When Beethoven was alive you had to go to the concert hall if you wanted to listen to his music. These days music comes cheap – in movies, commercials, and on our own CD players. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, the ambient music revolution, why everyone's life has its own soundtrack. Also, a lesson in deep listening. And world famous cellist Lynn Harrell on his passion for playing.

Journalist Mark Prendergast plays examples of "ambient music" for Jim Fleming and talks with him about what musical innovators like Brian Eno and the Grateful Dead were trying to do. Prendergast is the author of "The Ambient Century."

Composer and musician Pauline Oliveros tells Anne Strainchamps about the process of "deep listening." She says the world is full of music most people never hear. Also, Joseph Lanza is the author of "Elevator Music: A Surreal History of Muzak, Easy Listening and Other Moodsong." He tells Jim Fleming that a retired general invented muzak as a way of bringing music to a wider public than the moneyed elite. Of course, he also hoped to turn a profit, too!

World class cellist Lynn Harrell tells Anne Strainchamps that he still feels the spirit of Jacqueline Dupre in his cello when he plays the Elgar concerto. She created a sensation when she played the piece on that instrument before her illness. Harrell also explains how his playing has improved since the hand surgery that might have ended his career. And we hear lots of music. Also, Russell Martin, author of "Beethoven's Hair," tells Steve Paulson how a lock of hair clipped from the great composer while he was lying in state survived to the present day, and what scientists were able to learn when they performed some high tech analysis. Forget syphilis, and think lead poisoning.

Distribution dates:

• week of 12/17/2000 - hour 2