158 years ago today, on March 26, 1867 (February 21, 1867), the Italian conductor Arturo Toscanini was born. On March 26, 1867, the Italian conductor Arturo Toscanini was born. Toscanini was one of the most talented and demanding musical conductors of the century, and he always conducted entirely from memory. Although the most acclaimed conductor of the century was small in stature, his unyielding noble purity made him an immeasurable figure who attracted worldwide attention. If he suppressed his musicians to the extreme in his pursuit of perfection, he was even more capable of forcing himself to work hard. If his famous tantrums and angry shouts of "Shame!" If his musicians recoil, it is clear that his integrity and total dedication also evoke a sense of loyalty, kindness and enthusiasm. As one player put it, "As a result, he made us play better". On January 6, 1957, after a musical career that spanned 70 years, Arturo Toscanini died at his home in Riverdale, New York, less than three months before the age of 90. Toscanini was young