[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 94 (Friday, June 9, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1213]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                          HONORING MORTON GOULD

                                 ______


                            HON. BOB CLEMENT

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 8, 1995
  Mr. CLEMENT. Mr. Speaker, I am honored today to pay tribute to one of 
the pioneering composers of the 20th century, Morton Gould. Mr. Gould 
is the 1995 Pulitzer Prize winner in music for his work 
``Stringmusic'', which he wrote as a tribute to cellist and conductor 
Mstislav Rostropovich.
  Mr. Gould has often been referred to as the Franz Josef Haydn of 
American music. He is a true original, helping to forge a national 
classical music where there hadn't been one. Along the way, Gould has 
composed so much music he can ``barely keep track of it all.''
  Mr. Gould composed his first piece, entitled ``Just Six,'' when he 
was, in fact, 6 years old. A teacher got it published. Being a child 
prodigy wasn't easy, though: boys will be boys, and according to Mr. 
Gould, he was often roughed up by the bullies at his elementary school 
for his musical tendencies.
  One of Mr. Gould's most famous compositions is ``American Salute,'' 
his 1943 arrangement of the American standard ``When Johnny Comes 
Marching Home.'' Mr. Gould says that people often approach him to say 
that they played the song in band class when they were younger.
  Mr. Gould dropped out of high school during the Great Depression; as 
the oldest of four boys an ill father, it was his responsibility to 
support the family. He took a job playing piano at Radio City Music 
Hall in New York, and at age 19 he played at the Music Hall's December 
27, 1932, opening night.
  From 1934 to 1943 he conducted and was in charge of music at the 
Mutual Radio Network, and in 1943 he went to CBS radio. He continued 
composing and making a name for himself with such popular tunes as 
``Pavane'', and with ballets that were choreographed by Agnes de Mille 
and Jerome Robbins.
  Mr. Gould served more than 40 years on the board of the American 
Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, which protects the 
copyrights of musicians. He was president of the society for 8 years.
  In December 1994, Morton Gould was honored by the Kennedy Center for 
his innumerable and enduring contributions to American culture, and in 
1995 he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for music.
  It is an honor and a privilege to salute Morton Gould, one of 
America's premier composers. His musical gifts have enriched the lives 
of people the world over, and his timeless legacy will continue to 
enrich lives for generations to come.


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