard Bernstein, cond. Sony 48226
Mozart, Salieri, and Beethoven in Vienna
Wolfgang Mozart (1756 – 1791) Piano Concerto No. 22 Mitsuko Uchida, piano; English Chamber Orchestra; Jeffrey Tate, cond. Philips 420 187 Wolfgang Mozart (1756 – 1791) Magic Flute Overture Zurich Opera House Orchestra;Nikolaus Harnoncourt, cond. Teldec 95523 Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827) Violin Concerto, Op. 61 Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin; New York Philharmonic;Kurt Masur, cond. DG 471 349
Lully and Vivaldi greet the season
Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632 – 1687) Isis Philippe Caillard Chorale and Orchestra Erato 20983 Antonio Vivaldi (1678 – 1741) Winter, fr The Four Seasons Enrico Onofrio, violin; Il Giardino Armonico Teldec 97671
Prokofiev's "Ode to Joe"
Sergei Prokofiev (1891 - 1953) Lieutenant Kije Suite Chicago Symphony; Claudio Abbado, cond. DG 447 419 Sergei Prokofiev (1891 - 1953) A toast! Op. 85 St. Petersburg Philharmonic Choir; New Philharmonia Orchestra; Alexander Titov, cond. Beaux 38
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.