| Track | Country/Region | Title | Instrumentation | Notes | Performance recorded | Time |
| 1. | Ghana | Atsia [Style or Display] | Ewe drumming ensemble | Kobla Ladzekpo, dir. | 8:24 | |
| 2. | Ghana | Hatsiatsia parts from Atsia | Atoke, gankogui iron bells | Individual instrument parts from section 1 of Atsia | Alfred Ladzekpo | 0:57 |
| 3. | Ghana | Ostinato parts from Circle Atsia | Gankogui, axatse, kaganu, kidi, sogo | Individual instrument parts from section 2 of Atsia | Alfred Ladzekpo | 1:13 |
| 4. | Ghana | Atsimewu parts from Circle Atsia | Atsimewu (master) drum | Lead drum part from section 2 of Atsia | Alfred Ladzekpo | 1:18 |
| 5. | Zimbabwe | Nyamaropa | Two players play interlocking variations on the 22-keyed mbira dzavadzimu while another plays the hosho rattle. | One of the mbira players sings improvised aphorisms that include veiled references to people, patrons, local news, and the players themselves. | the Mhuriyekwa Rwizi ensemble: Hakurotwi Mude, Cosmas Magaya, and Ephraim Mutemasango | 6:23 |
| 6. | North India | Example scales of Raga Desh | sarod | Including that (simple scale), arohana/avarohana (ascending, descending scale), and chalan (expanded scale with raga motives) | David Trashoff | 0:52 |
| 7. | North India | Example scales of Raga Khamaj | sarod | Including that (simple scale), arohana/avarohana (ascending, descending scale), and chalan (expanded scale with raga motives) | David Trashoff | 0:55 |
| 8. | North India | Raga Desh Alap | sitar | Rais Khan | 9:02 | |
| 9. | North India | Examples of Tala and Theka: a) Tintal tala (4+4+4+4) b) Ektal tala (2+2+2+4+2) c) Jhaptal tala (2+3+2+3) | Tabla | Ram Narayan | 1:12 | |
| 10. | China | Ping sha lo yen [Wild Geese Descending onto the Sandbank] | Guqin | This famous piece for qin was first published in 1634, though it is probably much older. It depicts wild geese, first alighting and finally taking off from a sandy seashore. Their flight is symbolic of the enlightened person's freedom from earthly concerns. | Wu Shaoji | 6:17 |
| 11-15. | Java | Individual instrument parts to Pangkur: 11. Gender 12. Gambang 13. Rebab 14. Bonang 15. Kendang | Javanese gamelan | Ladrang slendro manyura | 1:06 1:00 1:12 0:56 1:13 | |
| 16. | Java | Pangkur | Javanese gamelan | Ladrang slendro manyura | Djarwo Saminto, dir. | 12:03 |
| Track | Composer | Title | Date | Genre | Performance recorded | Time |
| 1. | Attributed to Thomas of Celano | Excerpt from Dies Irae [Day of wrath] from the Requiem Mass | Early 13th cent. | sequence (chant) | Monks of Saint-Maurice et Saint-Maur, Clervaux, Luxemburg | 2:56 |
| 2. | Anonymous (French) | La septime estampie real | 13th cent. | Estampie (dance) here played on rebec, citole, tromba marina, and nakers | Early Music Consort of London, dir. David Munrow | 1:07 |
| 3. | Herrmann, Monk of Salzburg (1365-1396) | Der Trumpet | Late 14th cent. | Fanfare, here played by cornett, slide trumpet, alto shawm, and tabor | The Early Music Consort of London, David Munrow, dir. | 1:08 |
| 4. | Anonymous | Tu patris/Sit gloria/Rex caeli | c. 800 | Parallel organum | Musica Antiqua of Ames, Carl Bleyle, dir. | 1:15 |
| 5. | Anonymous (French) | Resonemus hoc natali [Sing out at this birth] | c. 1100 | Organum (School of St. Martial) | Theatre of Voices, Paul Hillier, dir. | 3:20 |
| 6. | John Dunstable (English, c.1385-1453) | O rosa bella [Oh, beautiful rose] | Early 15th cent. | Polyphonic song, here performed by countertenor, violin, and tenor recorder | Joculatores Upsalienses, Sven Berger, dir. | 1:57 |
| 7. | Luis de Milán (Spanish, c.1500-1562) | Fantasia XI from El Meastro | 1536 | Fantasia for vihuela | James Tyler, vihuela | 2:56 |
| 8. | William Byrd (English, c. 1543-1623) | Excerpt from Jhon come kiss me now from the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book | between 1591 and 1612 | Theme and variations for Harpsichord | Zsuzsu Pertis, harpsichord | 4:57 |
| 9. | Erik Satie (French, 1866-1925) | Excerpt from Parade | 1917 | Ballet | Louis de Froment cond. Orchestra of Radio Luxembourg | 7:40 |
| 10. | Igor Stravinsky | First movement from Concerto in Eb "Dumbarton Oaks" | 1937-38 | Chamber concerto | 4:55 | |
| 11. | Pierre Boulez (French, 1925-) | Structures Ia | 1952 | For two pianos | Alfons and Aloys Kontarsky, pianos | 3:42 |
| 12. | John Cage (American, 1912-1992) | Excerpt from Indeterminacy | 1950-59 | For piano, tape, and speaker | David Tudor, piano; John Cage, speaker | 5:52 |
| 13. | Steve Reich (American, 1936- ) | Movement 3 from Electric Counterpoint | 1988 | For electric guitar and multitrack tape | Pat Matheny, electric guitar | 4:30 |
| 14. | John Adams (American, 1947-) | Excerpt from Movement 1 of Harmonielehre | 1984-85 | For orchestra | Edo de Waart cond. San Francisco Symphony | 9:59 |
| 15. | Laurie Anderson (American, 1947- ) | "New Jersey Turnpike" from United States | 1980 | Performance art | Laurie Anderson | 5:00 |
| 16. | Lou Harrison (American, 1917-) | Threnody for Carlos Chavez | 1979 | For viola and gamelan | Susan Bates, viola, and Gamelan Sekar Kembar | 7:05 |