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- Gould, Morton
- McAlister, Clark
Duration: 3 minutes
Description: Morton Gould (1913–1996) composed his orchestral setting of Yankee Doodle in 1945, the final year of World War II, transforming one of America’s oldest and most recognizable patriotic melodies into a compact, brilliantly colored orchestral fantasy. The familiar tune can be traced at least to the eighteenth century; the best-known words are traditionally associated with British army surgeon Richard Schuckburgh and originated as a satire of colonial troops during the French and Indian War, but Americans subsequently appropriated the song during the Revolutionary era and turned the intended insult into an expression of national pride. Gould, whose concert music frequently drew upon jazz, popular song, folk music, and other distinctly American materials, subjects the simple melody to witty rhythmic transformations, unexpected harmonies, and characteristically vivid orchestral colors, with saxophones, guitar, harp, piano, and percussion supplementing the conventional symphonic ensemble. An early documented performance took place on May 12, 1945, at Symphony Hall in Boston, where the Boston Pops Orchestra performed Yankee Doodle under Arthur Fiedler. Today, Yankee Doodle remains an engaging example of Gould’s distinctive contribution to twentieth-century American light orchestral music, appearing especially on patriotic and Independence Day programs, while Philip J. Lang’s transcription has also given the piece a continuing presence in the symphonic-band repertoire. Instrumentation: 3(2nd/3rd dPicc).2.2+1(BCl).2: 4Sax(AATB, Opt): 4.3.2.1: Timp,Perc(3): Hp.Pno: Str (9.8.7.6.5 in set). Edited by Clark McAlister.