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Hymn of the Nations (1944)

Hymn of the Nations (1944)

Music Documentary
Release Date: 1944, February 1
Directors: Alexander Hammid
Countries: United States of America
Production: Office of War Information, Office of War Information
Cast: Burgess Meredith, Arturo Toscanini, Jan Peerce, Knox Manning, Walfredo Toscanini, The Westminister Choir

Overview:

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.

Keywords:

short film