Hymn of the Nations

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.

Genre:

Music, Documentary

Duration:

31 min

Cast:

Arturo Toscanini, Jan Peerce, Burgess Meredith

Quality:

HD

Director:

Alexander Hammid

Release:

1944

Country:

United States

Rating:

5.3