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
Robert Schumann (1810-1856)
Week of April 21, 2025
A musical biography of the torrid life of one of Germany’s early romantics. Married to composer/pianist Clara Wieck, and a friend to Johannes Brahms, Felix Mendelssohn, and Joseph Joachim, Schumann was at the very heart of the German Romantic intellectual movement in the mid-nineteenth century. He was a composer, pianist, and music critic. This week we will listen to Maurizio Pollini play Davidsbündlertänze, Op 6, Murray Perahia perform his Piano Concerto in A minor, and the Cleveland Orchestra conducted by George Szell play his Symphony No. 3, known as the "Rhenish."
MONDAY, APRIL 21
Schumann, Robert: Kinderszenen
"Der dichter spricht"
Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano
Piano Works Vol. 3: Waldszenen / Kinderszenen / Sonata No.1 In F Sharp Minor
London 421 290-2
0:34 (excerpt)
Schumann, Robert: Quartet for Piano and Strings in C minor, IV.
Previn, piano; Kim, violin; Ohyama, viola; Hoffman, violoncello
Schumann: Piano Quartet in E Flat Major, Op. 47 & Piano Quartet in C Minor, WoO 32
RCA 61384
2:30 (excerpt)
Schumann, Robert: Fünf Frühe Lieder
“Kurzes Erwachen,” “An Anna II,” “Im Herbste”
Thomas Hampson, baritone; Geoffrey Parsons, piano
Lieder
Teldec 2292-44935
2:36
Schumann, Robert: Quartet for Piano and Strings in C minor, II. & III.
Previn, piano; Kim, violin; Ohyama, viola; Hoffman, violoncello
Schumann: Piano Quartet in E Flat Major, Op. 47 & Piano Quartet in C Minor, WoO 32
RCA 61384
9:09
Schumann, Robert: "Theme and Variations on the name A-B-E-G-G"
Benedetto Lupo, piano
Schumann: Complete works for Piano and Orchestra
Arts
8:13
Schumann, Robert: Symphony in G minor, “Zwickau”
Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique/Gardiner
Complete Symphonies
Archiv 457 591-2
18:27
Schumann, Robert: "Papillons"
Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano
Arabeske / Papillons / Sinfonische Etüden
London 414 470
1:12; 2:19 (excerpts)
TUESDAY, APRIL 22
Schumann, Robert: "Carnival"
Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano
Orchestral Works
London 421010-2
2:07; 7:42; 2:28 (excerpts)
Schumann, Robert: Fantasie in C Major, Op. 17, I.
Leif Ove Andsnes, piano
Schumann: Klaviersonate Nr. 1 fis-moll, Op. 11 / Fantasia C-dur, Op. 17
EMI 56414
12:22
Schumann, Robert: Davidsbündlertänze, Op. 6
Maurizio Pollini, piano
Davidsbündlertänze • Concert Sans Orchestre
DG 289 471 369-2
2:01; 8:04; 8:02
Schumann, Robert: 3 Romances, Op. 28, No. 2 in F-sharp Major
Tatiana Nikolayeva, piano
Schumann, Prokofiev: Piano Music
Mel/BMG 74321 33213 2
3:40
Schumann, Robert: Kinderszenen, Op. 15, No. 7
"Träumerei"
Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano
Schumann: Piano works
London 470 915
2:48
Schumann, Robert: 3 Romances, Op. 28, No. 2 in F-Sharp Major (excerpt)
Tatiana Nikolayeva, piano
Schumann, Prokofiev: Piano Music
Mel/BMG 74321 33213 2
0:30
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23
Schumann, Robert: Myrthen, Op. 25, No. 1, Widmung
Thomas Quasthoff, baritone; Justus Zeyen, piano
Thomas Quasthoff – A Romantic Songbook
DG B0002192-02
2:00
Schumann, Robert: Lieder, Op. 12, No. 2
"Liebst du um Schönheit"
Barbara Bonney, soprano; Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano
Robert & Clara Schumann Lieder – Frauenliebe und -Leben
London 452 898
2:29
Schumann, Robert: Dichterliebe, Op. 48
“Im wunderschönen Monat Mai”
Matthias Goerne, baritone; Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano
Schumann: Dichterliebe; Liederkreis
London 258 265
7:50
Schumann, Robert: Dichterliebe, Op. 48
Matthias Goerne, baritone; Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano
Schumann: Dichterliebe; Liederkreis
London 258 265
4:51; 7:57 (excerpts)
Schubert, Franz: Great C Major
Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra/Toscanini
Schubert Symphony No. 9
RCA 60313
1:00 (excerpt under Bill)
Schumann, Robert: Symphony No. 1, Spring, I.
Cleveland Orchestra/Szell
Symphonies Nos. 1 “Spring” & 4
CBS 38468
9:48
Schumann, Robert: Symphony No. 4
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra/Chailly
Schumann: Symphony No. 1 in B Flat Major, Op. 38 (Spring);
Symphony No. 4 in D Minor, Op. 120
London 425608-2
2:32; 2:30 (excerpts)
THURSDAY, APRIL 24
Schumann, Robert: Quartet for Piano and Strings in E-Flat Major, III.
Cleveland Quartet; Emanuel Ax, piano
Schumann: Piano Quartet, Op. 44 / Piano Quintet, Op. 47
RCA 6498
6:41
Schumann, Robert: Quartet for Strings in A Major Op. 41, No. 3, I. II.
Emerson String Quartet
String Quartet No. 1 / String Quartet No. 3
DG 431 650
13:51
Schumann, Robert: Quintet for Piano and Strings, Op. 44, I.
Argerich, piano; Schwarzberg, Hall, violins; Imai, viola; Maisky, violoncello
Schumann: Piano Quintet, Andante & Variations, Fantasiestucke; Martha Argerich
EMI 55484 2
8:56
Schumann, Robert: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in A minor, I.
Berlin Philharmonic/Abbado; Murray Perahia, piano
Complete Works For Piano & Orchestra
Sony 64577
14:20
Schumann, Robert: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in A minor, III.
Berlin Philharmonic/Abbado; Murray Perahia, piano
Complete Works For Piano & Orchestra
Sony 64577
4:45
FRIDAY, APRIL 25
Schumann, Robert: Symphony No. 2, III.
London Philharmonic Orchestra/ Masur
Symphonien Nr. 2 and 3 “Rheinische
Teldec 46446
0:37; 2:22; 8:02 (excerpts)
Schumann, Robert: Concertstück for 4 Horns
and Orchestra in F Major, Op. 86, finale (excerpt)
Chicago Symphony Orchestra/ Barenboim
Clevenger, Howell, Schweikert, Oldberg, horns
4 Symphonies – Konzertstück For 4 Horns – “Manfred Overture”
DG 2709 075
0:11; 3:47 (excerpts)
Schumann, Robert: Concerto for Violoncello and Orchestra, I.
London Symphony Orchestra/Skrowaczewski
Janos Starker, violoncello
Cello Concerto in A Minor, Op. 129 /
Cello Concerto In D Minor / Cello Concerto In A Minor, Op. 33
Mercury 432 010
12:47
Schumann, Robert: Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 97, Rhenish, I.
Cleveland Orchestra/Szell
Schumann: The Four Symphonies; “Manfred” Overture, Op. 115
Sony 62349
9:10; 0:16(except)
Schumann, Robert: Symphony No. 3 in E Flat Major, Op. 97, Rhenish, IV.
Cleveland Orchestra/Szell
Schumann: The Four Symphonies; “Manfred” Overture, Op. 115
Sony 62349
5:46
Brahms, Johannes: Symphony No. 3
Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Solti
The Symphonies
London 430 799
0:17; 0:53 (excerpt)
Baltic Music
Week of April 28, 2025
Many of us know and love the work of Jean Sibelius, Finland's greatest musical export, but the countries around the Gulf of Finland have given us a wealth of composers, some better known than others. This week’s theme is music from this land of lakes and islands — isolated, self-contained, and full of beauty. Composers like Erkki Melartin, Leevi Madetoja, Heino Eller, and Arvo Pärt, working in the long shadow of Sibelius, created violin concertos, symphonies, tone poems, choral works, and chamber works. So, what is it that fascinates us about this distant northern region? Perhaps we will sum it up best with a fantastic piece by Uuno Klami called Aurora Borealis.
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