Reminding you that all music was once new ® • with host John Birge
Maurice Ravel (1875-1937): Piano Concerto for the Left Hand; Leon Fleisher, piano; Baltimore Symphony; Sergui Commissiona, conductor; Philips 456 775 Piano Concerto in G Krystian Zimerman, piano; Cleveland Orchestra; Pierre Boulez, conductor; DG 449 213
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Gunther Schuller (1925-2015): ‘Conversation’; Modern Jazz Quartet and ensemble; Gunther Schuller, conductor; Wounded Bird 1345
H.K. Gruber (b. 1943): ‘Three Mob Pieces’; London Mob Ensemble; H.K. Gruber EMI 56441 H.K. Gruber (b. 1943) ‘Frankenstein!!’ H.K. Gruber, vocals; Salzburg Camerata; Franz Welser-Most, conductor; EMI 56441
Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904): String Quartet No. 12 (‘American’); Keller Quartet; Warner 44355
Richard Wagner (1813-1883): ‘Parsifal’ excerpts; Welsh National Opera Chorus and Orchestra; Reginald Goodall, conductor; EMI 65665
George Antheil (1900-1959): Symphony No. 5 (‘Joyous’); Frankfurt Radio Symphony; Hugh Wolff, conductor; CPO 999 706
Franz Lehár (1870-1948): ‘The Merry Widow’ excerpts; Budapest Philharmonic; Janos Sandor, conductor; Laserlight 15046
While hardly twins, the String Quartets of Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel are often linked in the minds of music lovers and record companies. Admired today for their grace and sheer beauty, back when these quartets were first performed in Paris, reactions were quite different.
Engelbert Humperdinck (1854-1921): ‘Koenigskinder Excerpts’
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.
