Scott Ross

Ross, Scott

Scott Ross. Harpsichodist, organist, teacher, b Pittsburgh 1 Mar 1951, d Assas, near Montpellier, France, 14 Jun 1989; premier prix (Nice Cons) 1968, Speciaal Hoger Diploma (Royal Flemish Cons, Antwerp) 1972. At 14 he settled in France where he studied organ with René Saorgin and Michel Chapuis and harpsichord with Huguette Grémy-Chauliac, Robert Veyron-Lacroix, and Kenneth Gilbert. He was awarded first prize for his brilliant performance at the International Bruges Competition in 1971. He then concentrated on the performance and teaching of harpsichord, first in France and then 1975-83 at Laval University, after which he returned to France. He was strongly attracted to the music of the 17th and 18th centuries, and to French music in particular. Ross became a defender of musicological accuracy and of the proper construction of instruments, without neglecting, however, the spontaneity of instrumental playing. In addition to his many recordings of Bach, Ross became known above all through his performances of the complete works for harpsichord of Rameau and of Couperin issued by Stil, and those of Domenico Scarlatti's 555 sonatas, recorded between 1979 and 1985 and released on 34 CDs by Erato in 1988.