Important Win For Morawetz
A somewhat dejected Oskar Morawetz sat across the desk
from me and exclaimed, "I just
don't understand it. I win a major composing award and the
Canadian newspapers barely mention it."
Morawetz received the covetted Critic's Award at the International
Composition Competition in Cava dei Tirreni, Italy, but most
Canadian newspapers carried only a few lines about his triumph.
The story behind the winning work, Sinfonietta for Winds,
is an interesting one.
Morawetz met Zubin Mehta backstage at Massey Hall in Toronto after a guest performance by the Montreal Symphony and the conductor asked Morawetz to send him the score of his latest composition.
The composer did and to his delight was informed a few days later
that the work would be performed at the Montreal Symphony's last
subscription concert of the 1965-66 season.
Following the premiere, Morawetz made substantial changes to the original score.
It was at the urging of Maestro Ernesto Barbini that the composition was entered in the competition at Cava dei Tirreni. In
the previous year's competition, the late Pierre Mercure
won first prize and another Canadian, Harry Somers, received the
Critics' Award.
Sinfonietta For Winds is in three movements and
is scored for the whole symphony orchestra minus strings. The middle section is dedicated to the composer's father who died shortly after
this part of the work was completed.
Having received no news from Cava dei Tirreni, Morawetz left for his
cottage three days after the competition had ended. It was not
until several days later that he learned he had won the award.
Oskar Morawetz was born in Czechoslovakia and came to Canada in 1940.
In 1951 he was appointed Professor of Music at the Royal Conservatory
of Music, University of Toronto.
Many of his orchestral works have been performed by
leading orchestras in the United States, South America, Europe,
Australia and Canada.
Dr. Morawetz has received two composition awards from the Composers, Authors and Publishers Association and in 1961 won a Canada Council Fellowship.
His music was chosen to represent Canadia at the Brussels World's Fair in 1958, and at the Prague Music Festival in 1963. He is currently
working on Centennial commissions from the Festival Singers of Toronto and Donald Bell.
Those "in the know" about Canadian music have long ago realized the
[sic] Morawetz is one of our best composers.
It remains for many Canadians to hear his music and recognize his talent.
The judges at Cava dei Tirreni did.
