Hymn of the Nations (1944)
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.
Director: Alexander Hammid
Genre: Music, Documentary
Runtime: 31 min
Release Date: February 1, 1944
Cast
- Arturo Toscanini - Himself
- Jan Peerce - Himself/Host
- Burgess Meredith - Narrator (voice)
- Walfredo Toscanini - Himself
- Knox Manning - Himself
- The Westminister Choir - Themselves
Screenplay
- Arrigo Boito (Other)
- May Sarton
Cinematography: Boris Kaufman
Editing: Irving Lerner
Production: Office of War Information
Country: United States of America
Language: English, Italiano
Original Language: en
Keywords
short film
More Films by Director: Alexander Hammid
More Films in Genre: Music, Documentary
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Hymn of the Nations about?
- 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.
- Who directed Hymn of the Nations?
- Hymn of the Nations was directed by Alexander Hammid.
- Who stars in Hymn of the Nations?
- Hymn of the Nations stars Arturo Toscanini, Jan Peerce, Burgess Meredith, Walfredo Toscanini, Knox Manning, The Westminister Choir.
- How long is Hymn of the Nations?
- Hymn of the Nations has a runtime of 31m (31 minutes).
- What genre is Hymn of the Nations?
- Hymn of the Nations is a Music, Documentary film.
- Where was Hymn of the Nations produced?
- Hymn of the Nations was produced in United States of America.