Monday - Friday at 7:00 pm
An expedition through the world of classical music.
Exploring Music takes listeners on an adventure through the world of classical music. Each five-episode series explores a single theme, revealing surprising connections among composers, cultures, history, and great works – from Shakespeare and music to the lives of iconic composers, from musical capitals like Paris and Venice to festivals, genres, and traditions from around the globe. Whether you're a devoted classical music fan or just beginning to explore, Exploring Music offers a welcoming place to learn, listen, and be inspired – one week, one theme, and one musical adventure at a time.
Hosted by Peter van de Graaff, Exploring Music welcomes a new chapter while continuing to feature encore episodes from founding host Bill McGlaughlin in selected weeks.
Curse of the Ninth! Ninth Symphonies
August 17, 2026
Why did so many of music’s great symphonists die after completing their ninth symphony? This week’s theme is the curse of the ninth symphony which began with Beethoven in the mid-1820s. Over time, the myth grew that when writing your ninth symphony, it would be your last and perhaps also your last year on earth. Beethoven’s ninth symphony is a ...
Musical Dynasties
August 10, 2026
This week’s topic, “Musical Dynasties,” was suggested by a station in Arizona. Andy Bade, Music Host for Classical 90.5 KUAT-FM in Tucson, wrote in with some program ideas. Bill McGlaughlin replied, “Hey Andy, great to hear from you. I mean, REALLY great. At this precise moment, your email shows up with three great projects. Since I need to get to ...
String Quartets from Fibich to Sibelius
August 3, 2026
This week Bill broadens his considerations of the string quartet with an emphasis on lesser-known, late-19th century composers. He begins with Poème for violin and piano by Czech composer Zdeněk Fibich. Bill says “the music is familiar but the composer maybe not so familiar”: Poème was the score for one of the first choreographies by George Balanchine. Fibich was among ...
Sound the Trumpets
August 24, 2026
The trumpet takes center stage this week on Exploring Music with host Peter van de Graaff. Its story stretches back thousands of years and spans many cultures. We’ll listen to the Shofar, a ram’s horn from biblical times, and the ancient trumpets found in Tutankhamun’s tomb. And we’ll savor the modern trumpet’s bright sound in music by Bach and Vivaldi, ...
Fit for a King
August 31, 2026
For centuries, the relationship between a King and his musical subjects has been intimate and deep. From Bach to Bridge, we will listen to this rich and intriguing world of the European court composer. Bill mentions this is listening to some glorious music and, in most cases, giving credit where credit is due to the people who commissioned these works. ...
Les Cinq Plus
September 7, 2026
This week’s theme: French composers from the generation before Les Six (Poulenc, Milhaud, Honegger, et al), and we are fondly calling our composers Les Cinq Plus. Like Les Six, our composers did not have a great deal in common, and the way they all have been grouped is an historical accident — artists who happened to inhabit a particular locale ...
Vaughan Williams, Ralph
September 14, 2026
Composer of nine masterful symphonies, editor of the English Hymnal, an ambulance driver in WWI, and great-nephew to Charles Darwin, Ralph Vaughan Williams was a prolific and intriguing figure who was at the vanguard of English music in the early 20th century. This week, we’ll look at his life and enjoy his music.
