Sinfonía eterna

Schmaltzy as it is, this biopic about the legendary classical music impresario Sol Hurok and the many singers he introduced and represented to music audiences is worth every lengthy moment because of the voices and music it contains. Among the treats: Jan Peerce's magnificent operatic voice emanating from the handsome face of Hollywood actor Byron Palmer, the great Ezio Pinza portraying the great Feodor Chaliapin, violin great Isaac Stern as Eugene Ysaye, gifted opera singer Roberta Peters as Elsa Valdine, and Tamara Toumanova as ballet superstar Anna Pavlova. Holding it all together in non-singing roles are David Wayne as Hurok, in probably the best role of his acting career, and Anne Bancroft as his devoted wife, in a role that barely gave a clue about what was to come in "The Miracle Worker" and "The Graduate."

I was very young when I saw this movie eons ago but what I recall most was the beautiful music in it which steered me in the direction of appreciating classical/operatic music ever after. Ezio Pinza was a favorite, a marvellous voice; the Dying Swan dance of Toumanova I still remember. An amusing, insignificant memory was of David Wayne, as Sol Hurok, who makes quite a scene after picking up the bill and remonstrates on the high cost of dining out with friends. Funny how the little things seem to stick in one's mind half a lifetime later. It would be just great to be able to see it again. Maybe I'll write a letter to Santa and ask him to send this one to me, pronto! ;-)

When I first saw this film in 1953, I was 14 years of age. The violin playing of Isaac Stern so impressed me that I applied to join the school orchestra the next day. Within a year, I won the school's music prize. I joined the British Army's band and served a full 22 years. I now arrange music for Concert Wind Band and orchestra. It's a delightful film full of superb performances by artists, sadly, no longer with us. It has remained my favourite film all these years. 20th Century Fox have finally brought the film out onto a DVD (and not before time). The story is very loosely based on Sol Hurok - with Hurok as the film's adviser, I would imagine you see only what Hurok wanted you to see. Still, a very enjoyable film and well worth getting the DVD, if only for the superb performances of Isaac Stern, Roberta Peters, Ezio Pinza and Jan Peerce.

I am disappointed that there does not seem to be any videos available of this film. About 15 years ago, it was possible to get a long-play record of the soundtrack, but, sadly, I was too late to buy a copy, because it was deleted from the catalogues. I have requested the showing of the film on British TV, but the reply is - there is no print available. What a shame that this film is a memory only. Someone must know where a print is kept or can be restored.

The acting is rather flat. The musical numbers are what are worth watching. The singing and dancing are wonderful. It is too bad this movie was made before great sound systems.