[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 32 (Monday, March 11, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1665-S1666]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRIBUTE TO MORTON GOULD
Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, almost exactly a year ago in April, I was
traveling outside the country and was able to get hold of a copy of the
New York Times. In it was a list of the Pulitzer Prize winners. Under
``Music'' was listed Morton Gould, ``Stringmusic.''
Morton Gould, an 81-year-old composer who lives in Great
Neck, NY, won for a 30-minute work that was commissioned by
the National Symphony Orchestra and given its premier by that
ensemble, conducted by Mstislav Rostropovich, at the Kennedy
Center in Washington on March 10, 1994.
It then goes on and describes the music. That small piece could not
describe what an unbelievable talent Morton Gould had. That is why I
and so many others were saddened when he recently died suddenly at the
age of 82. Even then, though working actively, he was about to address
a group in Orlando and continued to be the prolific and talented
musician he had been throughout his life.
I was able to meet him and get to know him over the years. In
customary form, after I wrote him to congratulate him on the Pulitzer
Prize, he wrote back a long, hand written note in which he joked about
what he knew was a great honor and sort of minimized it, although one
could tell how pleased he was. This is a man who was accustomed to
honors but was not swayed by them, a man who knew he had the gratitude
and the esteem of his peers, but did not revel in it, but rather worked
with his peers constantly.
I find it a matter of great personal pride to have known him, as I
said, for years, since the days my friend Ben Palumbo first introduced
us up to the time of his death. Like so many Americans, we will
continue to know him through his music. This is music that is truly
timeless.
I ask unanimous consent a report sent out regarding his death be
printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
Ken Sunshine Consultants, Inc.,
New York, NY, Feb. 21, 1996.
Composer/Conductor Morton Gould Dies at 82
Former ASCAP President Morton Gould, one of the century's
most celebrated American composers and conductors, died
suddenly this morning in Orlando, FL at the age of 82. Gould
was visiting the Disney Institute in Orlando as an artist-in-
residence. Last evening, the Institute honored him with an
all-Gould program performed by the U.S. Military Academy
Band. Gould attended the concert and received a standing
ovation. According to the Institute, a second all-Gould
concert scheduled for this evening will go on as planned.
Gould received the Kennedy Center Honor in 1994 and the
Pulitzer Prize in Music in 1995. He was elected to the
American Academy of Arts and Letters in 1986. In addition,
Gould was an Award winning recording artist, with 12 Grammy
nominations and a Grammy award in 1966. Gould served on
ASCAP's Board of Directors for over 36 years, and led the
Society as President from 1986 to 1994.
Gould's contributions spanned eight decades and included
significant works for orchestra, chamber ensemble, band,
chorus and soloists, as well as scores composed for film,
television, Broadway and ballet. Throughout his career,
Gould's work was particularly ``American,'' making use of
such ``roots music'' styles as jazz, blues, spirituals and
folk music.
His music has been performed by every major American
orchestra under the direction of such eminent conductors as
Fritz Mahler, Arturo Toscanini, Leopold Stokowski, Sir Georg
Solti, Andre Previn, Leonard Slatkin, Eugene Ormandy and
Arthur Fiedler. As a conductor, Gould led countless
orchestras throughout the world and recorded over 100 albums.
Among his major compositions are Latin American
Symphonette, Derivations for Clarinet and Band (commissioned
by Benny Goodman), American Salute, Spirituals for Orchestra,
``Boogie Woogie Etude'' and ``Pavane.'' His collaborations
with top choreographers include Clarinade and Audobon (George
Balanchine); Interplay and I'm Old-Fashioned (Jerome
Robbins); Halftime and Santa Fe Sage (Elliot Feld); and Fall
River Legend (Agnes DeMille). His film scores include
Delightfully Dangerous, Windjammer and Cinerama Holiday.
Notable Gould TV scores include Holocaust, F. Scott
Fitzgerald in Hollywood and CBS' World War I Documentary.
Gould composed two Broadway scores, Arms and the Girl, with
lyrics by Dorothy Fields, and Billion Dollar Baby, with
lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. More recent works
include three major commissions celebrating the 1976
Bicentennial, Symphony of Spirituals, American Ballads and
Something To Do. In 1992, he was commissioned by the
Pittsburgh Symphony Association to compose The Jogger and the
Dinosaur, a concert piece for rapper and orchestra.
Morton Gould was born on December 10, 1913 in Richmond
Hill, New York. A child prodigy, he composed and published
his first work, ``Just Six,'' at the age of six. Growing up
during the worst years of the Great Depression, Gould's music
studies were curtailed by his need to help support his
family. He found work as a vaudeville pianist, backing the
famous ballroom dance team, Renee and Tony DeMarco, and was
part of a piano duo with Bert Shefter.
As a teenager, Gould was house pianist for the 1932 opening
of Radio City Music Hall. He was a pioneer of live radio
broadcasts as the star, host and conductor of long-running
national music programs on the Mutual and CBS Radio Networks.
His radio shows featured leading figures from the symphonic
and popular music worlds, including Frank Sinatra, Benny
Goodman, Lauritz Melchior and Duke Ellington. His Cresta
Blanca theme was among broadcasting's first major commercial
jingles.
Gould joined ASCAP in 1935 and was long active in many
ASCAP and ASCAP F0oundation programs. A tireless advocate for
new American composers, he was constantly seeking
opportunities to help expose
[[Page S1666]]
their work. He also served with distinction on the Board of
the American Symphony Orchestra League and on the National
Endowment for the Arts Music Panel.
Commenting on Gould's passing, ASCAP President and Chairman
Marilyn Bergman said: ``America has lost one of its most
distinguished composers and conductors, and the creative
community has lost one of its great leaders. No one I know
was more respected and loved here at ASCAP and throughout the
world for both his musicianship and his great humanity. His
vigor, his wit and his spirit led us to believe he would live
forever. And in fact, through his music and the legacy he
left us, he will.''
Gould, who resided in Great Neck, NY is survived by two
daughters, Deborah Gould of Brooklyn, and Abby Burton of
Plainview; two sons, Eric of Great Neck and David of Port
Washington; and eight grandchildren.
Funeral services will be private. A memorial is being
planned by ASCAP; the date will be announced shortly.
Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I must repeat what a great privilege it has
been to have known Morton Gould over these years.
Mr. HATCH. I join in the remarks of my distinguished friend and
colleague from Vermont. Morton Gould, was a very, very important and
fine person in my life, as well. He actually went out of his way to be
friends with me. Although I believe Morton is a strong liberal
Democrat, he went out of his way to show kindness to this conservative
Republican Senator through many of the years as we have worked on
patents, copyrights, and trademarks.
As the Senator from Vermont, Senator Leahy, and I have known
together, Morton Gould was not only one of the greatest musicians and
writers who ever lived in this country, he was a person of immeasurable
charm, kindness, diplomacy and ability--not just in music, but in
working for the best interests of music. He literally became one of the
stalwart people in the history of this country in the field of music.
I want to personally pay my deep and utmost respects to him and to
his family, wish them well, and express my sympathy to them. This was a
very, very great man. He not only was great in one genre but he was
great in all musical genres and deserves the respect and the
remembrance of every American, many of whom do not even realize they
benefited immensely from the beautiful music Morton Gould has written,
and music he has collaborated with others to write. I would feel badly
if I did not join with the distinguished Senator from Vermont in paying
tribute to this wonderful man and the tremendous life he lived.
Mr. LEAHY. Will the Senator yield?
Mr. HATCH. I am happy to yield to the Senator.
Mr. LEAHY. I think, Mr. President, my friend from Utah would agree
with me that the various times he and I were with Morton Gould and
talking about these copyrights and other issues, not only did we find
that a pleasant chore, but we usually left the meetings still chuckling
and smiling over things that he had said to us, and just from the
pleasure of his company.
Mr. HATCH. I agree with my distinguished colleague. Morton Gould was
a scintillating person to be around. Everybody who came in his presence
was lifted one way or the other--not just by music but by his very fine
personality and deep felt kindness he showed to people as a whole in
this country.
I want to express my deepest regard for him and my sympathy to his
family, his associates and others who worked with him through the
years. I thank my colleague for his kind remarks with regard to Morton
Gould.
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