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“Music Speaks to Every Heart”: Koussevitzky’s War Time Message, Christmas 1943

“Music Speaks to Every Heart" illuminates BSO conductor Serge Koussevitzky's vision for classical music's place amid the tragedy of a world war. The speech in Koussevitzky's own voice is excerpted from an interview recorded with Gene Hamilton, and broadcast on December 25, 1943. The broadcast originated from station WHDH in Boston and was aired on the Blue Network (previously of NBC). The background music in the film excerpts archival audio featuring Koussevitzky with the BSO. 

Serge Koussevitzky conducts the BSO and the Radcliffe Choral Society at Symphony Hall

Serge Koussevitzky conducts the BSO and the Radcliffe Choral Society at Symphony Hall (Photograph by John B.  Sanromá)

Koussevitzky 150

This story was created as part of the Koussevitzky 150 celebrations at Tanglewood, celebrating the 150th anniversary of Serge Koussevitzky's birth and the 100th anniversary of his appointment as the BSO's first Music Director.

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Leonard Bernstein and Lukas Foss stand on either side of Serge Koussevitzky as he cuts his birthday cake at Tanglewood ca 1946