Ralph Shapey

Ralph Shapey (born March 12, 1921, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.—died June 13, 2002, Chicago, Illinois) was an American composer and conductor noted for his lyrical, often contrapuntal and serial compositions for orchestral and chamber group. He was called a “radical traditionalist” for his unusual juxtaposition of modern musical language with a somewhat spiritual and dramatic approach. Shapey initially played the violin, but his interest soon turned to composition. He began studying composition with the composer and...