Stephen Foster's famous song "Oh! Susanna" arranged by Morton Gould for two pianos. Gould fully utilized his characteristic pop sensibility to create an entertaining arrangement, while preserving the straightforward and unpretentious flavor of the original.Originally, this song was an explosive hit across the United States during the Gold Rush era of westward expansion. In his arrangement, Gould incorporated sophisticated modernity along with an overflowing nostalgia for the good old days. He depicts a town covered in dust, sweat, and smoke, where roughnecks swagger about, and raucous voices, shouts, and cheerful songs emanate from saloons. Amidst this, he portrays a man galloping on a spirited horse to rush to his beloved. His brushstrokes are bright, humorous, and endlessly warm.The piece is marked Fast and spirited, in 2/4 time and C major. The alternating sixteenth-note passages between the left and right hands, which form the core of the arrangement, evoke the sound of horse hooves, skillfully expressing a thrilling sense of speed. The same alternating passages can also sound like the strumming of a banjo, which appears in the lyrics, or the creaking of a dilapidated covered wagon. The masterful fusion of unpretentious, orthodox techniques and evocative scene-painting is remarkable. True to Gould's deep understanding of the stage, it is also excellent that he places no undue demands on the performers.In 1938, Gould composed the orchestral work "Foster Gallery," which could be described as a "comprehensive survey of Foster's masterpieces," and "Oh! Susanna" also served as the grand finale in that piece.