Arturo Toscanini: The NBC Years (Amadeus")

Frank, who served as the curator of the Toscanini archive, profiles the legendary conductor Arturo Toscanini. Drawing upon all the archival recordings of Toscanini's broadcasts, material from the family archives and other biographical sources, he corrects misconceptions about the period and the man. In his portrait of the fiery maestro who led the NBC symphony from 1937 to 1954, he provides new insights into his musicianship. He also offers season- by-season discussions, repertory lists and performance evaluations, videography and discography. A few b&w photographs are included. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)