Much enjoyed seeing again, Toscanini - The Maestro DVD which accompanied the Complete RCA Collection. Produced and directed by Peter Rosen and written by Harvey Sachs, this fascinating 98mins documentary features interviews with members of the NBC Symphony Orchestra, Robert Merrill, Jarmilla Novotna, Herva Nelli, Licia Albanese, and others, plus photographs, documents, original recordings, and an attractive selection of rarely shown home movies including the 1940 tour of South America and its 1950 tour of the United States. Also included is a full performance of Verdi's Hymn of the Nations featuring Jan Peerce. The Maestro was clearly a relaxed family - loving man of much warmth, albeit more formal on the podium, he was obviously a clear communicator with his musicians. even this non-musician could sense his intentions. I assume that it may have been televised previously although I can't recall a transmission. A real gem.
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Toscanini was 150 today, and Rob Cowan supplemented his celebration of AT during the week, with a 2 hour programme of the great man's recordings. It reminded me that I listened to Radio 3 - 50 years ago to the day (and was a Saturday then too) when there was another Toscanini celebration, with some longer works. -
The NBC Concertmaster, Mischa Mishakoff, moved on to be the CM of the Detroit Symphony and one of my best friends took lessons from him. After retiring from the DSO, MM played the Beethoven PC with a youth Orchestra that my friend was playing in and after the concert MM invited several of us to his house where his wife had put on a spread. MM related a story of an argument between Toscanini and Heifetz during rehearsals of the same work. Apparently Heifetz pulled out and was replaced by another soloist. MM wrote an autobiography but apparently (I haven't read it) decided not to tell some of his juicier stories because he didn't want to defame memories.Comment
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It's amazing to think a player of the calibre of Oscar Shumsky was No. 3 in the first fiddles. What a section that must have been.Comment
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Also amazing that a broadcast industry would pay to have their own Orchestra, and the best that money could buy, at thatOriginally posted by pastoralguy View PostComment
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