Perlman, Ma premiere Morawetz Arrangements
Superstar violinist Itzhak Perlman and cellist Yo-Yo Ma were
featured last Dec. 16 in a gala all-Dvorák concert in Prague, performing two
arrangements by Czech-born Canadian composer Oskar Morawetz. The pieces,
a Humoresque and a Slavonic Dance, were commissioned to celebrate the 100th
anniversary of the New York world premiere of Dvorák's New World Symphony.
Accompanying Perlman and Ma was the Boston Symphony under conductor Seiji Ozawa.
Morawetz, 77, was invited to do the arrangements by Sony
Classical, after a recommendation by Ma, who last year performed the Canadian's
Memorial to Martin Luther King with both the New York Philharmonic and
The Toronto Symphony.
"It was very difficult to do these arrangements," says the
composer who has resided in Toronto since 1940, "almost more difficult that
writing new works because you have to make sure the violin and cello have equal
parts and I had to invent all kinds of new counterpoints."
The performance will be telecast in 30 countries (on the U.S.
Public Broadcasting System in March) and released by Sony on laserdisc and VHS
video. - R.M.
