
- Program List
Below are many of the more than 200 five-hour 'weeks' of Exploring Music that have been created since 2003. The first seven minutes of every program are free to sample. Several entire 5-hour programs are also free to listen (marked 'free' below). For complete access to all of the shows, click here to become a subscriber. To sort through the shows by composers Click Here. To see the Playlist for a given show, click on the show and then on the 'playlist' button beneath any of the five one-hour programs.
AAmerican Masters, Part I American Masters, Part II American Masters, Part IIIAmerican Masters, Part IVAmerican Masters, Part V An Intelligent Conversation: String Quartets Arias & BarcarollesArtists in Exile, Part IArtists in Exile, Part II Autumn Leaves Autumnal Masterpieces BBach Sleeps in on SundaysBach to Beethoven Bach's Christmas Oratorio Bach's Not-So-Minor B-Minor MassBallad of East and West Baltic MusicBarber, SamuelBartok, BelaBeethoven and that Danged MetronomeBeethoven and the PianoBeethoven at Parnassus, Part IBeethoven at Parnassus, Part IIBeethoven Piano Sonatas (FREE)Beethoven Quartets Berlioz, HectorBernstein, LeonardBill's Keepers Boulanger, NadiaBrahms, Johannes, Part IBrahms, Johannes, Part II Britten, Benjamin Bruckner, Anton CCall for ScoresCarnegie Hall, Part 1 (FREE)Carnegie Hall, Part 2 (FREE)Cello Concertos Child's PlayChopin, FredericClash of the Titans Clowning AroundCopland, Aaron Corigliano, JohnCzech out those Bohemians DDebussy, Claude Demons, Spooks and Other Things That Go Bump in the NightDirector's ChoiceDistant Neighbors Don't Shoot the Piano PlayerDvořák, AntoninDvorak, Tchaikovsky & Borodin String Quartets EElgar, EdwardEmotion and Meaning in MusicEnescu, GeorgesEspanaFFamilies of Instruments Family Matters: All in the FamilyFauré, GabrielFit for a KingFour SeasonsFranck, CésarFrom This Mighty River: Music of the Children of J.S BachGGame of Pairs, Part I Game of Pairs, Part IIGershwin, GeorgeGet the PictureGitana: Gypsy Music and Its InfluencesGreen and Pleasant Land Grieg and SibeliusHHandel, George FridericHaydn and Mozart QuartetsHaydn SymphoniesHidden Gold, Part IHidden Gold, Part IIHHindemith, PaulHit or MythHoliday CelebrationHomageHow Strange the Change from Major to Minor, Part IHow Strange the Change from Major to Minor, Part IIII Didn't Know About YouI Hear a Rhapsody I Hear America Singing I Lost it at the MoviesIn a Family WayIncidentally SpeakingIntimate Conversations: Conversations with Samuel Rhodes and David FinckelInvitation to the Dance, Part IInvitation to the Dance, Part II Invitation to the Dance, Part IIIIt Takes Two to TangoIt Was a Lover and His Lass Italian SouvenirsJJanáček, LeošKKeyboard SmorgasbordLLatin CarnivalLes Cinq PlusLes SixLife Among the Dead: Requiem MassesListener's Choice, Part IIListener's Choice, Part III Liszt, FranzLittle Night Music Little Traveling Music, Please London, The Music of, Part 1London, The Music of, Part 2MMaestro, Part IMaestro, Part IIMagnificent MagyarsMahler, Gustav, Part IMahler, Gustav, Part IIMaiden Voyages Mendelssohn, FelixMendelssohn, Schumann and Brahms String QuartetsMerrie EnglandMozart at his ZenithMozart Piano ConcertosMozart's Birthday BashMozart: Bright Lights, Big CityMusic for the MassesMusic from the Magic Box Music in 19th Century Paris: Waterloo to Bismarck Music in the Time of WarMusic of ScandinaviaMusical CryptogramsMusical LandscapesNNationalismNew Releases, Part INew Releases, Part IINew Releases, Part III, week 1 of 2New Releases, Part III, week 2 of 2 New Wine in Old Bottles Nielsen, Carl Ninth SymphoniesNobody Ever Builds a Statue to a CriticOOrpheus in the New World Outward BoundPPastoral SymphoniesPiano ConcertosPolandPorts of Call, Part I Ports of Call, Part II Poulenc, FrancisProkofiev, SergeiProud Tower, Part I (FREE)Proud Tower, Part IIRRachmaninoff, SergeiRavel, Maurice Respighi, OttorinoRimsky-Korsakov and His PupilsRoaring 20's Russian Five: The Mighty Handful SSchool DaysSchubert String QuartetsSchubertiade, Part ISchubertiade, Part IISchuman, WilliamSchumann, Robert Shakespeare Shostakovich, Dmitri, Part I Shostakovich, Dmitri, Part IISlipped Through the Cracks Sounds of the City of Lights SoundtracksSpanish SchoolSpring is Here St-Saëns, Camille St. Matthew PassionStrauss, RichardStravinsky, IgorString Quartets from Fibich to SibeliusStrings Plus OneSweet Home Chicago Symphony, Part 01Symphony, Part 02Symphony, Part 03Symphony, Part 04Symphony, Part 05Symphony, Part 06 (French)Symphony, Part 07 (Russian)Symphony, Part 08Symphony, Part 09Symphony, Part 10Symphony, Part 11TTchaikovsky, Peter, Part I (FREE)Tchaikovsky, Peter, Part II (FREE)The Big Five I: Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Part IThe Big Five II: New York Philharmonic, Part IThe Big Five II: New York Philharmonic, Part IIThe Gathering Storm: Music from the Great Depression to WWIIThrough the Mail SlotTo the Finland Station, Part ITo the Finland Station, Part IITone Poems Too Darn BigTriple PlayTudor MusicTwo Very Different Worlds Delius and HolstUUnder the Hood, Part IUnder the Hood, Part II Unfinished Symphonies VVariationsVaughan Williams, RalphVenice: The Glories ofVerdi, Giuseppe, Part IVerdi, Giuseppe, Part IIVienna, Part IVienna, Part II ViolaViolin Concerto Virtuoso, The World ofVoices from the East WWagner's Ring CycleWagner, RichardWalton, WilliamWater MusicWhat Else Ya Got?Wind QuintetsWunderkinder, Part IWunderkinder, Part IIYYin and Yang: The Play of Opposites, Part 1Yin and Yang: The Play of Opposites, Part 2You and the Night and the Music
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Britten, Benjamin Purchase Now
Benjamin Britten’s works can be edgy, or they can be warm and accessible. On Monday we learn about Britten's childhood, and the deep bond between him and his teacher, Frank Bridge. As the week continues, Bill introduces us to the influential people in his life, including Britten’s lifelong partner, tenor Peter Pears. We will hear Pears sing with virtuoso horn player Dennis Brain in the Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings. On Friday, two slain soldiers from opposite sides meet in the underworld to sing "Libera Me" from the War Requiem. Then we sample some folksongs, and end on a bright note: Britten's how-to guide for young classical music listeners, The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra.
On Monday we learn about Britten's childhood nicknames, compositions, and the deep bond between him and his teacher, Frank Bridge.
Britten: Simple Symphony, IV
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
DG 423624
2:51
Purchase
Bridge: Moonlight fr. The Sea
Royal Liverpool Phil/Groves
EMI 66855
5:18
Purchase
Britten: Sinfonietta, I & III
Hallé Orchestra/Nagano
Erato 25502
8:15
Purchase
Britten: A Boy Was Born (excerpts)
Finzi Singers, Lichfield Cathedral Choir/Spicer
Chan 9701
8:58
Purchase
Britten: Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge (excerpts)
English Chamber Orchestra/Britten
Lon 417509
7:00
Purchase
Britten: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 13, I
English Chamber Orch/Britten; Richter, p.
Lon 417308
12:04
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On Tuesday, Britten meets the magnetic W.H Auden and he embarks on an adventure to America.
Britten: Violin Concerto, Op. 15, I
LSO/Rostropovich; Vengerov, v.
EMI 57510
10:04
Purchase
Britten: Les Illuminations, Op. 18 (excerpts)
English Chamber Orch/Britten; Pears, ten.
Lon 417153
7:27
Purchase
Britten: Sinfonia da Requiem, Op. 20, I
London Phil/Slatkin
RCA 61226
7:57
Purchase
Britten: Paul Bunyan (excerpts)
Royal Opera House Covent Garden/Hickox
Chan 9781
4:28
Purchase
Britten: Quartet for Strings No. 1 in D Major, Op. 25, I
Endellion String Quartet
EMI 47695
8:39
Purchase
Britten: Pastoral & Nocturne fr. Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings, Op. 31
Boyd Neel String Orchestra/Britten; Pears, ten.; Brain, hn.
Lon 425996
7:06
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On Wednesday, the sky darkens and the tide rises with Britten's Peter Grimes and we meet another, equally important Peter, Peter Pears.
Britten: Hymn fr. Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings, Op. 31
LSO/Britten; Tuckwell, hn.
Lon 417153
2:01
Purchase
Britten: Peter Grimes, Op. 33 (excerpts)
Royal Opera House Covent Garden/Haitink; Johnson, ten.; Allen, bar.; Lott, s.
EMI 54832
7:16, 5:17, 1:31, 5:27, :36, 1:16, 2:34
Purchase
Britten: Four Sea Interludes fr. Peter Grimes- Moonlight & Sunday Morning
London Phil/Slatkin
RCA 61226
8:21
Purchase
Britten: Quartet for Strings No. 2 in C Major, Op. 36, I
Endellion String Quartet
EMI 47696
7:51
Purchase
Britten: Rossini Suite, II & IV
Scottish Chamber Orch/Bedford; Bedford, p.
EMI 49480
4:10
Purchase
On Thursday, we explore Britten's War Requiem and one of his greatest causes: pacifism.
Britten: Spring Symphony, Op. 44, finale
Orchestra & Chorus of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden/Britten; Pears, ten.; Proctor, contralto; Vyvyan, s.
Lon 425153
7:26
Purchase
Britten: Pan from Metamorphoses after Ovid for oboe solo, Op. 49
Carter, ob.
EMI 55398
2:20
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Britten: Suite from Gloriana, Op. 53a, I & II
Bournemouth Symphony/Segal
EMI 69422
8:21
Purchase
Britten: The Prince of the Pagodas (excerpts)
London Sinfonietta/Knussen
Virgin 91103
6:50
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Britten: Nocturne for Tenor, 7 Obbligato Instruments & Strings (excerpts)
English Chamber Orch/Britten; Pears, ten.
EMI 417153
5:35
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Britten: Requiem Aeternam fr. War Requiem, Op. 66
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra & Chorus/Rattle; Tear, ten.; Allen, bar.; Söderström, s.
EMI 47034
9:51
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Britten: Suite for Solo Cello, Op. 72, II
Rostropovich, vc.
EMI 72016
2:20
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Our Friday, two slain soldiers meet in the War Requiem's "Libera Me". Then we sample some folk songs and end on a bright note: Britten's how-to-guide for young classical music listeners.
Britten: War Requiem, Op. 66 (excerpts)
LSO/Britten; Preston, org.; Vishnev-skaya, s.; Fischer-Dieskau, bar.; Pears, ten.
Lon 414383
9:42, 21:32
Purchase
Britten: Folksongs, Vol. 3, No. 6: “Waly, Waly”
Britten Sinfonia/Harding; Bostridge, ten.
EMI 56871
1:23
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Britten: Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34
Royal Phil/Previn
Telarc 80126
17:08
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