September is Classical Music month so let’s start with one of the greatest musicians, Maestro ArturoToscanini. For seventeen years Samuel Antek was first violinist for Toscanini. This Was Toscanini was written by Samuel Antek. His sudden death in 1958 never gave him the chance to finish. His daughter Lucy Antek Johnson expanded on her father’s story with This Was Toscanini: The Maestro, My Father, and Me. In 2021 the hardcover was published with pictures, and the audiobook has now followed. Swapping out pictures for music, from rehearsals to performances, Lucy allows the listener in to hear the passion and dedication of a genius. Listen and you will hear an excerpt from the first rehearsal of Brahms. Yes – in this episode!
This is a musical love story. You do not have to be a classical music lover to appreciate my conversation with Lucy. As Lucy says, there is a timeless quality to the story. She let’s us in on the story of a family filled with music and art. Lucy spent her career in the entertainment industry where she produced movies for television. She was senior vice president of daytime and children’s programs for CBS.