Of Wagner, Tubas, and Gyorgy Kurtag
Győrgy Kurtág (b. 1926) Stele, op. 33 SWR Symphony; Michael Gielen, cond. Hänssler 93001
John Birge
YourClassical MPR
Composers Datebook®
Reminding you that all music was once new ® • with host John Birge
Edison, for the record
Antonin Dvořák (1841 - 1904) arr. Kreisler Songs My Mother Taught Me Fritz Kreisler, violin Pearl 9324 George Frederic Handel (1685 – 1757) excerpt, fr Judas Maccabeus Edward Lloyd, tenor Koch Historic 7703 Johannes Brahms (1833 – 1897) plays on an Edison cylinder (r. 1889) Johannes Brahms, p. Pearl 99049 Johannes Brahms (1833 – 1897) Hungarian Dance No. 1 Idil Biret, piano Naxos 8.550355
Telemann finesses his contract
Georg Philipp Telemann (1681 - 1767) Don Quichotte Suite Camerata of St. Andrew; Leonard Friedman, cond. Omega 1006
William Henry Fry
William Henry Fry (1813 – 1864) Macbeth Overture Royal Scottish National Orchestra; Tony Rowe, cond. Naxos 8.559057
"J.D." Bach?
J.S. Bach (1685 – 1750) Prelude and Fugue in C, S. 531 Kevin Bowyer, organ Nimbus 5500
Poulenc's "Model Animals"
Francis Poulenc (1899 – 1963) Les animaux modeles French National Orchestra; Charles Dutoit, cond. London 452 937
Hanson and Thomas at summer camp
Howard Hanson (1896 – 1981) Symphony No. 7 (A Sea Symphony) Seattle Symphony and Chorale; Gerard Schwarz, cond. Delos 3130 Augusta Read Thomas (b. 1964) Wind Dances Louisville Orchestra; Lawrence Leighton Smith, cond. Albany/ Louisville First Edition 010
Barber and Penderecki for strings
Samuel Barber (1910 – 1981) Adagio for Strings, Op. 11 London Symphony; Michael Tilson Thomas, cond. EMI Classics 55358 Krzysztof Penderecki (b. 1933) Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima Polish Radio National Symphony; Krzyzstof Penderecki, cond. EMI Classics 65077
Mozart's First (and Fashions)
Wolfgang Mozart (1756 – 1791) Symphony No. 1, K. 16 Prague Chamber Orchestra; Charles Mackerras, cond. Telarc 80256
William Schuman
William Schuman (1910-1992) Symphony No. 3 New York Philharmonic; Leonard Bernstein, cond. Sony Classical 63163 Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856) Symphony No. 1 (Spring) Berlin Philharmonic; James Levine, cond. DG 435 856 Roy Harris (1899-1979) Symphony No. 1 Louisville Orchestra; Jorge Mester, cond. Albany/Louisville First Edition 012
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.