Fascists forced paths of Toscanini, Bartok to intersect
Today, we celebrate the birthdays of two of the greatest and most influential musicians of the 20th century. Hungarian composer Bela Bartok was born on this day in 1881. The preeminent Italian maestro, Arturo Toscanini, was born exactly 14 years earlier.
During the course of a career that spanned almost 70 years, Toscanini never conducted a single Bartok composition. That is a pity, I think. Imagine how Toscanini's legendary precision and interpretive fire might have inspired scintillating performances of 'The Miraculous Mandarin' or the 'Concerto for Orchestra.'
Nevertheless, the paths of Toscanini and Bartok did converge on at least one important occasion. This took place after an incident in Bologna, Italy, on May 14, 1931.
On that date, Toscanini was scheduled to lead a concert at Bologna's Teatro Comunale. Two Fascist ministers planned to attend the program.
Consequently, a request was made that Toscanini and the orchestra perform the Fascist hymn 'Giovinezza.' Toscanini refused. When Toscanini, along with his wife and daughter, arrived at the theater for the concert, he found himself surrounded by a group of Fascist thugs. One of them demanded of Toscanini, 'Will you play 'Giovinezza'?''
When Toscanini responded that indeed, he would not, the Fascists began to beat the face of the 64-year- old conductor. Toscanini's chauffeur quickly ushered the conductor back into his car and rushed the family to the hotel. There, some 200 Fascists gathered outside, directing insults and obscenities toward the conductor.
Toscanini was informed that unless he departed Bologna immediately, his family's safety could not be guaranteed. When the maestro arrived in Milan, his passport was confiscated by the Italian government, and his home was put under surveillance.
When the world learned of Toscanini's despicable treatment at the hands of the Fascists, protests were swift and numerous. Conductor Serge Koussevitsky canceled his scheduled appearances at Milan's La Scala Opera House, informing the management, 'Maestro Toscanini does not belong only to Italy, but to the whole world.'
At a meeting of the UMZE (New Hungarian Music Society), Bartok offered the following resolution in support of Toscanini:
'1. The UMZE is deeply shocked and roused to indignation by the news of the grave assault that has been made upon Arturo Toscanini. The Society wishes to assure him of its wholehearted sympathy and solidarity and salutes him with the utmost admiration.
'2. The UMZE views with concern the ever more numerous brutal intrusions into artistic life by factors that have nothing to do with the domain of art. These intrusions don't halt even before the worldwide authority of a Toscanini. Therefore, the UMZE considers it timely to give thought to the problem of defensive action.'
As Toscanini and Bartok soon discovered, incidents such as the one that took place in Bologna in May 1931 were just the beginning. Ultimately, Bartok and Toscanini - both staunch and outspoken advocates of democracy - were forced to leave Europe and make their homes in the United States.
After the war, Toscanini was able to return in triumph to his beloved homeland. Bartok was not so fortunate. The frail composer, beset by financial and health problems, died in New York on Sept. 26, 1945, at the age of 64.
Mariss Jansons is music director of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Send questions to The Maestro, Tribune-Review, D.L. Clark Building, 503 Martindale St., Pittsburgh, PA 15212. Or e-mail tribliving@tribweb.com . Ken Meltzer, the symphony's community spokesman, contributed to this column.
