Arturo Toscanini biography personal life. Toscanini Arturo - biography, facts from life, photos, background information

- January 16, Riverdale, New York) - Italian conductor.

Biography

Born in the family of a tailor. At the age of nine he was admitted to the Royal School of Music in Parma. Studying cello, piano and composition, he received a scholarship at the age of eleven, and at thirteen he began to perform as a professional cellist. In 1885, at the age of 18, he graduated with honors from the Conservatory in Parma, cello class with L. Carini; while still a student, he led a small orchestra organized by him from fellow students. After graduating from the conservatory, he was accepted into the mobile Italian opera troupe as cello accompanist, assistant choirmaster and corporator. In 1886 the troupe went to Rio de Janeiro for the winter season; during these tours, on June 25, 1886, due to squabbles between the permanent conductor of the troupe, managers and the public, Toscanini had to stand at the conductor's stand during the performance of "Aida" by Giuseppe Verdi. He conducted the opera by heart. That's how it started conductor career, which he gave about 70 years.

Toscanini received his first Italian engagement in Turin. Over the next 12 years, he conducted in 20 Italian cities and towns, gradually gaining a reputation as the best conductor of his time. He gave the world premiere of Ruggero Leoncavallo's Pagliacci in Milan (1892); he was invited to conduct the first performance of La bohème by Giacomo Puccini in Turin (1896). Since 1896, he also performed in symphony concerts; in 1898 he performed Tchaikovsky's 6th Symphony for the first time in Italy.

In 1897 he married the daughter of a Milanese banker, Carla de Martini; four children were born of this marriage, but one son died in infancy.

For 15 years, Toscanini was the leading conductor of Milan's La Scala Theatre. From 1898 to 1903 he divided his time between the winter season at La Scala and the winter season at the theaters in Buenos Aires. Disagreement with the artistic policy of La Scala forced Toscanini to leave this theater in 1904, in 1906 he returned there for another two years. In 1908 another conflict situation prompted the conductor to leave Milan again. So he first ended up in the United States, where for seven years (1908-1915) he was the conductor of the Metropolitan Opera. With the advent of Toscanini, a legendary era in history began opera house in USA. But here, too, Toscanini expressed disagreement with the artistic policy and in 1915 left for Italy, where, after the end of the war, he again became the chief conductor of La Scala. This period (1921-1929) was the era of the brilliant heyday of La Scala. In 1929, Toscanini left Italy for a long time, not wanting to collaborate with the Fascist regime.

Since 1927, Toscanini has simultaneously worked in the United States: he was the chief conductor of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, with which he performed as a guest performer for the previous two seasons; after the merger of the orchestra in 1928 with the New York Symphony Orchestra, until 1936 he led the combined New York Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1930 he went on his first European tour with the orchestra. In Europe, he twice conducted at the Bayreuth Wagner Festivals (1930-1931), at the Salzburg Festival (1934-1937); founded his own festival in London (1935-1939) and also conducted at the Lucerne Festival (1938-1939). In 1936, he helped organize the Palestine Orchestra (now the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra).

The final and most famous period of Toscanini's life, captured in numerous recordings, began in 1937, when he held the first of 17 seasons of radio concerts with the New York Radio Symphony Orchestra (NBC). With this orchestra, he toured South America in 1940, and in 1950 toured the United States with an ensemble of orchestral musicians.

After the 1953-1954 season, Toscanini left the New York Radio Orchestra. He died in his sleep at his home in Riverdale, New York on January 16, 1957. He was buried in Milan in the family vault. At the funeral of the conductor, the audience sang the famous choir

this is a memory!

Memory was one of the most outstanding gifts of nature that Arturo Toscanini possessed. On that day, when he stood at the conductor's stand from the place of an ordinary cellist, the first thing he did was close the score that lay in front of him: "Aida", which was playing that evening, was already completely stored in his memory, despite the fact that he has never stood at the conductor's stand. Moreover, he remembered not only the notes, but also all the signs set by Verdi for the expressiveness of the sound of music...

"F-sharp!"

Once the maestro was preparing "Tristana", rehearsing with the performers to the piano. Together with the singers, he was on stage. As the second act was being played out, Toscanini half-turned towards the piano and said shortly:
- F-sharp!
Hearing the remark, the accompanist was a little taken aback. The scene was repeated once more, and again, when they reached the same place, Toscanini again shouted, this time more loudly: "F-sharp!"
But there was no F-sharp on the sheet music! On the third occasion, Toscanini jumped up from his chair in a rage and roared:
- F-sharp!
The frightened accompanist timidly remarked:
- Forgive me, maestro, but F-sharp is not written here ...
Toscanini was a little embarrassed and ... immediately went to his office. After some time, the accompanist found another edition of the score of "Tristan", ran to the maestro in the office and saw Toscanini leafing through the score of "Tristan", he wanted to see with his own eyes whether it contained the ill-fated F-sharp or not.
- Maestro, - the accompanist joyfully turned to Toscanini, - you were absolutely right, there was a typo in the score!
Toscanini answered rather coldly, but it was felt that notes of victorious joy slip through his outward restraint:
- You know, I almost had a stroke: it turns out that all my life I was a donkey if I always played this F-sharp.
- I'm an ass, maestro, because I didn't notice a typo, - the accompanist answered.

E-flat is not needed

In San Luis before the concert, at the very last moment, the second bassoon found that the valve in E-flat was damaged. The musician was in complete despair: "What will the maestro say if he does not hear this note!" Knowing the tough temper of Toscanini, it was decided to inform him of the failure of the valve before the start of the concert. When Toscanini was explained what happened, he instantly went over in his memory all the works that were in the concert program, and said:
“Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t think this E-flat will ever have to be taken in an evening.
Toscanini was right: the second bassoon never needed the damaged valve.

The conductor is a tamer!

Toscanini liked to repeat with an affectionate but insidious smile that the orchestra was like an unbroken horse that needed to be tamed. If the horse feels that a good-natured man is sitting on it, then he will simply throw off the rider-conductor. The orchestra always understands from the very first measures whether the conductor knows his business or not.

Memory sticks...

When Toscanini studied the scores, he memorized all the ink spots and marks that were on the pages. These blots, while conducting, flashed before his inner eye with the same speed and graphic clarity as the notes. He told his friends:
- On a wager, I can reproduce almost all my scores from memory, and I will certainly put all ... ink spots in their places!

"cold" violin

Toscanini was extremely sensitive to timbre colors in the orchestra.
Once, at a rehearsal for the New York orchestra, Toscanini suddenly stopped a musical phrase and pointed sternly at one of the violinists:
- What about your instrument?!
- But am I not exactly playing? - the violinist was frightened.
- I'm asking not about how you play, but what about your instrument! I have the impression that your violin has caught a sore throat. Do you have another instrument today?
- Quite right, my violin was left at home.
- The rehearsal is over for today. And you to have your violin tomorrow. Now, because of your "cold" violin, I can not correctly hear the sound of the entire violin group.

Shameless household members

Toscanini was extremely demanding of himself and the performers. He endured the slightest setbacks very painfully. He could go to a concert in the best of spirits, and three hours later leave the hall in utter despair, shouting curses at the orchestra or himself. Once in Milan, after a performance at La Scala, Toscanini returned home extremely depressed and went to the dining room, where the table was set for a late dinner. Stopping at the door, the maestro attacked his household:
- How can you eat after such a performance, be ashamed! - slamming the door, Toscanini left.
And everyone went to bed hungry that night.

Let's play louder, gentlemen! ..

Once Toscanini devoted the entire rehearsal of the orchestra to working on the fortissimo.
- Why are we only dealing with this nuance today? the concertmaster asked the conductor.
- Because yesterday at our concert during the performance of "Ride of the Valkyries" the audience in the front row slept peacefully, and I do not intend to allow such a disgrace to happen again! ..

Recording "Aida" is not very good quality but alive...

Neighbors will appreciate

A girl comes to Toscanini and asks if he needs choristers. Toscanini replies that there are no vacancies and does not want to listen to the girl, but adds:
However, you seem to have good recommendations?
- No, - the girl was confused.
- Then you brought good performance You didn't come from the street, did you?
“Unfortunately, I don’t have any stats either. But I can bring feedback from my family. They really like the way I sing, they are fans of the famous maestro.
Toscanini thought for a moment, a sly smile flickered on his lips:
- Then come back next week and don't forget to grab your neighbors' testimonials. If they are favorable, perhaps I will listen to you.

Explained!

During an orchestral rehearsal symphonic poem Debussy "The Sea" Arturo Toscanini wanted to achieve a gentle, as if soaring sound of the instruments. He tried to explain to the orchestra what he wanted, this way and that, but to no avail. In the end, having come to complete despair, but still unable to find enough convincing words, the conductor took a thin silk handkerchief from his pocket, raised it high above his head and unclenched his fingers...
The orchestra members looked in bewilderment at the handkerchief, which hovered lightly and smoothly in the air and finally landed noiselessly.
- Well, now you understand me, gentlemen? Toscanini said seriously. - I beg you, play me exactly like this!

Who is this villain?!

Over the years artistic views Toscanini changed markedly.
One day the orchestra, led by Arturo Toscanini, was returning from a tour in South America. To pass the time, a group of orchestra members invited the maestro to listen to a shortwave broadcast from London. The radio was switched on in the middle of Beethoven's Heroic Symphony. As Toscanini listened, his face darkened more and more.
- What kind of scoundrel takes such a pace! - he was indignant. - It's just impossible! What does he allow himself!
By the end of the performance, Toscanini, overcome with rage, was ready to throw the radio out the window. Then the unperturbed voice of the English announcer was heard: "You have listened to the recording of the BBC Orchestra conducted by Arturo Toscanini."

Let this be our little secret...

Arturo Toscanini, once conducting in New York, remarked to a singer who was performing with an orchestra.
“But I am a great artist,” the offended diva exclaimed, “do you know about this?
Toscanini politely replied:
Don't worry, I won't tell anyone about this...

Yes, well, them!

Once the famous maestro was asked why there was never a single woman in his orchestra.
- You see, - answered the maestro, - women are very disturbing. If they are beautiful, then they interfere with my musicians, and if they are ugly, they interfere with me even more!

It can't be, but... it was

Once Toscanini conducted a symphony in which the harpist had to play one single note only once. And the harpist managed to get out of tune! Toscanini decided to repeat the entire symphony, but when the harp's turn came, the musician stumbled again.
Enraged Toscanini left the room. There was a concert in the evening. The unlucky harpist takes his place in the orchestra, removes the case from the harp. And what does he see? All strings have been removed from the harp. There is only one left: the right one.

Expensive gift

Toscanini was extremely impulsive and quick-tempered. A wrong note would drive him into a frenzy immediately. Angry at the rehearsal, the great maestro used to break all the objects that came his way. One day, losing his temper, he threw his expensive watch on the floor and trampled it under his heel... After this trick, the orchestra members, who loved their mad conductor, decided to give him two cheap watches. Toscanini gratefully accepted the gift and pretty soon used the watch "for its intended purpose"...

Who knows...

On the day of his birth, Toscanini refused all honors and spent it in hard work, rehearsing the program of the upcoming concert with his orchestra. Despite Toscanini's strict prohibition, one of his friends nevertheless came to the maestro with congratulations and, as if by the way, asked:
- Arturo, do not hide how old you are - 86 or 87?
“I don’t know for sure,” Toscanini replied, “I keep a record of all the scores, all the rehearsals, all the records of my orchestra’s performances. Do I really have to keep an accurate record of my years besides all this?!

short biography from Wikipedia...

03/25/1867 [Parma (Italy)] - 01/16/1957 [Riverdale]
Born in the family of a tailor. At the age of nine he was admitted to the Royal music school in Parma. Studying cello, piano and composition, he received a scholarship at the age of eleven, and at thirteen he began to perform as a professional cellist. At the age of 18 he graduated with honors from the conservatory and was accepted into the traveling Italian opera troupe as a cellist and assistant choirmaster. The troupe went to Brazil for the winter season. On June 25, 1886, due to bickering between the permanent conductor of the troupe, managers and the public, Toscanini had to stand at the conductor's stand during the performance of Aida by Giuseppe Verdi in Rio de Janeiro. He conducted the opera by heart. Thus began his conducting career, which he spent about 70 years.

Toscanini received his first Italian engagement in Turin. Over the next 12 years, he conducted in 20 Italian cities and towns, gradually gaining a reputation as the best conductor of his time. He premiered Pagliacci by Ruggero Leoncavallo in Milan (1892); he was invited to conduct the first performance of La bohème by Giacomo Puccini in Turin (1896). In 1897 he married the daughter of a Milanese banker, Carla de Martini; four children were born of this marriage, but one son died in infancy.

For 15 years, Toscanini was the leading conductor of Milan's La Scala Theatre. From 1898 to 1903 he divided his time between the winter season at La Scala and the winter season at the theaters of Buenos Aires. Disagreement with the artistic policy of La Scala forced Toscanini to leave this theater in 1904-1906, then he returned there for another two years. In 1908, another conflict situation prompted the conductor to leave Milan. So he first came to the United States, where for seven years (1908-1915) he was the conductor of the Metropolitan Opera. With the advent of Toscanini, who attracted singers such as Enrico Caruso, Geraldine Farrar and other major musicians of the time to the theater, a legendary era began in the history of the opera house in the United States. But here, too, Toscanini expressed disagreement with the artistic policy and in 1915 left for Italy, where, after the end of the war, he again became the chief conductor of La Scala. This period (1921-1929) was the era of the brilliant heyday of La Scala.

In 1927 he became principal conductor of the New York Philharmonic, with whom he had performed on tour for the previous two seasons. In 1930 he went on his first European tour with the orchestra. Toscanini left this post in 1936, after 11 seasons. In Europe, he twice conducted at the Bayreuth Wagner Festivals (1930-1931), at the Salzburg Festival (1934-1937); founded his own festival in London (1935-1939) and also conducted at the Lucerne Festival (1938-1939). In 1936 he contributed to the organization of the Palestine Orchestra (now the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra).
The final and most famous period of Toscanini's life began in 1937, when he held the first of 17 seasons of radio concerts with the New York Radio Symphony (NBC). With this orchestra, he toured South America in 1940, and in 1950 toured the United States with an ensemble of orchestral musicians.
After the 1953-1954 season, Toscanini left the New York Radio Orchestra. He died in his sleep at his home in Riverdale, New York on January 16, 1957.
The son-in-law of A. Toscanini is pianist Vladimir Samoilovich Horowitz.

Arturo Toscanini (Italian: Arturo Toscanini, 1867 - 1957) - was not only the chief conductor of La Scala and the Metrapolitan Opera, but also a real knight of music, each time speaking on the side of protecting its perfection. His figure is a symbol of true devotion to art.

For over 50 years, Toscanini was king and god in the world classical music, taking on the debut performance of numerous famous operas and symphonies. He did more than any other artist could do - to significantly increase the circle of listeners of classical works. But he was remembered by the world rather for his uncompromising striving for the ideal, unusual demands on others. Now it is difficult to assess whether it was ordinary perfectionism in modern understanding or something more, but if something interfered with the fulfillment of his desires, he was ready to throw sharp objects. With an orchestra, he could be extremely rude, and many other conductors adopted this cult of rudeness from him. So today, if popular culture there is an image of a conductor, he certainly, albeit remotely, but reminds us of Toscanini.

The brilliant conductor was born on March 25, 1867 in Parma in the family of an Italian tailor who took part in the national liberation struggle of the Italian people on the side of Giuseppe Garibaldi. Despite the fact that his family was not connected with art, his musical future was predetermined already in childhood, when at the age of nine he entered the Royal School of Music in his city, where he began to study cello, piano and composition, and at thirteen already acted as a professional cellist. At the age of eighteen, he had already graduated from the conservatory and began to combine the activities of assistant choirmaster, cello accompanist and corporator in an Italian traveling opera troupe.

A year after the conservatory, an event occurred that changed quite a lot in his life: during the winter season in Rio de Janeiro, a conflict broke out between the troupe conductor and the manager, and in order to somehow save Aida, Toscanini stands at the conductor's stand. He conducted without notes, from memory, thus demonstrating a phenomenal musical memory. Nearsighted since childhood, he memorized hundreds of complex operas, symphonies and concertos, playing them as often as possible in rehearsals.

Toscanini's rehearsals were something special. The musicians were afraid of him, because he demanded constant and complete dedication. But it was thanks to his flame that he turned even the most dubious music into a treasure - this was his gift. The conductor, not the composer, became the main thing in music. Toscanini always followed the score, for he believed that everything that the composer wanted to say was already contained in it.

Over the next 10 years, he conducted in two dozen Italian cities, over and over again gaining a reputation as the best conductor of the first half of the 20th century. So, in 1892 he held the premiere of Leoncavallo in Milan, and in 1896 he conducted the first performance of La bohème in Turin and began performing in symphony concerts. Two years later he performed the 6th symphony of P.I. Tchaikovsky.

Arturo Toscanini devoted a lot of time and effort to his work, it was inseparable and haunted him even at home. On June 21, 1897, he married Carla Martini, who at that time was not even twenty years old. The couple had four children: two sons and two daughters, but one of the sons died of diphtheria when he was 5 years old. Another son, Walter, went on to become a well-known Italian-American broadcaster. Arturo Toscanini loved his family very much, but due to his character he was able to present anything to loved ones.

Once, after an unsuccessful performance, he returned home not in the best mood, and going straight to the dining room, where the table was set for dinner and his family was waiting for him, he did not even think to join the meal, but froze at the door and said indignantly: “How can you eat after this performance? Be ashamed!" ? and slammed the door and left. Everyone went to bed hungry that night.

He has worked with many great singers and musicians throughout his career, but he has only been impressed by Vladimir Horowitz, with whom they have worked on recordings of Brahms' Piano Concerto No. 2 and Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 with the NBC Symphony Orchestra. Gradually, Horowitz became close to Toscanini and his family, and in 1933 he married Wanda, his youngest daughter.

In 1898-1903 and 1906-1908. Toscanini? chief conductor theater La Scala. Under his leadership, Siegfried, Eugene Onegin, Evryanta and many other operas are performed for the first time in Italy. In 1901, he discovered the talent of Fyodor Chaliapin and skillfully selected parts that fully corresponded to his high bass. In the production of "Mephistopheles" by Boito, Chaliapin has a huge success. At the same time, he also works with Enrico Caruso, who will make his debut in Donizetti's Love Potion.

In 1908-1915 he was chief conductor of the Metrapolitan Opera. Subsequently, Toscanini did not speak very warmly about the theater, but, nevertheless, his work in the production of Boris Godunov was very successful. Returning to Italy, he is faced with a new misfortune - the fascist regime, and after a while he moves to the United States, where he becomes the head of NBC (National Broadcasting Corporation), and travels to Europe only for tours. From that moment on, he conducted at the Bayreuth, Salburg festivals, and even founded his own in London, which he held for five years. In 1936, he took an active part in the organization of the Palestine Orchestra, now known as the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.

The heyday of Toscanini's life begins in 1937, when he begins to conduct radio concerts with NBC. With this orchestra, he made a tour of South America, traveled all over the United States.

There are many stories associated with his radio appearances, but perhaps the most interesting one occurred on his return from a tour of South America. In order to somehow pass the time, a group of orchestra members invited Toscanini to listen to a broadcast from London. Beethoven's Eroica Symphony was playing on the radio. While Toscanini listened, his face became more and more gloomy, finally, unable to stand it, he declared: “Yes, what kind of scoundrel takes such a pace! It's just impossible! What does he allow himself! By the end of Toscanini's performance, furious, he was already preparing to throw the radio out the window, but then the calm voice of the announcer rang out: "You have just listened to the recording of the BBC orchestra conducted by Arturo Toscanini."

Toscanini left the New York Radio Orchestra after the 1953-1954 season. He died in the USA, at his home in Riverdale on January 16, 1957, but was buried in Italy in the family vault.

Elizabeth Sysoeva

Arturo Toscanini (Italian Arturo Toscanini; March 25, 1867, Parma - January 16, 1957, Riverdale, New York) - Italian conductor.

Arturo was the son of a tailor. His father wanted him to become a lawyer, but Arutro entered the conservatory. He studied cello, piano and composition. He successfully graduated from the Parma Conservatory in 1885. Arturo immediately goes to Brazil. There he signs a contract and leads the cello group in the orchestra of Rio de Janeiro. He also works there as a choirmaster and cellist. In 1866 he made his debut as a conductor. Then Arturo realizes that this is his true calling. He had an amazing musical memory. When he first performed at the age of 19 as a conductor, he impressed the audience by conducting Aida without notes. By the way, Giuseppe Verdi was Arturo's idol. Toscanini was naturally very shy and met his idol only three times. All his life he carried with him a note by Verdi, which he found in the score of the opera Falstaff. Arutro considered this note his talisman.

Toscanini was not yet thirty years old, and in his repertoire there were already 165 opera compositions that he knew by heart. In 1887-98. he performed as an opera conductor, and from 1896 also as a symphony conductor. He and his orchestra gave concerts in many theaters in Italy. Toscanini was always demanding not only to himself, but also to the musicians. He rehearsed with them for six and seven hours. Arturo was a true patriot. One day in the early 1890s, he gave a concert in the theater of Pisa. During the concert, I somehow threw a bomb and the concert fell apart. They demanded to call the police. However, Toscanini waved his baton and forced the orchestra to play the Garibaldian anthem. Spectators and artists picked up the anthem. An ovation went up, and Arturo was carried out of the theater in his arms. Once in the same Pisa, at a rehearsal, the singer made a beautiful, but completely unnecessary voice pirouette. What did Arturo do? He immediately interrupted the rehearsal. The singer was very offended. She said that she is a star and can do what she wants. Toscanini told her that the stars are only in the sky and gave this part to another performer.

After a concert in Turin, he was very tired and, returning to the hotel, immediately went to bed. The audience in the theater refused to disperse and called Arturo. He had to wake up, get dressed and go to the theater again. There, without rehearsals, he conducted the Schubert symphony as an encore. He was famous in Italy and beyond. He was chief conductor at La Scala, then in the USA at the Metropolitan Opera. America has never had conductors of this level in its country, and therefore, almost every step of Toscanini was paid in gold. In 1910, Toscanini staged at the theater with Caruso Enrico"Girl from the West". Three years later he staged Boris Godunov. On the centennial anniversary of Giuseppe Verdi, Arturo arrived in Italy. He led the festivities, staged two operas at La Scala.

During the First World War, La Scala was closed. However, Arturo decided to revive the theatre. In 1920 he toured Europe. Returning to Italy, he again began working at La Scala. For several performances he was awarded a large amount money, but the conductor did not accept it and spent it on the theater. In 1922, he performed at La Scala 90 times. No theater in the world had such a repertoire as this one. When the Nazis came to power, Arturo left for the States. In 1926-36. he conducted Philharmonic Orchestra in NYC. In 1937-54. - US National Radio Symphony Orchestra. In 1942 he performed Shostakovich's Seventh Symphony. He sent the record to him. At 90, he was still conducting. However, misfortune befell him in 1955. At one of the concerts, he forgot that he had to continue playing. You can imagine what was going on in his soul, because all his life he had an amazing musical memory. The orchestra fell silent, and Arturo left the hall with tears in his eyes. Soon all the newspapers were virulently criticizing the conductor. Toscanini moved into a country house and did not perform again. He did not appear in public and almost did not communicate with anyone. Once he nevertheless received Emil Gilels at his home. He led him into a dimly lit room, put a record of Shostakovich's Seventh Symphony into the player, and sat down in an armchair. He and the guest listened to the music with tears in their eyes. Great conductor, whose fame lasted for about 70 years, died in 1957 in New York.

A whole era in the art of conducting is associated with the name of this musician. For almost seventy years he stood at the console, showing the world unsurpassed examples of the interpretation of works of all times and peoples. The figure of Toscanini became a symbol of devotion to art, he was a true knight of music, who did not know compromises in his desire to achieve the ideal.

Many pages have been written about Toscanini by writers, musicians, critics, and journalists. And all of them, defining the main feature in the creative image of the great conductor, speak of his endless striving for perfection. He was never satisfied either with himself or with the orchestra. Concert and theater halls literally shuddered from enthusiastic applause, in the reviews he was awarded the most excellent epithets, but for the maestro, only his musical conscience, which did not know calmness, was the exacting judge.

“... In his person,” writes Stefan Zweig, “one of the most truthful people of our time serves the inner truth of a work of art, he serves with such fanatical devotion, with such inexorable severity and at the same time humility, which we are unlikely to find today in any other field creativity. Without pride, without arrogance, without self-will, he serves the highest will of the master he loves, serves with all the means of earthly service: the mediating power of the priest, the piety of the believer, the exacting rigor of the teacher and the tireless zeal of the eternal student ... In art - such is his moral greatness, such is his human duty - it recognizes only the perfect and nothing but the perfect. Everything else - quite acceptable, almost complete and approximate - does not exist for this stubborn artist, and if it does exist, then as something deeply hostile to him.

Toscanini identified his calling as a conductor relatively early. He was born in Parma. His father participated in the national liberation struggle of the Italian people under the banner of Garibaldi. Musical ability Arturo brought him to the Parma Conservatory, where he studied cello. And a year after graduating from the conservatory, the debut took place. On June 25, 1886, he conducted the opera Aida in Rio de Janeiro. The triumphant success attracted the attention of musicians and musical figures. Returning to his homeland, the young conductor worked for some time in Turin, and at the end of the century he headed the Milan theater La Scala. The productions performed by Toscanini in this opera center in Europe bring him worldwide fame.

In the history of the New York Metropolitan Opera, the period from 1908 to 1915 was truly “golden”. Then Toscanini worked here. Subsequently, the conductor spoke not particularly commendably about this theater. With his characteristic expansiveness, he spoke music critic S. Khotsinov: “This pigsty not opera. They should burn it. It was a bad theater even forty years ago. I was invited to the Met many times, but I always said no. Caruso, Scotty came to Milan and told me: “No, maestro, the Metropolitan is not a theater for you. He's good for making money, but he's not serious." And he continued, answering the question why he still performed at the Metropolitan: “Ah! I came to this theater because one day I was told that Gustav Mahler had agreed to come there, and I thought to myself: if such good musician like Mahler agrees to go there, the Met can't be too bad." One of the best works Toscanini on the stage of the New York theater was the production of "Boris Godunov" by Mussorgsky.

Italy again. Again the theater "La Scala", performances in symphony concerts. But Mussolini's thugs came to power. The conductor openly showed his dislike for the fascist regime. "Duce" he called a pig and a murderer. In one of the concerts, he refused to perform the Nazi anthem, and later, in protest against racial discrimination, he did not participate in the Bayreuth and Salzburg musical celebrations. And the previous performances of Toscanini in Bayreuth and Salzburg were the decoration of these festivals. Only the fear of the world public opinion prevented the Italian dictator from using outstanding musician repression.

Life in Fascist Italy becomes unbearable for Toscanini. On long years he leaves his native land. Having moved to the United States, the Italian conductor in 1937 becomes the head of the newly created symphony orchestra"National Broadcasting Corporation" - "NBC". to Europe and South America he only goes on tour.

It is impossible to say in which area of ​​conducting Toscanini's talent manifested itself more clearly. His truly Magic wand produced masterpieces and opera stage and on the concert stage. Operas by Mozart, Rossini, Verdi, Wagner, Mussorgsky, R. Strauss, symphonies by Beethoven, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Mahler, oratorios by Bach, Handel, Mendelssohn, orchestral pieces by Debussy, Ravel, Duke - each new reading was a discovery. Toscanini's repertory sympathies knew no limits. Verdi's operas were especially fond of him. in their programs with classical works he often included contemporary music. So, in 1942, the orchestra he led became the first performer in the United States of Shostakovich's Seventh Symphony.

Toscanini's ability to embrace new works was unique. His memory surprised many musicians. Busoni once remarked: “... Toscanini has a phenomenal memory, an example of which is difficult to find in all musical history... He just got acquainted with Duke's most difficult score - "Ariana and the Bluebeard" and the next morning appoints the first rehearsal by heart! ..»

Toscanini considered his main and only task to correctly and deeply embody what was written by the author in the notes. One of the soloists of the orchestra of the National Broadcasting Corporation, S. Antek, recalls: “Once, at a rehearsal of a symphony, I asked Toscanini during a break how he “made” her performance. “Very simple,” replied the maestro. - Performed the way it was written. It is certainly not easy, but there is no other way. Let the ignorant conductors, confident that they are above the Lord God himself, do what they please. You have to have the courage to play the way it's written." I remember another remark by Toscanini after the dress rehearsal of Shostakovich's Seventh ("Leningrad") Symphony... "It's written this way," he said wearily, descending the steps of the stage. - Now let others begin their "interpretations". To perform works "as they are written", to perform "exactly" - this is his musical credo.

Each rehearsal of Toscanini is an ascetic work. He did not know any pity either for himself or for the musicians. It has always been like this: both in youth and in mature years, and in old age. Toscanini is indignant, screams, begs, tears his shirt, breaks his stick, makes the musicians repeat the same phrase again. No concessions - music is sacred! This internal impulse of the conductor was transmitted by invisible ways to each performer - the great artist was able to "tune" the souls of the musicians. And in this unity of people devoted to art, the perfect performance was born, which Toscanini dreamed of all his life.

L. Grigoriev, J. Platek