Ralph Shapey was a misfit for 20th century American music. Far from being an avant-garde experimenter, he was too modern to be considered a traditionalist. Critics eventually used the term “radical traditionalist” to describe him. It sounds contradictory. This is accurate.
Shapey was born in Philadelphia in 1921 and grew up playing the violin. He soon realized that he had more to say than the instrument would allow. His attention was focused on the composition. Studied under Stefan Wolpe, who studied directly under Anton von Webern. This pedigree is important. From the beginning of his career, Shapey adhered strictly to the tradition of twelve-tone composition.
Where Shapey’s reputation was built
In 1945 he moved to New York. The following year he composed his first string quartet. It started quietly. It was his second quartet in 1949 that really attracted attention. It was premiered by the Juilliard String Quartet. Next came “Fantasy,” written for orchestra in 1951, but Shapey later withdrew that piece. it doesn’t matter. Reputation is built.
He continues to push the boundaries. Dimensions (1960) and Incantations (1961) used an instrumental ensemble combined with a soprano. There are no words. It’s just a vowel sounds. This is a spiritual approach to modern musical language. It created the dramatic tension that characterized his early work.
The University of Chicago and the Great Demonstrations
In 1964, the trajectory changed. Shapey began teaching at the University of Chicago. Later that year, he founded the Contemporary Chamber Players group. He led them into the mid-1990s. He was a professor until 1991.
He also premiered large works. Ontogeny (1965) went down with the Buffalo Symphony Orchestra. Rituals (1966) was conducted by Shapey himself and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. These were important moments in the history of American orchestras.
Then he stopped.
In 1969, Shapey announced that he would no longer compose music. He wouldn’t even allow performances of existing music. Why? He was protesting the current state of the music industry. He was protesting the state of the world. It is completely dormant. 10 years of silence.
Back to basics
Will he keep quiet? No, he returned to keyboards in the mid-1970s. He did not abandon his principles. He just changed the source material.
He turned to the Bible. Praise (1971) is an oratorio using texts from the Bible. He also wrote the Hebrew service. *The Covenant (1977) celebrates the 30th anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel. Includes soprano, 16 players and tape. He often uses tape recordings in his work. It’s not just about the instruments. It’s all about the texture.
Most of his works still retain the neoclassical form. He composed more than 200 works. This is an amazing number for a composer who has been inactive for 10 years.
Recognition and legacy
The industry is finally catching up. Shapey has received numerous honors. He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 1989. In 1993, he was awarded a fellowship by the MacArthur Foundation. These are not just decorations for the wall. They recognize the unique sound of American music.
Shapey died on June 13, 2002 in Chicago. He left behind a body of work that cannot easily be categorized. He is not just a serial
