Susskind Conducts
Walter Susskind, conductor of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, this week conducted for the first time the the number one orchestra of his homeland, the Philharmonic, in Prague. He played Dirge by Oskar Morawetz, an expatriate
Czech composer who has lived in Toronto for 24 years.
Dr. Morawetz' Dirge was written in memory of Elie Spivak, who was concertmaster of the TSO for 17 years and, subsequently, a colleague of Dr. Morawetz' on the teaching staff
of the Royal Conservatory of Music.
The work has been played in various Canadian centres and in Australia and South America.
"I hope the Czech audience liked my work," Dr. Morawetz said. "It certainly came from the heart because Elie Spivak was one of my first friends in Canada, and we remained close friends until his untimely death."
