Massenet (and Laurie Anderson)
Jules Massenet (1842-1912): ‘O Souverain, O Juge, O Pere’; from ‘Le Cid’; Ben Heppner, tenor; Munich Radio Orchestra; Roberto Abbado, conductor; RCA/BMG 62504
John Birge
YourClassical MPR
Composers Datebook®
Reminding you that all music was once new ® • with host John Birge
Composers Datebook - Nov. 30, 2025
2:00
Get Composers Datebook in your inbox
Sign up for the free Composers Datebook newsletter now — every day in your inbox!
New York City 'firsts' of Rossini and Cole Porter
Gioacchino Rossini (1792-1868): Selections from ‘The Barber of Seville’; Academy of St. Martin in the Fields; Neville Marriner, conductor; Philips 412 266 Cole Porter (1891-1964): ‘Gay Divorce’ Overture; London Sinfonietta; John McGlinn, conductor; EMI 68589
2:00
Rachmaninoff and Hanson get romantic
Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943): Piano Concerto No. 3; Martha Argerich, piano; Berlin Radio Symphony; Riccardo Chailly, conductor; Philips 446 673 Howard Hanson (1896-1981): Symphony No. 2 (‘Romantic’); RCA Symphony; Charles Gerhardt, conductor; Chesky 112
2:00
Spacey music by Strauss and Ligeti
Richard Strauss (1864-1949): ‘Also Sprach Zarathustra’; Chicago Symphony; Fritz Reiner, conductor; RCA/BMG 60833 György Ligeti (1923-2006): ‘Atmospheres’; Hollywood Bowl Orchestra; John Mauceri, conductor; Philips 446 403
2:00
A pre-premiere premiere by John Corigliano
John Corigliano (b. 1938): Selections from ‘The Red Violin’; Joshua Bell, violin; Philharmonia Orchestra; Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor; Sony 63010
2:00
Tailor-made music by Walter Piston
Walter Piston (1894-1976): Symphony No. 6; Seattle Symphony; Gerard Schwarz, conductor; Delos 3074
2:00
Two Tchaikovskys, one skull
Peter Tchaikovsky (1840-1893): ‘Hamlet-Fantasy Overture’; Israel Philharmonic Orchestra; Leonard Bernstein, conductor (DG 477670)
2:00
Colorful music by Scriabin and Torke
Alexander Scriabin (1872-1915): Etude No. 4; Piers Lane, piano; Hyperion 66607 Michael Torke (b. 1961): ‘Bright Blue Music’; Baltimore Symphony; David Zinman, conductor
2:00
Roger Sessions' 'Kennedy Sonata'
Roger Sessions (1896-1985): Sonata No. 3 (‘Kennedy Sonata’); William Grant Naboré, piano; DRC 3002
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.