Professor Meriwether started taking violin lessons at the age of six and collecting recordings of classical music when he was in high school. His admiration for Arturo Toscanini began in the 1930's, listening to the radio broadcasts of Toscanini conducting the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. Then came the years of the NBC Symphony broadcasts (1937-1954) and, when in graduate school, having the opportunity of attending Toscanini concerts in Philadelphia and New York.

The recordings Professor Meriwether donated to the USC Music Library include performances by many conductors and musicians. But the most important part of this collection is the many hundreds of recordings of Toscanini, conducting more than a dozen different orchestras, in many different countries, from 1920 to 1954.

The James B. Meriwether Music Library Endowment was established with a generous contribution from Mr. and Mrs. Alester G. Furman III and supports Professor Meriwether's Arturo Toscanini Collection and related collections held by the library by providing for new acquisitions, conservation, publications, and programming opportunities. As the fund grows, proceeds may also be used for student assistance and research awards. For more information, please contact us.