Roger Sessions' 'Kennedy Sonata'
Roger Sessions (1896-1985): Sonata No. 3 (‘Kennedy Sonata’); William Grant Naboré, piano; DRC 3002
John Birge
YourClassical MPR
Composers Datebook®
Reminding you that all music was once new ® • with host John Birge
Composers Datebook - Nov. 22, 2025
2:00
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Rehearsing Monteverdi and Reich
Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643): ‘Orfeo’; Monteverdi Choir; English Baroque Soloists; John Eliot Gardiner, conductor; Erato 88032 Steve Reich (b. 1936): ‘Tehillim’; Schoenberg Ensemble; Percussion group The Hague; Reinbert De Leeuw, conductor; Nonesuch 79295
2:00
Mahler's First in Budapest and New York
Gustav Mahler (1860-1911): Symphony No. 1; Minnesota Orchestra; Edo de Waart, conductor; Virgin 61258
2:00
Buda and Pest feted in music by Bartok and Kodaly
Béla Bartók (1881-1945): ‘Dance Suite’; Philharmonia Hungarica; Antal Dorati, conductor; Mercury 432 017 Zoltán Kodály (1882-1967): ‘Psalmus Hungaricus’; Lajos Kozma, tenor; Brighton Festival Chorus; London Symphony; István Kertész, conductor; London 443 488
2:00
Toon-ful music by Carl Stalling
Carl Stalling (1888-1974): ‘Dinner Music for a Pack of Hungry Cannibals’ and ‘To Itch his Own’; Warner Bros. Studio Orchestra; Warner Bros. 26027
2:00
'To be Certain of the Dawn' by Stephen Paulus
Stephen Paulus (1949-2014): ‘To Be Certain of the Dawn’; Minnesota Chorale; Minnesota Boychoir; Basilica Cathedral Choir and Choristers; Minnesota Orchestra; Osmo Vänskä, conductor; Bis CD-1726
2:00
Gluck sings the blues
Christoph Willibald von Gluck (1714-1787): ‘Act Two Aria’ from ‘Armide’; Rockwell Blake, tenor; Monte Carlo Philharmonic; Patrick Fournillier, conductor; EMI 55058 Christoph Willibald von Gluck (1714-1787): ‘Don Juan Ballet Music’; Rhine Chamber Orchestra of Cologne; Jan Corazolla, conductor; Christophorus 74507
2:00
Kern's 'Show Boat' is launched in D.C.
Jerome Kern (1885-1945): Selections from ‘Show Boat’; Royal Liverpool Philharmonic; Carl Davis, conductor; EMI 4573
2:00
An important date for Copland and Bernstein
Aaron Copland (1900-1990): Piano Blues No. 3; James Tocco, piano; MPR 201
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.