Hymn of the Nations
1944
Music Documentary
Synopsis
Commissioned by the U.S. Office of War Information, this short film features conductor Arturo Toscanini leading the NBC Symphony Orchestra, tenor Jan Peerce, and the Westminster Choir in Verdi’s Inno delle nazioni. Originally composed in the 1860s as a musical tribute to Europe, Toscanini expanded the score to include The Star-Spangled Banner and The Internationale in honor of the Allied struggle and Italian partisans. Filmed in NBC’s Studio 8H, the documentary interweaves performance with scenes of Toscanini at home, emphasizing his anti-fascist stance and celebrating the liberation of Italy. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2010.
Credits
Cast
Burgess Meredith as Narrator (voice)
Jan Peerce as Himself/Host
Knox Manning as Himself
Crew
Boris Kaufman (Director of Photography)
Irving Lerner (Producer)
May Sarton (Writer)
Original Poster
Hymn of the Nations - Original Poster
Related films
User Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!