MACNEIL/LEHRER NEWSHOUR, THE {LEONARD SLATKIN
SEGMENT} (TV)
Summary
A segment of one in this series of nightly news analysis programs. This segment, "Midwest Maestro," profiles American conductor Leonard Slatkin. Correspondent June Massell visits Slatkin in St. Louis, Missouri, where he conducts the St. Louis Symphony. Among the topics covered are Slatkin's musical training in America, as opposed to Europe; his family's musical background, and the founding of the Hollywood String Quartet by his parents in the late 1940s; his early musical training on the piano and viola, and his plans to pursue a conducting career; his studies at The Juilliard School in New York; and his first important conducting job with the St. Louis Symphony in 1968, where his father was first violinist. Two musicians from the St. Louis Symphony, Henry Loew (bass) and Barbara Liberman (keyboards) briefly comment on Slatkin's relaxed style of conducting and working with musicians. Slatkin discusses his family's history with the city of St. Louis; shares his feelings about what he refers to as his "clumsy and awkward" appearance, which some critics have said will prevent him from obtaining a post with a more high-profile orchestra; and displays a few samples of his 350-piece toy penguin collection. Included are clips of Slatkin rehearsing Handel's "Messiah" with the orchestra and working with soloists backstage before the concert. The segment concludes with footage of the performance. Anchors Robert MacNeil and Jim Lehrer close the program.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS
- DATE: January 4, 1985 7:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:11:51
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:13081
- GENRE: Music
- SUBJECT HEADING: Biography; Choral music; Conductors (music); Orchestral music
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV series, 1983-1995
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Jim Lehrer … Anchor
- Robert MacNeil … Anchor
- June Massel … Correspondent
- Leonard Slatkin … Conductor
- Henry Loew … Guest
- Barbara Liberman … Guest
- St. Louis Symphony … Symphony Orchestra
- George Frideric Handel … Composer