Oskar Morawetz: The Czech Prism

Oskar Morawetz (1917 – 2007) carved out a successful career in Canada, yet he remains relatively obscure in his native Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic). The complexity of his social, political and cultural background framed his identity as a person and musician. Understanding Czech–Canadian dualism is a vital component of grasping both his identity as a composer and reception of his music in the two countries. The Czech Prism is a documentation of a multidisciplinary project I developed and carried out in the years 2015 – 2019 in both Morawetz’s homelands – Canada and the Czech Republic – in order to unveil the Czech identity of the composer. It is neither an analysis nor a biography, but it contains elements of both. As such it follows Morawetz’s footsteps geographically: beginning in Europe, then moving to Canada, and finally returning to the Czech Republic. Among the most valuable contributions of this research is the discovery of a large amount of fascinating Czech correspondence in the Morawetz fonds in the Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa. The correspondence contains letters Morawetz exchanged with both his family members and others in Czechoslovakia, mostly between the years 1939 and 1995. This is the first time that this material has been examined, translated, and incorporated into a research document. In addition to the correspondence this study deals with other primary sources such as: contemporary press clippings; interviews with people from Morawetz’s generation as well as with music experts in both Canada and the Czech Republic; a documentation of lecture-recitals carried out in the Czech Republic; and a performer’s analysis of the work Fantasy in D (1948). Set in the context of Czech-Canadian social, political, and cultural background, the information unearthed during this research project is sifted, examined, and perhaps most importantly revealed here for the first time. What emerges is a large tapestry of prisms that ultimately merge into an accurate image of a more complete identity of the composer of Czech and Canadian origin, Oskar Morawetz.D.M.A