Bill McGlaughlin
About Exploring Music
Weekdays at 9pm
Bill McGlaughlin guides listeners through a new musical theme each week, devoting five nights to a single topic. McGlaughlin’s in-depth knowledge of and deep passion for classical music gives the series his customary enthusiasm, imagination, and spontaneity. He is a Peabody Award-winning broadcaster, conductor, and composer.
Program Schedule
Top Shelf, Part I
Week of August 18, 2025
Closing in on twenty years, Bill has been collecting and programming music for Exploring Music. However, many of his favorite recordings don’t find their way into a thematic week of EM and end up orphaned on a top shelf in his back room. These are special recordings that wait and wait for the right theme, and it begins to feel like they become a character in Samuel Beckett’s play Waiting for Godot. This week Bill pulled down these CDs and they became the theme – colorful, great performances of music that Bill adores.
MONDAY, AUGUST 18
Handel George Frideric: Rinaldo, Act 2
"Lascia ch’io pianga"
Cecilia Bartoli, Academy of Ancient Music/Hogwood
Baroque Gold – 50 Great Tracks
Decca 4832176
4:50
Rossini, Gioachino: Stabat Mater
Stabat Mater Dolorosa: Cujus animam gementem
Orchester Del Macchio Musicale Fiorentino/ R.Muti; Solisten Chorus
Stabat Mater
His Master’s Voice ASD 4256
15:23
Chausson, Ernest: Poème for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 25
Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France/Mikko Franck, Hilary Hahn
Hilary Hahn – Paris
DG 4839847
17:02
Enescu, Georges: Symphonie Concertante, Op. 8
1. Assez Lent
Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra/ Hannu Lintu, Truls Mørk, violoncello
Enescu: Symphonie concertante, Op. 8 & Symphony No. 1, Op. 13
Ondine ODE1198-2
10:41
Amram, David: Five Readings from Jack Kerouac’s “On The Road”
V. "So In America"
Douglas Yaeger, Narrator. The David Amram Quartet
The Chamber Music of David Amram
Urlicht 26037
2:17
TUESDAY, AUGUST 19
Prokofiev, Sergei: Violin Concerto No. 1 in D Major, Op. 19
I. Andantino – Andante assai, II. Scherzo. Vivacissimo
III. Moderato – Allegro moderato – Moderato – Più tranquillo
Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France/Miko Franck, Hilary Hahn, violin
Hilary Hahn – Paris
DG 4839847
13:27, 8:03
Schumann, Robert: Fantasie in C, Op. 17:
I. Durchaus Phantastisch Und Leidenschaftlich Vorzutragen
II. Mäßig, Durchaus Energisch, III. Langsam Getragen
Yundi Li, piano
Yundi – Emperor / Fantasy
DG 4810710
28:03
Chopin, Frédéric: Prelude in G Major
Yundi Li, piano
Chopin Preludes
DG 481 1910
0:52
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20
Albinoni, Tomaso: Il nascimento dell’Aurora
"Aure andate e baciate"
Cecila Bartoli, Sol Gebetta, cello, Cappella Gabetta, led by Andrés Gabetta
Dolce Duello
Decca 483 2473
3:20
Rautavaara, Einojuhani: Duex Sérénades
I. Sérénade pour mon amour. Moderato
II. Sérénade pour la vie. Andante assai – Comodo – Agitato
Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France/Miko Franck; Hilary Hahn, violin
Hilary Hahn – Paris
DG 4839847
14:23
Fauré, Gabriel: Ballade in F Sharp, Op. 19
Yuja Wang, piano
Piano Concertos
DG B0023931-02
12:05
Enesco, Georges: Symphonie Concertante, Op. 8
II. Assez Lent
Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra/Hannu Lintu, Truls Mørk; violoncello
Enescu: Symphonie concertante, Op. 8 & Symphony No. 1, Op. 13
Ondine Ode 1198-2
4:50
Dvořák, Antonin: Symphony No. 6 D Dur Op. 60
III. Scherzo (Furiant): Presto
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra/José Serebrier
Dvorak: Complete Symphonies
Warner Classics 2564613201
7:50; 0:23
Korngold, Erich Wolfgang: Die Tote Stadt
“Glück, Das Mir Verblieb”
Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin/Jochen Rieder, Julia Leiter, Jonas Kaufmann
Great Moments from Opera
UMG Recordings
6:14
THURSDAY, AUGUST 21
Bach, JS: Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1 – Prelude No. 13 in F Sharp, BWV 858 Fugue No. 13 in F Sharp, BWV 858
Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano
Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier I
DG 4792784
3:24
Bach, JS: Solo Sonata No. 2 in A Minor For Solo Violin, BWV 1003
III. Andante; IV. Allegro
Lisa Batiashvili, violin
Bach
DG 479 2479
10:11
Enescu, George: Symphonie Concertante, Op. 8
III. Majestueux
Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra/ Hannu Lintu, Truls Mørk, violoncello
Enescu: Symphonie Concertante & Symphony No. 1
Ondine ODE11982
8:38
Bartók, Béla: Sonata For 2 Pianos & Percussion, SZ 110
III. Allegro Non Troppo
Murray Perahia, Georg Solti, David Corkhill, Evelyn Glennie
Bartók: Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion & Brahms: Variations on a Theme by Haydn
Sony G0100012224075
6:46
Dvořák, Antonín: Symphony No.7 in D minor Op.70
I. Allegro maestoso
III. Scherzo Vivace – Poco meno mosso
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra/José Serebrier
Dvorak: Complete Symphonies
Warner Classics 2564613201
10:26; 7:45
Dvořák, Antonín: Symphony No.7 in D minor Op.70
II. Poco adagio (excerpt)
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra/José Serebrier
Dvorak: Complete Symphonies
Warner Classics 2564613201
2:23
FRIDAY, AUGUST 22
Bach, Carl Philipp Emanuel: Trio Sonata in B Minor, WQ 143
I. Allegro, II. Adagio, III. Presto
Emmanuel Pahud, Lisa Batiashvili, violin;
Peter Kofler, harpsichord; Sebastian Klinger, cello
Bach
DG 479 2479
8:53
Schnittke, Alfred: Suite in the Old Style
I. Pastorale, II. Ballet, III. Minuet
IV. Fugue, V. Pantomim
Daniel Hope, Alexey Botvinov
Schnittke: Works For Violin and Piano
DG 4839234
15:01
Schnittke, Alfred: Polka; Tango from the music to the film Agony
Daniel Hope, Alexey Botvinov
Schnittke: Works For Violin and Piano
DG 4839234
4:45
Delius, Frederick: ‘Irmelin’
Prelude
Northern Sinfonia/Richard Hickox
Miniatures
His Master’s Voice – EL 2704531
4:49
Ponce, Manuel: "Estrellita"
Itzhak Perlman, Samuel Sanders
A Tribute to Jascha Heifetz
Warner Classics 2564612979
3:11
Turner, Kerry: "Barbara Allen"
The Horns of the New York Philharmonic
Take 9
MSR B00AFTZVQ4
4:27
Desmond, Paul (arr. Calvin Custer, Phil Meyers): Take 5
The Horns of the New York Philharmonic
Take 9
MSR B00AFTZVQ4
2:05
Lehár, Franz: The Land of Smiles
"You Are My Heart’s Delight"
Jonas Kaufmann; Jochen Rieder: Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin
You Mean The World To Me
Sony 88843087712
3:54
Week of August 25, 2025
Bach Sleeps in on Sundays
Johann Sebastian Bach dedicated most of his life to serving God and the Lutheran Church. As noted by Bill, “Bach family members worked as church musicians from Martin Luther to Otto von Bismarck…nearly 400 years.” However, Bach also composed remarkable and enduring secular music, particularly during the five years (1717-1722) he spent working for Prince Leopold. During this time, he created the cello suites, violin sonatas and partitas, and the Brandenburg Concertos. Bill chronicles this intensely creative period in the life of JS Bach.
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