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| Scott Ross, harpsichordist
an uncompleted destiny What was Scott Ross's influence on his contemporaries? Ten years after he disapeared, it is probably greater than some would like to admit. Is there any one living harpsichordist today capable of drawing such enthusiastic crowds of such unplausible audiences as he could, people a priori contrary to 18th century harpsichord music, and even less liable to fill up concert halls? His impact was unique, albeit very limited in both time and space, a shooting star in the starry night of baroque music. His teachings probably were too confidential, depending too much on the student's efforts and merits. It might even be possible that the flame that he represented should flicker and die. But such an eventuality would actually be a loss, and not merely for music. His secret, in one word: exactness. This is the paradoxical idea that fancy can be free only through the most exacting exactitude of it's setting forth. Or just as said one of his friends, "Culture is what's left when everything has gone forgotten". Boris Vian wrote: "Let us know everything! The future belongs to the Pico della Mirandola. Let us mirandole!" Scott Ross mirandoled marvelously, he who'd say that he had an encycopaedical vision of the music, the way they meant it in the 18th century, he who said that he was writing "an Encyclopaedia which would never be definitive, but constantly in the process of being completed and rewritten". |
| Various online documents | In 1994, I passed a Master's degree in History at the Université Paul Valéry of Montpellier, France of which the subject was Scott Ross. From this memoir, I took the matter for
A lecture I gave in Nimes, in November 1999.
(Translation to English in progress) |
| A Biography of Scott Ross | Following are extracts from the book which I wrote after my Master's degree in History at the Université Paul Valéry of Montpellier, France, of which the subject was Scott Ross. I hold a copy of this book available to those who should be interested. |
| Chronological table: The Childhood | 1951- March 1st: Scott Stonebreaker Ross born in Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania, USA).
1957- First lessons of piano and organ
1960- His father dies, July 26.
1964- Leaves for France |
| Chronological table: The apprenticeship Part a Part b | 1965- He registers at the Conservatoire in Nice
1967- Académie in St-Maximin de la Ste-Baume, in Provence,
with Michel Chapuis
1rst awards for the organ and the harpsichord at the Conservatoire de Nice.
1968- First attempt at the International Harpsichord Contest in Bruges, Belgium
1969- He registers with the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique in Paris.
1970- Death of his mother
1971- First ever First Award at the Concours de Bruges.
Royal Conservatory of Antwerpen, Belgium
First record, "Monsieur Bach", ed. STIL.
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| Chronological table: The Teaching | 1973- He begins to teach in Quebec City as a harpsichord lecturer at the Ecole de Musique
of Laval University (EMUL: School of Music of Laval University).
1975- Complete recording of the Pièces de Clavecin, by Jean-Philippe Rameau,
ed. STIL
1976- Diploma of the Palmarès du Grand Prix du Disque, for the complete recordings of Rameau's harpsichord pieces. (STIL)
1977- He acceeds to the status of probationnary teacher, at the EMUL.
1978- April 18 : a jury unanimously grants him a doctorate's equivalence
October 12; he obtains the status of assistant professor, with retroaction to June 1rst.
1980- He announces he shall be candidate to the direction of the EMUL. He fails by a hair's breadth.
Juror in Bruges.
1981- Complete recording of the Pièces de Clavecin, by François Couperin, at STIL's.
1983- May 10; he asks the EMUL for an unpaid leave.
Recording of François Couperin's Suites pour le Clavecin, STIL. |
| Chronological table: Carreer and End | 1984- He experiences the first dears about the disease which would carry him off.
March: Recording of Haendel.
June 5; Signs for 5 years at Erato's recording company.
From June '84 until September '85, recording of Domenico Scarlatti's 555 Sonates
at the rate of two every day.
1985- François Couperin's Messes des Paroisses et Messes des Couvents,
éd. STIL.
Complete recordings of François Couperin's Pièces d'Orgue, éd. STIL
1986- June 1st; becomes a Professeur agrégé at the EMUL
August 1st: resigns from the EMUL
Publishing of various records, amongst which J-H d'Anglebert 's Suites,
some Bach, Padre Soler and Forqueray.
1988- Must be admitted to the Montpellier's Lapeyronie Hospital.
A short term hospitalization which will be followed by others,intermittently.
1989- June 13: Death in Assas, near Montpellier. |
| I should be happy to answer personally any request about the complete text of my biography of Scott Ross of which extracts can be seen above. Just click on this link. But don't fail to substitute the AT for the equivalent sign.
Discography | At STIL's:
Monsieur Bach; misc.
D. Scarlatti: Essercizi per Gravecembalo
J.-Ph. Rameau: Intégrale des Pièces de Clavecin
F. Couperin: Intégrale des Pièces de Clavecin
F. Couperin: Messes des Paroisses et Messes des Couvents
(2 records) on the Quoirin organ at St-Rémy de Provence.
Rec. August '84, published in 1985.
F. Couperin; Intégrale des Pièces pour Orgue. At Erato's:
F. Couperin: Suites pour Clavecin.
G.-F. Haendel: The Eight Suites for the Harpsichord
(2 records) recorded in March 1984, published in '85.
D. Scarlatti: The 555 Sonates for Harpsichord (35 records).*
Recorded from June 1984 until September 1985.
(Co-production Radio-France/Erato)
D. Scarlatti: Anthology of the Sonates
J-H. d'Anglebert: Suites pour Clavecin
J-S. Bach: Klavierübung III and Fantaisie Chromatique et Fugue
J-S. Bach: Italienisches Konzert
J-S. Bach: Partitas
Padre A. Soler: Fandango and Sonates
A. Forqueray: Suites pour Clavecin *This recording was integrally broadcasted in 9 countries: France, Belgium, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Sweden; Canada, USA (Washington and Chicago). At EMI
J-S. Bach: Variations Goldberg
G. Frescobaldi: Toccates et danses. At CBC:
J-S. Bach: Brandenburg Concertos(2 records)
(Solist on n°5, continuo on the others. With the Vancouver CBC Orchestra, dir. Mario Bernardi.
J-S. Bach: Wohltemperiertes Klavier (2 records) |
