Harold Shapero at 36
The composer Harold Shapero died on May 17. He was 93.
"With the passing of my great friend, Harold Shapero, an entire era of great American music has passed. He knew personally Igor Stravinsky, Aaron Copland, Nadia Boulanger, Koussevitsky, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Hindemith, Irving Fine, Leo Smit and hundreds of the leading people in twentieth-century art. He loved hummingbirds, hated the Yankees, serialism, and lawyers, loved Thai food, Scarlett Johansson, and Whittier. In his music he captured beauty and hope. He could not write without the inspiration. He hated using ‘formulas’ and ‘diddling’. He wrote music for people. In spite of his passing and our sorrow, his music will live forever.”
—Brian G. Ferrell, friend of Harold Shapero