"This Was Toscanini: The Maestro, My Father, and Me" by Samuel Antek and Lucy Antek Johnson   184 pages

I have to admit that before I read this book, I was cognizant that Arturo Toscanini (1867-1957) was one of the greatest conductors who ever lived. However, I thought he was one of the old masters, from the 1800s. I had no idea that he headed up the NBC Symphony Orchestra from its first performance on November 13, 1937 until it disbanded in 1954. The Orchestra performed weekly radio broadcasts and served as the house orchestra for NBC.

This book was originally written by the man who played first violin, Samuel Antek. When it was originally published in 1963, it was a book about a musician written for musicians. I borrowed that copy from the library and it was too technical for my reading tastes.  It quickly fell out of print.

Now in 2021 Antek’s daughter has revived her father’s original work, but added her own memories and observations. This is more of a biography/biography/memoir book if I had to give it a genre.

Ms, Antek Johnson retained all the original photographs by Robert Hupka. They are striking and sometimes penetrating; sometimes I swear I could see Toscanini’s soul in those photographs as he strived to make beautiful music.

Ms. Antek Johnson’s take on the book was to reprint the photographs and her father’s words, but she wrote an introduction to each chapter. Written in a rather chatty style, I felt as if I was listening to an old friend reminisce about a grandfather and father.

 I really enjoyed this work and feel as if I’m a more rounded person because of it---or that could be that Toscanini was the answer to a recent “Jeopardy!” question that I would never have known the answer to otherwise.  I really struggled with Antek’s original last chapter, “Toscanini Conducts Oberon.” It was too technical for me. I ended up just reading the word without understanding their meanings. Never mind my failings, "This Was Toscanini: The Maestro, My Father, and Me" receives 5 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.