Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 (Toscanini, NBC Symphony, 1948)

Telecast live on April 3, 1948 over the NBC Television and Radio Networks. NBC Symphony conducted by Arturo Toscanini. Featuring the Robert Shaw Chorale, Anne McKnight: soprano; Jane Hobson: contralto; Irwin Dillon: tenor; and Norman Scott: bass. The program opens and closes with Ben Grauer's narration, and Maestro Shaw is seen at the end of the concert as Toscanini brings him out for a curtain call.

[@Prof321]

I worked for NBC for 45 years, minus two years in the Army. At the first setback of 30 Rockefeller Plaza there was a garden with goldfish ponds, small evergreens and some grass. we young adults would go and eat lunch there in the garden among the surrounding buildings. Why was it there? It was constructed for the great conductor, Arturo Toscanini, because a few minutes before air time, no one could find him. The suits were frantic. He showed up and they asked, "Where were you?" Toscanini replied, "I took a walk in Central Park to clear my head." So they built a park at 30 Rock so he'd have a place nearby to clear his head.

[@srothbardt]

Wow. Great. I had an uncle who worked for Shell. I think the office was near Rockefeller plaza.

[@dennismiddlebrooks7027]

The NBC Symphony Orchestra under Toscanini was second to none at any time or anywhere.

[@enriquesanchez2001]

81 YEARS OLD during this performance! ♥♥♥♥

[@MrBert86]

Toscanini was 81 at the time this was broadcasted, by the way

[@paulfarrell8792]

My favorite performance of the whole 9th. I think I was 8 so 58 years ago. My day had the whole collection.

[@crotalusatrox7931]

My Father had the box set of Beethovens 9 with Toscanini and the NBC Orchestra. I still have them, the soundtrack to my life, I'm 67.

[@zauber620]

Whether one likes this interpretation or not, one must stand in awe of Toscanini's absolute control over this music and the musicians performing it. Incredible. Who could possibly match this level today?!

[@alexgomez2]

In his day, Herbert Von Karajan and nowadays, Ricardo Muti, however with his very tyrannical Italian temperament and musical dictatorial personality, he would have been kicked of any orchestra. 😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@photo161]

Yes, the dramatic decline in the performance level in the classical performing arts is indeed a heartbreaking reality.

[@andrewsnow1933]

@@photo161, no. It’s better than ever

[@barney6888]

Toronto Feb 2022 saw the CSO with Muti. I went to the Beethov 7 and prokof 5th. Now, the slow mvmt in the 5th wears down the Toronto audience. Most of the people don't understand it. At any rate, the celli fell apart during the 3rd mvmt, just a bit, and Muti gave the concert master one grimace, followed by a 2nd grimace, followed by yet a 3rd. The cm nodded without moving an inch. However, these things happen and more importantly, when pros like the CSO recover, boy do they play. It was a moment in my life I will cherish along with seeing Nilson and Vickers do Walkue act 1, Horowitz and Serkin.l These great conductors, vK, Muti and Toscanini have their results speak for themselves. God Bless them.

[@crotalusatrox7931]

Born in 1957, the Son of a Musician and Band Director I was raised on Toscanini and Beethovens 9. My Father had the box vinyl set and it was played often in our home. I still have those now ancient recordings and they are treasured. Words cannot express the feelings I have when listening to this. Memories flood my mind of my childhood, thoughts and visions from so long ago resurface. I consider this the greatest performance of the greatest work of music. Tim Briley. Ode to Joy.

[@bustdamatrix8189]

One of the greatest conductors and one of the the greatest pieces. This makes the waterworks flow every time I hear it. I sometimes wonder if life is purposely cruel. Imagine working on this for thirty years and not being able to hear it. I won't presume to know the mind of God but wow seems like a giant kick in the face and I can not wrap my head around this other then Beethoven's being deaf and somehow it added to the impetus of truly one of most magnificent pieces in all of history.

[@jeremyberman7808]

Beethoven didn't work on this symphony for 30 years. It was commissioned in 1817. Preliminary sketches were made that year. Most of the composition took place between 1822 and 1824. He had been going deaf since 1798. He came to terms with his condition, as much as one could, in 1802. Remarkably it didn't affect his ability to compose (unlike his ability to perform in public). Bedrich Smetana was another composer who became deaf. Ma Vlast (My Country), perhaps his greatest work, was composed the year after he became completely deaf. He had quite the tragic life already, having lost multiple children and his first wife about 20 years earlier. What can be inspiring is that despite all of this both Beethoven and Smetana didn't allow these things to stop them from composing some of the most incredible music ever to be composed.

[@duvidl]

This broadcast took place two months before I was born. When I was ten I took the tour of the NBC studios at Rockefeller Center. At one point the tour guide opened a door and said "This is Studio 8h where Arturo Toscanini conducted his weekly broadcasts with the NBC Symphony." That was a highlight of the tour for me.

[@witchingours4432]

No one gets the clean lines, precise notes and perfect tempo that Toscanini does. When he conducts operas such as la Boheme, they never lag.

[@juliegoldman411]

I agree 💯💯 percent!!

[@GhostintheMachine-eg5wm]

This is my favorite recording of The 9th. Thank you!

[@debradorfman7940]

Thank you for this historic download. My late husband's bass teacher was in the NBC Orchestra. So many memories. Such marvelous music and musicians. We must never let this art disappear.

[@thomasnmuziani6421]

Thank-you for finally allowing a whole new audience to marvel at the Brilliant Toscanini and for all intents and purposes, the New York Philharmonic aka NBC Symphony. This orchestra was the motivation for my parents to purchase a television in 1948. It was a "big deal" to have this enter your home.

[@eblackadder3]

The NBC and Philharmonic were not the same orchestra.

[@comediantomryan]

I have no idea what he's doing but I like the way that he's doing it. One of these days I will figure out what a conductor does. There are so many different versions of this on youtube and elsewhere. I have been listening to this 9th ever since I bought the Ormandy Philadelphia album back in the early eighties. It never wears thin.

[@crotalusatrox7931]

Been listening to this recording for 67 years, since birth. I still return.

[@LaLibertéEclairantLeMonde]

The conductor basically plays the music. This happens by communicating with gestures precise information on how, if, and when, each instrument will sound at any point.

[@douglasmurphy9127]

one of the best performances in my opinion ever maestro toscanini one of the giants of conducting greetings to all my fellow youtubers who have commented

[@AdressPia]

Amo come dirigeva Toscanini È insuperabile ! A volte ascolto von Karajan e altri ma questa perfezione dei tempi non c'è... Fantastico !

[@francescobattaglia5322]

Troppa differenza tra loro Due! Karajan era molto molle.

[@giulioamitrano3503]

direzione da brividi

[@stefanodemartis2203]

FINALMENTE!!!!!!!! Dateci anche gli altri !!!!!!!! GRAZIEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

[@antoniboleslawowicz8095]

Much better with original Grauer announcements at beginning and end and shots of the audience not seen in the RCA Toscanini Edition version! Thank you so much for posting this.

[@user-su5dt4ql9k]

クラシック音楽は伝承が基本と聞いてます。その！基本となる演奏を戦争が終わった数年後のNY.NBCでの録画で視聴しました。ありがとうございました。とくにトスカニーニ先生のお姿拝し嬉しかったです。

[@tedrobinson372]

Fantastic! The original as broadcast with Ben Grauer as announcer! Thanks so much for posting this. I have been waiting decades to see this.

[@pinedelgado4743]

Ben Grauer!!!!???? WOW!!! Proof positive that he didn't just do live broadcasts out of Times Square on New Year's Eve!! 😉 A true veteran broadcaster if ever there were one!😊

[@altfactor]

Ben Grauer got typecast as the reporter in Times Square on New Year's Eve after having reported from there for NBC News during it's radio coverage of the V-J celebrations on August 14, 1945.

[@altfactor]

Later on in 1948, Grauer did interviews during NBC's television coverage of the national political conventions. The anchorman for that coverage was a young NBC correspondent who at the time was doing off camera narration of newsreel film for a nightly (Monday through Friday) ten-minute TV newsreel program. His name was John Cameron Swayze, and by the time the 1948 elections had ended, he became one of television's earliest stars. (BTW, in early 1949, NBC expanded the newsreel to fifteen minutes, and put Swayze in front of the camera as anchorman)

[@hophmi]

Wow, I’ve never seen the original with Ben Grauer’s announcements.

[@giovanniguglieri5287]

Era il suo Beethoven, assolutamente legittimo

[@nathanielmerchant3286]

I listen to this ALL the time. Just amazing!

[@EricAlexanderHewitt]

Incredible -The courage in the 1st mvnt tempo !!!! Bravo

[@joestrike8537]

It is IMPOSSIBLE to imagine a major broadcast network maintaining an in-house symphonic orchestra today!!!

[@FlorianIrsigler]

You mean like the British BBC Symphony Orchestra, or the German BR Münchner Rundfunkorchester, or the Austrian Radiosymphoniorchester... ok, maybe BR and ORF are not major networks when seen worldwide, but they are big compared to their country of origin.

[@cats0182]

The major broadcast networks used to have staff orchestras that played live music on a variety of programs. That ended in the early 1960's when the costs outweighed the benefits. I believe that Johnny Carson footed the bill for the Tonight Show Band.

[@cats0182]

@@FlorianIrsigler BBC is a government entity. It pays whatever it wants to pay and the Brits foot the bill. As far as I know, the ITV Network in Britain, privately owned and operated, does not have an orchestra or staff of musicians.

[@maestroclassico5801]

The BBC enters the chat! 😂

[@jayphelps9613]

Wow. This is one of the earliest kinescopes in existence!

[@allenjones3130]

Anne McKnight, the soprano soloist, also went by the stage name "Anna de Cavalieri".

[@somersetuk525]

Oh so wonderful the last movement, he was at his best as was the choruses.....just brilliant. I was 10 years then ??

[@winpointfire]

Thanks for posting.

[@BermanTaylor]

I listen to this all the time. Thank-you!!

[@ThomasMLahey]

Thank you.

[@dondrewecki1909]

WOW!!!

[@telsport]

You said it, pal;.

[@44032]

You can argue about the virtues of the many great conductors but if you play 'word association' and someone says "orchestra conductor", what image appears in your mind. For me, it's the one above.

[@crotalusatrox7931]

Correct.

[@user-lf1yg1qo9s]

恐ろしいほど、音楽に情熱を傾けた人。一切妥協知らずで、泣き言、弱音が大嫌いで、その、トスカニーニに影響を受けた新人指揮者は多い。帝王カラヤンは、トスカニーニを尊敬していたと言う。

[@Miclpea]

Bravissimo!!!

[@BernardJKD]

Amazing

[@ilirllukaci5345]

Thanks.

[@debradorfman7940]

Bravi!!

[@debradorfman7940]

I love you, Maestro Toscanini.

[@OriginalRocketJock]

Arturo!

[@jofremonica1709]

Bravísimo.

[@rexivan]

19:25 - the scherzo, my favorite! what forceful playing, so direct and brisk.

[@davidgo8874]

Western Culture at its best!

[@johnnynoirman]

Razor Sharp!

[@AmericanClownAcademy]

Thank you for this. The sound quality is superior to RCA's "remastering." It sounds wonderful and belies all the negative stereotypes of the acoustics of Studio 8H. I hope you will find original kinescopes of the other Toscanini television concerts!

[@eblackadder3]

I'm not certain what you mean by RCA's remastering. This isn't the 1952 studio recording that was issued by RCA on LP.

[@fromthesidelines]

As seen {and heard} at 6:15pm(et).

[@RRaquello]

Not comfortable under those hot studio lights. I see a couple of the musicians wearing dark glasses and the maestro looks wrung out by the end. Radio was much easier.

[@nedwart]

Also worth noting, this was a year and a half before 8-H was retrofitted for television. I imagine it's why it looks so cramped in there.

[@fabiopaolobarbieri2286]

@@nedwart It may have been the heat, but you would have to remember his age as well. I have seen several elderly conductors look like wet rags at the end of a live performance.

[@annedwyer797]

@@fabiopaolobarbieri2286 And even some who aren't so "ederly"! Conducting can be quite physical. I heard one estimate of abt two arm movements/second, which really adds up when conducting a 30-45 min (or longer!) symphony! I've seen a YTube vid of Zubin Mehta conducting "The Rite of Spring" when he was abt 30, and he looked like he'd run a 10K when it ended.

[@jacobbump1282]

This is amazing to be able to hear and see this!!! Thank you so much for posting. Robert Shaw Chorale is amazing and its so cool to see them live in video for once. Can you please post any full concert videos of Robert Shaw conducting? I would love to be able to see any of his concerts if possible.

[@jorge-yl9vp]

😍

[@rhyancoleman6462]

From Studio 8H

[@telsport]

The education is the thing. I find the ethereal collaboration between Schililer and Beethoven in their undeniably Masonic themed work here very edifying to those of us in " The Craft" ..anoither one of Fremasons' gifts to the world..of course "The Giver of all good gifts and Graces"..the origin.

[@annedwyer797]

A large (4!) bassoon section 4:15

[@briankeller788]

Studio 8H, now used for "Saturday Night Live".

[@classicalduck]

What a comedown in the quality of music-making! Although I'm sure the Maestro would have appreciated the woman a couple of months ago who performed nude behind her guitar.

[@nedwart]

Incredible how many people they fit into that studio. It's much smaller than it looks on TV, even today.

[@momosuki8372]

トスカニーニの偉大さが良くわかる演奏ですね！！もっと録音がよかったら、もっともっと素晴らしく聞こえるのはわかっていますが、

[@cats0182]

The announcer is Ben Grauer.

[@dosomethingaho]

第一樂章的開頭應該要有如來自上天的聲音一般，預示著人類數不盡的苦難。隨著而來的則是一次次強烈的自問自答：要向命運屈服嗎？絕不！人類說道。

[@renaissanceinblack]

Terrific. What a great memory. A real study in conducting. And is that Richard Tucker in the audience? 1:11:56

[@johnfalstaff2270]

No, it is not him.

[@romanbotero3854]

Nunca me ha gustado esa velocidad de Toscanini...

[@user-vu6vw2ci1y]

highlight 59:42