Arturo Toscanini: The man behind the legend; Alfredo Antonini

The boys you're about to hear is that of Otto Toscanini at a rehearsal of the NBC symphony orchestra as they prepare a call Dies Irae Jano suite for recording when the Dow tumbled down but a big bump bump bump long long. Years. Not of all. The No. No no no. No. You're listening to Toscanini. The man behind the legend. Igla Iggy. This is Ben Browder welcome once again to another edition of NBC is commemorative

series Toscanini the man behind the ledge. On our broadcast we'll hear two musical works the variations on the theme of Haydn by honest Brahms. And codifies sweet. During intermission it will be our pleasure to have as our guest another friend and colleague of Maestro Toscanini's for an informal interview. Alfredo Antonini. Later we'll go backstage to revisit an NBC symphony rehearsal to hear maestro at work. Our program begins now as we hear the NBC Symphony Orchestra under the baton of the Toscanini in the variations on a theme of Haydn by Johann is Brahms. Be.

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You. The variations on the theme of Haydn by Johann as Brahms has been performed by the

NBC Symphony Orchestra under the baton of the total Toscanini bringing us to intermission time. Each week we bring before our NBC microphones friends and colleagues of Maestro Toscanini to talk with them of their association and work during his long career on the podium. Our guest tonight we feel is a most unusual story. Seated across the table from me is the distinguished musical director of CBS and conductor of the Tampa Florida Symphony Orchestra Alfredo Antonini. Mr. Antony chats with colleagues and musical friends musicians who played under Maestro Toscanini when all of these. We've had the first meeting when they were two of people that you met Maestro I believe and you will be able I would say something and I have a ride that was in your in the line up in Milan you know. You see the master was conducting the symphony orchestra there which was organized just to boast that the more rounds of the talents you know because I was there in

1917 just as the war was coming to an end to win and then there was a half that I had very bad defeat of the Italian army caput I think a problem which was felt at the end of March so I was in a symphony orchestra was organizing M.A. for the Master to conduct image in a symphony orchestra. I can say you heard of the master where the best artist in the world I can tell you recall the master were the worst in the world and I tell you the reason why they thought this was for him the people from 55 all the others are in the army. Yes all the others were in the army able bodied men and it was somebody younger than 55 he must have been with a foot in the grave. So the master was looking for somebody who could play it so I stayed in the clock with the keyboard glockenspiel So I asked the director of the consumer thought if there was a young boy who could do that. So one day I was called by that oh you were a student at the time serving us stood in the middle I know called bad luck than his off was afraid that I don't know what I had done what those blacks in the school says look the master was looking for somebody and I chose you. Says Will you go

downstairs his real soon now. I say downstairs because the concert hall in Milan is inside the can somebody says Will you go downstairs and you go to the master and say I sent you so many and I got downstairs what I see all on the stage nobody moved nobody playing a note in the master gone up but the high and I've been there and was one of his famous hot books yes. So I didn't have the cottage the go and meet him after why it took all of my cottage Bill hands and I went there the master I says Master I am out for that month and in that act that sent me to you. So I doubt I would go and sit down stand there did the setlist I would come down. Let scepter that you came in ask me says a source that you never play in an orchestra can you count. Yeah I thought I says all right as you're going to play. So as you watch me and you know what was the number was the first time performing that I think was just that first time but fun. But those guys are plenty of character and major for me to listen but at the age of 13 it was a revelation

that the kind of music I can assure you would never play in an artist all that change of time by that know what I was and the pleading that the harpist to tell me to do help me out and so on but believe me I was so like in the fog. And she had a few bars before the end and everything cleared up I could see the smile the eyes of the master bringing me in and give you your entry. Don't keep me like like you have a child you make him walk. So it was a revelation to the front then I ever think I'm so simple and soak easy. Then when I saw the music for the first time says I will never be able to play. I think when you're old boy trembling with fear you can imagine and he led you right Glyde him was that I want to tell you something you know only a young boy can do that after two or three perform and tour two or three weeks he perform again for the first time in Italy. The Apprentice or see the sort of apprentices Apprentice planters and there was a small little about the for the clock to

spare and says You played the clock on it a big part of something so I felt as Kenny heard the composition I played the first time then I figured you know me it my part this don't belong with the piccolo everybody but this plan such and such loud playing the organ and you know me so I am going to test them. Only a young fellow can look at you know you're going to tested my eyes there was they say that everything is as I said it only you know just fresh young kid can do that. And believe me I think I mean and I smile to him like if I was playing you know I was just facing him so your instrument was hidden Yes he couldn't see my hands and made her Louis. Then you got up went there with this outburst that you almost uses corporal. You can be sure when there are plenty more. My my. Exactly this is 1970 and you were a boy

when his late 40s and yes when did you next see maestro. By that time with very much I tell you now I want to something an incident of an interesting in 19 I think it was in 1921 the 22 they organize in the valley. The White was supposed the best the symphony orchestra they were the were choosing musicians a former lover of Italy to come here to America with the master of the last darkest was they didn't know how you know Palin or call the Palin because they were not from last formal of it. Quite right I mean. And that time you want to bring you need one man who could play Celeste piano a number of them and all the keyboardist moments and he had chosen me and I was so young I couldn't go I had was my my last year of course about audio and so on I couldn't but I studied and I was odd Brugge and then and you knew wood and then means that the game and the nooses. Invite him to his home and was the first time I went to his house in the

adoring you know arena tour now doesn't exist the goal to be a Toscanini. I saw him a lot and a lot exist in the new field and then you feel they are exactly. And I went to his home and he was it was like a father so sweet and when all the time you know screaming and I thought I was just the thought of it and I remember in a studio to cross so many rooms and then we had the big stage and the with the something from the accordion chant some music you know girly and chant and I was there and he says oh I might be a boy. When I come back I I take you with me as an assistant on the skyline. And so on I tell you the kindness Yeah that we'll never forget as long as I leave. Instant and he understood what you're about who gets what and gave it to you right now. Then you saw maestro. Oh yeah. Yes I came an American twenty eight I want to say I'm the fellow monic imagine when he saw me I was because you know I was a little fresh and all at some time. He almost beat me up you know. You know Evan so old so many old men in the Guard because I was

like a mascot in the articles but you never faked an entry so you can be sure about Alfredo Antolini. You have many years of musical professional. Career years I say behind you. You've heard great conductors you you conduct yourself you you know Maestro warmly and with deep affection as we sense as we talk with you. Now I'd like to ask you as a man of music what was the quality that maestro had you think. What was this special called you know the special on it there was this first perfectionist first. It's like you hear a great violinist never play plane Concetta never hear him play a wrong note playing playing out of tune. Then I swore the perfection. This is a technique in warmth many times you'll hear in Tuscany and it was just the perfection of the limb is not through.

He was on this since in justice to the composer. No no no that the exact exaggerate I can use a word only a smile it's not that the exact. Just the retard was just even just that. It just took what is required by the music with that great that we find him and then there's another thing. Never could you hear him change a dynamic change at the end of the indication of the composer of the great master distance so that the honesty and the perfection of Frodo Toscanini translates his grandfather's recollections. One night at a dinner party some of grandfather's friends asked him to tell them about the first time he conducted in real. Luckily my father had the presence of mind to turn on the tape recorder. So now we have the complete story just as he told of that night he told the story in Italian on the tape and if you like I'll try to translate what he said.

He'll tell me I'm the mother right now as we begin to hear his voice from his telling about coming late to the theoretician of the year without finding everything in the great state of confusion the very minute he tells of sitting in New York is under the bed trying to find out what was going on there and also worried because he didn't have enough money to get back to Italy. You know as this moment grandfather is saying all of the out of uniform are mad you know. Moonshiner sure most people use a lady with him your shield of your one of the subscribers came into the pit and said Is there anyone in the orchestra who can conduct data. She won the second cello and pointed to me of the superclass herself and everybody and their distorted any thought I don't want to do that and Morley's that your schoolyard comit supper table and I mocked up who ran up on to this lady to get away from the musicians. He gunned down the other but there was even worse because the everyone in the chorus knew that I knew the opera there. Then all the singers had

rehearsed with me is no mobile talk little Rachel beyond big network said the little old New Look at him he's on the low and there was a piece. Her name's Leo nice. Who was there and she was very ugly and she started to cry. Nobody save us save us. So good she started speaking to me said nobody knows can even go in their own conduct at all but hello to me but are those in need to see done. Really think you would be amazed at me I didn't know what to do or what to say. Where should we title never conducted and I didn't really want to hear evidence of the Tories in the impresario came over to me and what he was about my size and he wanted me to put it was because the speedo jacket on of the film that I just and out of the conservatory and I still had my conservatory uniform on. Looks like a soldier's uniform with brass or something will put it to get this and I said no no I'm going to conduct I'm going to conduct yourself and riddle she will never hear the motive and so I

went to conduct a done deal because look I knew all the arbor a sale and I used to play the mother stand all told anybody who would know that I had a memory it PDA is summed up of the all the singers never get reversed with the you know the jam never looked at the music tell me what I heart as the book was very good could you come down here where I went from the frying pan saw fire yarder you struck the other was to subscribers it was all right. Going to the longest on the stage the singers and chorus leaders in the community because of my head feel dizzy as I went into the pit that almost as if I were stunned. Those who are literally when I went on the podium I saw the orchestra below me. And I was alone wasn't scared. First it global unity but when they thought when the curtain rose and I heard the singers communicativeness willfully and the singer's voice always comes a little late. And I for a

second I had a moment where I thought I couldn't have done that I couldn't move my arm. Oh dear all of you at all plus an argument well my arm was used to playing the cello and not conducting a bit of a Beatle you know but the minute the chorus came on board I started to conduct and I really conducted quickly because the opera you know by heart you know what it will be nice to me at the conservatory. I have the habit of arranging music and so in order to learn orchestration I used to orchestrate a seaside musical smaller stores. So you're there for a new law do you. Carlos the next time I think I have no technique for conducting but I conducted. You're listening to Toscanini the man behind the legend. Earlier in our program we brushed away the curtains of time to eavesdrop for a brief moment on a rehearsal conducted by a Toto Toscanini as they were preparing the music we're here next to

my program the orchestral suite from the opera Audie on our show results uncle die. Let's revisit that rehearsal and listen as Maestro patiently instructs the men of the orchestra and details concerning the performance last minute instructions as it were before this call was recorded and then as you hear him say from the beginning join us in listening to the performance itself. First the moments of instruction and then cold Dies Irae Ya know if sweet. Born will. Get called on the roll call. I think they're going to fall down in the lower part of the up down down down to number three. There you know the British will. Eat. Us up.

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Toscanini and the NBC symphony orchestra have just performed the orchestral suite from the opera

is all done cause I as a concluding work on NBC special broadcast series Toscanini the man behind the legend. Earlier we heard variations on the theme of Haydn by Johann as Brahms and I intermission guest was Alfredo Antonini next week. Another unusual broadcast highlights from the Eddie's opera Falstaff and our intermission guest will be the distinguished Baso from the Metropolitan Opera Norman Scott. You know most cordially invited to join us on your favorite NBC station. Script materials for this series a taken from the files of the Toscanini family at Riverdale New York. And the programs are produced for NBC under the supervision of Don Phillips. This is Ben drama speak. One. MBC.

To six. Different material for this presentation came from the Toscanini archive. With post production by William P. Hague and editing by Sherry Hutchinson. This program is brought to you by the South Carolina Educational Radio Network. Major funding is from Coober industries incorporated and Mr and Mrs Gee which are chopped up. Additional funding comes from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. This is NPR National Public Radio. I think in my career.