Torches and passings

[Doug Hershberger]

Horace,
   I only met him a few times but he was one of those types you don't
forget. Very ecclectic and super interesting to talk to. I once saw him give
a class about the trials and tribulations of making his own Seven ft. Grand,
including casting his own plate. This was probably 10 or more years ago.
Bummer.
Doug Hershberger
----- Original Message -----
From: Horace Greeley <hgreeley@leland.Stanford.EDU>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, July 29, 1999 7:49 AM
Subject: Re: Torches and passings


>
> Friends,
>
> It is with great sadness that I add to Jim B's earlier list of
> those no longer with us.
>
> Last Friday, Sheldon Smith died suddenly and unexpectedly at his
> Berkeley, CA, home.
>
> For those who may not have known of him, Sheldon was, for over
> 25 years, the concert technician for the San Francisco Symphony,
> and was still active at Herz and Zellerbach Halls at CAL, as well
> as maintaining a very active rebuilding business at the time of
> his death.  His work may be heard on virtually any recording made
> by the SFO between 1970 and 1995.
>
> His candle burned, perhaps, too brightly; and he constantly fought
> with the inner demons which have driven so many into divorce or,
> out of the profession.  A brilliant technician, he was also a gifted
> teacher, whose classes were always jammed to overflowing and well
> received.  Even when one disagreed with his conclusions, it was
> clear that great energy and intelligence had gone into arriving at
> them, and that they were not dogmatically cast in concrete.
>
> The shops, first in SF and then in Berkeley, have long been centers
> of very high quality, innovative work.  He was capable of craftsmanship
> second to none.  Constantly experimenting, he was designing and making
> his own soundboards (including some highly successful laminated ones),
> as well as things like crossband laminated ribs long before most others
> on the West Coast were even doing any successful shimming.
>
> For some, Sheldon's passing is a footnote.  For some others, it is
> the shattering loss of one of the few true remaining original
> geniuses of the profession.  (Think of Leonard Jared, or Chas. Frederick
> Stein, and a handful of others.)
>
> A Wake, which is, after all, the only truly appropriate way to celebrate
> Sheldon, is planned for later in August.
>
> Best to all.
>
> Horace
>
>