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.

Presenting Mozart's Birthday program.

Discussing the origins of three schools of contemporary American music, their influence upon each other, and the new directions composers are taking with their music with composer and trombonist Bill Russo.

Terkel comments and presents musical performance of Gershwin program.

Studs Terkel 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.

Oscar Ghiglia discusses studying under Andres Segovia and reviews different types of guitars and composers through history, including Weiss, Villa-Lobos, and Scarlatti. Music is played throughout: "Prelude, Fugue and Allegro in E-Flat Major, BWV 998 (Arr. for Guitar) : I. Prelude" composed by J.S. Bach, "Canarios (Air De Danse)","La Maja De Goya", "Fantasia in E-Minor" composed by S.L. Weiss, "Five Preludes, W. 419: No. 1 in E Minor (Andantino expressivo)" composed by Heitor Villa-Lobos, "Sonata In G, L.79" composed by Domenico Scarlatti, and "Tarantella, Op.

Studs Terkel interviews composer Ned Rorem. They discuss Rorem's childhood, music, poetry, languages, and religion.

Self-taught composer Maurice Weddington talks about his music career from his early years when he was raised on the West Side of Chicago to his performances around Western Europe.

Martin Gottfried discusses his book "Broadway Musicals" and the history of the musicals by evaluating the different big name composers, lyricists, and directors of Broadway.

The American folksinger and archivist joins Studs in the studio to share stories and songs discovered in his youth and through his years of research.*Please note: some sections have been edited out from the original recording due to copyright considerations