Mozart gets married
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791): ‘Great Mass: Et Incarnatus Est’; Gillian Keith, soprano; Handel and Haydn Society; Harry Christophers, conductor; Coro 16084
John Birge
YourClassical MPR
Composers Datebook®
Reminding you that all music was once new ® • with host John Birge
Composers Datebook - Aug. 4, 2025
2:00
Rossini asks 'Who was that masked man?'
Gioacchino Rossini (1792-1868): ‘William Tell Overture’; Philharmonia Orchestra; Carlo Maria Giulini, conductor; EMI 69042 Dimitri Shostakovich (1906-1975): Symphony No. 15; London Philharmonic; Mariss Jansons, conductor; EMI 56591
2:00
Gluck and Glass in the underworld
Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714-1787): ‘Dance of the Blessed Spirits’ from ‘Orphée’; Academy of Ancient Music; Christopher Hogwood, conductor; L’oiseau Lyre 410 553 Philip Glass (b. 1937): ‘Act 2 Interlude’ from ‘Orphée’; Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra; Dennis Russell Davies, conductor; Nonesuch 79496-2
2:00
Dvorak's 'American Quintet'
Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904): II. ‘Allegro Vivo’ from String Quintet No. 3; Vlach Quartet Prague with Ladislav Kyselak, viola; Naxos 8.553376
2:00
Bach at rest
J.S. Bach (1685-1750): ‘St. Matthew Passion’; SW German Madrigal Chorus; Wolfgang Gönnenwein, conductor; EMI Classics 79544 J.S. Bach (1685-1750) (arr. Chris Brubeck): ‘Variations on Themes by Bach’; Joel Brown, guitar; London Symphony; Joel Revzen, conductor; Koch International 7485
2:00
Ellington honored -- finally!
Edward Kennedy (“Duke”) Ellington (1899-1974): ‘The Golden Broom and the Green Apple’; Duke Ellington, piano; Cincinnati Symphony; Erich Kunzel, conductor; MCA 42318
2:00
Caruso sings Cohan
George M. Cohan (1878-1942) (arr. Bennett): ‘Over There’; Cincinnati Pops; Erich Kunzel, conductor; Telarc 80175 George M. Cohan (1878-1942): ‘Over There’; Enrico Caruso, tenor; recorded July 11, 1918 RCA/BMG 60495
2:00
Berlioz gets hot
Hector Berlioz (1803-1869): ‘Symphonie Funebre et Triomphale’; London Symphony; Colin Davis, conductor; Philips 416 283
2:00
Lindberg by Weill, Hindemith and Waxman
Kurt Weill (1900-1950): ‘Lindbergh’s Flight’; Cologne Radio Orchestra; Hermann Scherchen, conductor; Capriccio 60012 Franz Waxman (1906-1962): ‘The Spirit of St. Louis’; studio orchestra; Franz Waxman, conductor; BMG/RCA 2283
2:00
'Parsifal' in Bayreuth
Richard Wagner (1813-1883): ‘Transformation Music,’ from ‘Parsifal’; London Symphony; Sir Adrian Boult, conductor; EMI Classics 62539
2:00
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.