Morton Gould (1913-1996) was an American composer, conductor, arranger and pianist whose music moved easily between concert hall, radio, ballet and popular idiom. Born in New York, he was a prodigy and began working professionally while still young.

His catalogue includes orchestral works, concertos, ballet scores, film and television music, band pieces and arrangements. Works such as Spirituals for Orchestra, American Salute and the Latin-American Symphonette show his flair for vivid public music.

Gould’s style is rhythmic, colourful and direct, with jazz, popular song and American vernacular gesture absorbed into polished orchestral craft. He could write with sophistication without losing immediacy.

As a conductor and broadcaster as well as a composer, Gould helped shape mid-century American listening. His music has the brightness of city lights, the snap of dance rhythm and a craftsman’s unshowy precision.