Good King Wenceslas

Arranger's Biography

Morton Gould (1913-1996) was a prolific American composer, conductor, and pianist whose work brilliantly bridged popular and classical idioms. A child prodigy, he began composing before he was ten. Throughout his career, he masterfully incorporated American musical vernacular—including jazz, folk, blues, and Broadway styles—into his sophisticated concert works. Notable compositions include his American Symphonette No. 2 (with the famous "Pavane"), the Pulitzer Prize-winning Stringmusic, and the ballet Fall River Legend. As a conductor, he performed with leading orchestras worldwide. Gould’s accessible yet inventive music remains a vibrant testament to the spirit of American eclecticism.

The arrangement of Good King Wenceslas is part of a larger orchestral suite Holiday Music written in 1947. Gould's concert music, is often complex and written for larger experienced professional orchestras, but the Holiday Music suite is very accessible, both for the audience and the orchestra.