The Hockey Sweater Tickets

Music and Canadian Identity

The Hockey Sweater is a beloved Canadian story that speaks to the heart of Canadian identity. Written by Roch Carrier and originally published in French in 1979 under the title "Une abominable feuille d'érable sur la glace" (An Abominable Maple Leaf on the Ice), the story tells of a young boy growing up in rural Quebec who idolizes his hockey hero, Maurice Richard, the star player for the Montreal Canadiens.

The boy's incongruity lies in the situation that, despite being Catholic, he supports the rival team of Quebec Nordiques, based in their hometown of Sainte-Justine.

The defining moment of the story comes when the boy's mother mistakenly orders a Toronto Maple Leafs hockey sweater from the Eaton's department store instead of the Canadien's one he requested. Not wanting to disappoint her son, she insists he wear it anyway, much to his chagrin.

Throughout the story, the boy experiences individualism vs. collective identity struggle, which many Canadians can relate to, due to the country’s multicultural makeup. The Hockey Sweater has become a cultural touchstone in Canadian literature. It has been adapted into an animated short film, stage productions, and even an opera.

Classical music provides another pathway through which we can explore the themes of identity and nationalism present in The Hockey Sweater. Prominent Canadian composers have explored these subjects through classical works that have come to embody both Canada's sense of itself as a people and the unique musical influences that shape its cultural heritage.

One such composer is Claude Champagne, a Quebec native whose music was heavily influenced by French sensibilities. His 1946 Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 is imbued with an unmistakably Canadian spirit, evoking the traditions and landscape of the francophone province where he grew up.

Another noteworthy example is R. Murray Schafer, whose Patria cycle of operas seeks to explore the essence of Canadian identity through an exploration of the country's natural and cultural landscape. Schafer's works are lushly orchestral and powerfully evocative, referencing both the pastoral beauty of Canada's wilderness and the vibrant dynamism of its urban centers.

It is worth noting that neither Champagne nor Schafer is writing explicitly about hockey, but their musical works embody many of the same values and themes present in The Hockey Sweater. Their compositions reflect a deep reverence for Canada's diverse cultural heritage, and they celebrate the unique identity that emerges from this fusion of traditions and experiences.

In conclusion, The Hockey Sweater remains an enduring symbol of Canadian identity and has become an essential work of Canadian literature. However, it is not just in the realm of literature where we can explore the themes contained within its pages. Classical music also provides a rich avenue for artistic expression and exploration of the struggle through which Canadians define themselves as a people. Through symphony and opera, the powerful emotions and deeply held beliefs embodied in The Hockey Sweater are viscerally expressed and reverently celebrated.