American composer William Schuman discusses his career as a composer and music educator at the Juilliard School.

Studs interview with Virgil Thomson about his career as a music composer. Thomson shares his work with Gertrude Stein in operas "Mother of Us All" and "Four Saints In Three Acts." He discusses his preference for black artists. Thomson describes his work in documentary films such as "Plow That Broke the Plains." He also shares information about the cajun music "Squeeze Box" in the film "Louisiana Story." This edited version does not include the music pieces.

Ursula Oppens and Studs discuss contemporary avant-garde piano. Oppens performs pieces from contemporary composers.

Thomas Wikman discusses Music of the Baroque with Studs Terkel. They also discuss composers, musical talent in Chicago, musical instruments, opera, and the history of Baroque music.

Terkel comments and presents 1968 Democratic Convention documentary. He is introduced by William F. Malloch, a composer at the Convention.

Studs Terkel and William (Bill) Leonard share memories of the Blue Note Jazz Club as a tribute to Frank Holzfeind. Music is played throughout the episode: "After You've Gone" by the Benny Goodman Sextet, "The Flat Feet Floogie" by Slim and Slam, "How High the Moon" by Sarah Vaughan, "Destination K.C." by Count Basie, "West End Blues" by Louis Armstrong, "Lil' Augie Is A Natural One Man" by Chet Roble, and "Rock Skippin' at the Blue Note", Duke Ellington. Songs have been removed for copyright reasons.

Sol Hurok discusses his work as an impresario, organizing events and bringing artists from around the world to the United States to perform. Studs Terkel plays songs by many of the artists and performers that Hurok has managed during the interview, including Feodor Chaliapin, Nellie Melba, Titta Ruffo, Luisa Tetrazzini, Sviatoslav Richter, Marian Anderson, and Arthur Rubinstein. Music has been removed from this version for copyright reasons.

Skip Kennon wrote the music for "Herringbone", a one-man musical where all ten parts are played by the actor David Rounds. Madness, depression and schizophrenia are discussed as possible themes of the play.

Studs engages the former Chicago Symphony Orchestra conductor, Sir Georg Solti, in a wide-ranging conversation about his life and career. From his early studies in Budapest with Béla Bartók, his string of good-luck opportunities before, during, and after World War II, meeting Toscanini in Lucerne, and starting on top conducting in Frankfurt, London, and finally Chicago. He discusses his many German and European musical influences and contemporaries, and stresses the importance of education, arts funding, and hard work.

Studs and Tcherepnin discuss Tcherepnin's early years in Leningrad, his creative drive and its relation to real-life experiences and the influence of Chicago on his 1953 Op. 87 Suite for Orchestra.

Studs interviews Rolf Liebermann, director and composer, at the Hamburische Staatsoper in Hamburg, Germany. Liebermann explains some history of previous directors and performances. Many artists and operas are mentioned, but only a few were focused on in detail. Liebermann explains details about the operation of the opera highlighting the budget and the functions of the opera house. The recording stops short toward the end of the interview.

While their works and forte is classical music, Roger Detmer and Virgil Thomson talk about tape and electronic music. Detmer points out that in some eastern European countries, tape is considered pasee, and yet it's used often to recreate a sound to be used with their orchestras. Both men talk about electronic music and how it's sometimes used to make hand-made music sound artificial.

Studs interviews Rita Streich, and they discuss the meaning of some of her operas and lieds. Streich names Erna Berger and Maria Ivogun as her best teachers, and she speaks a little about her family. Studs and Streich read part of the poem, "The Nut Tree" by Robert Schuman. Streich reads a part of "Brahms Lullaby" and "Shepherd On the Rock" by Franz Schubert. She also discusses the difference between opera in her day compared to opera at the time of the interview. The musical pieces are removed from this edited version of the original recording.

A master at playing the sitar, Ravi Shankar, also composed the music for the soundtrack of "Gandi". According to Shankar, there are 72 scales in Indian music and when he plays music, 90% of it is improvisation. Younger people became interested in playing the instrument after Shankar announced he was teaching George Harrison of the Beatles how to play the sitar. There is an excerpt of an interview with Shankar from 22 years ago, to the date of this program.

Studs interviews Phyl Garland about her book "Sound of Soul." They discuss the history of music and how black music influenced white music. Studs reads a quote from her book where she quoted Lerone Bennett. Garland also reads from her book a few times. They discuss how music changed over time for blacks from spirituals to slave songs to the blues because it was a reflection of their lives. Garland explains how blacks used music to help them through their trials and frustrations.