diff --git a/bin/curvecalc b/bin/curvecalc
--- a/bin/curvecalc
+++ b/bin/curvecalc
@@ -163,13 +163,6 @@ class Main(object):
                     curvesVBox, zoomControlBox, self.curveset)
                 self.curvesetView._mtimes = mtimes
 
-                # curvesetview must already exist, since this
-                # makes 'add_curve' signals for all the initial
-                # curves
-                self.curveset.load(basename=os.path.join(
-                    showconfig.curvesDir(),
-                    showconfig.songFilenameFromURI(self.song)),
-                              skipMusic=self.opts.skip_music)
                 # this is scheduled after some tk shuffling, to
                 # try to minimize the number of times we redraw
                 # the curve at startup. If tk is very slow, it's
@@ -225,6 +218,14 @@ def main():
     curveset = Curveset(sliders=opts.sliders)
     subterms = []
 
+    # curvesetview must already exist, since this
+    # makes 'add_curve' signals for all the initial
+    # curves.
+    curveset.load(basename=os.path.join(
+        showconfig.curvesDir(),
+        showconfig.songFilenameFromURI(song)),
+                  skipMusic=opts.skip_music)
+
     subtermPath = graphPathForSubterms(song)
     try:
         graph.parse(subtermPath, format='n3')
diff --git a/light9/curvecalc/curve.py b/light9/curvecalc/curve.py
--- a/light9/curvecalc/curve.py
+++ b/light9/curvecalc/curve.py
@@ -133,16 +133,17 @@ class Curveset(object):
             self.sliderIgnoreInputUntil = {}
         else:
             self.sliders = None
-        
+
+    def sorter(self, name):
+        return not name.endswith('music'), name
+
     def load(self,basename, skipMusic=False):
         """find all files that look like basename-curvename and add
         curves with their contents
 
         This fires 'add_curve' dispatcher events to announce the new curves.
         """
-        def sorter(name):
-            return not name.endswith('music'), name
-        for filename in sorted(glob.glob("%s-*"%basename), key=sorter):
+        for filename in sorted(glob.glob("%s-*"%basename), key=self.sorter):
             curvename = filename[filename.rfind('-')+1:]
             if skipMusic and curvename in ['music', 'smooth_music']:
                 continue
@@ -156,6 +157,9 @@ class Curveset(object):
         like basename-curvename"""
         for name,cur in self.curves.items():
             cur.save("%s-%s" % (basename,name))
+
+    def curveNamesInOrder(self):
+        return sorted(self.curves.keys(), key=self.sorter)
             
     def add_curve(self,name,curve):
         self.curves[name] = curve
diff --git a/light9/curvecalc/curveview.py b/light9/curvecalc/curveview.py
--- a/light9/curvecalc/curveview.py
+++ b/light9/curvecalc/curveview.py
@@ -712,6 +712,9 @@ class Curvesetview(object):
         zoomControlBox.add(self.zoomControl.widget)
         self.zoomControl.widget.show_all()
 
+        for c in curveset.curveNamesInOrder():
+            self.add_curve(c) 
+
         dispatcher.connect(self.add_curve, "add_curve", sender=self.curveset)
         
         self.newcurvename = gtk.EntryBuffer("", 0)
@@ -723,7 +726,6 @@ class Curvesetview(object):
         entry.bind("<Key-Return>", self.new_curve)
         self.entry = entry
         
-        
         dispatcher.connect(self.focus_entry, "focus new curve")
 
     def focus_entry(self):