'Leif' insurance for Schubert?
Franz Schubert (1797-1828): Symphony No. 9; Berlin Philharmonic; Karl Böhm, conductor; DG 419 318 Jón Leifs (1899-1968): ‘Fine I’ and ‘Fine II’; Iceland Symphony; Petri Sakari, conductor; Chandos 9433
John Birge
YourClassical MPR
Composers Datebook®
Reminding you that all music was once new ® • with host John Birge
Composers Datebook - Dec. 17, 2025
2:00
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On Beethoven, Saint-Saens, and fossil-hunting
Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921): ‘Variations on a theme of Beethoven’; Philippe Corre and Edouard Exerjean, pianos; Pierre Verany 790041 Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921): ‘Fossils’ from ‘Carnival of the Animals’; Martha Argerich, Nelson Freire, pianos; Markus Steckeler, xylophone; ensemble Philips 446557
2:00
Dvořák's 'Toy Story?'
Antonin Dvořák (1841-1904): Symphony No. 9 (‘From the New World’); New York Philharmonic; Kurt Masur, conductor; Teldec 73244
2:00
Roumain's 'Ghetto Strings'
Daniel Bernard Roumain (b. 1970): ‘Haiti’ from ‘Ghetto Strings’; Minneapolis Guitar Quartet; innova CD 858
2:00
Mahler and Schoenfield at the Vaudeville?
Gustav Mahler (1860-1911): Symphony No. 2 (‘Resurrection’); London Symphony; Gilbert Kaplan, conductor; Conifer 51337 Paul Schoenfield (1947-2024): ‘Vaudeville’; New World Symphony; John Nelson, conductor; Argo 440 212
2:00
Ravel and Zaimont
Maurice Ravel (1875-1937): ‘La Valse’ Boston Symphony; Charles Munch, conductor; RCA 6522 Judith Lang Zaimont (b. 1945): Symphony No. 1; Czech Radio Symphony; Leos Svarovsky, conductor; Arabesque 6742
2:00
Bizet and Menotti on TV in the 1950s
Georges Bizet (1838-1875): ‘Carmen Suite No. 1’; Orchestre National de France; Seiji Ozawa, conductor; EMI 63898 Giancarlo Menotti (1911-2007): ‘March’ from ‘Amahl and the Night Visitors’; New Zealand Symphony; Andrew Schenck, conductor; Koch 7005
2:00
Morton Gould
Morton Gould (1913-1996): ‘Spirituals for Strings’; London Philharmonic; Kenneth Klein, conductor; EMI 49462
2:00
A sequel by Berlioz
Hector Berlioz (1803-1869): ‘Fantasy on Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’’ from ‘Lelio London Symphony’; Pierre Boulez, conductor; Sony 64103
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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.