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Ross W. Duffin

@rosswmd.bsky.social
493 followers 257 following 316 posts

Music professor (retired) & author, tune detective, Canadian ex-pat Pasadena CA & Washington DC

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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 22h
I did write a blog post about the project for IU Press – how I got there and what I did, so you can read that in anticipation. iupress.org/connect/blog...
iupress.org
Enchanting Arcadia Blog Post - Indiana University Press
Why did I write my new book, Enchanting Arcadia: Philip Sidney’s Poems as Songs? Sir Philip Sidney is regarded as the finest English poet in the
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 22h
Apparently, my Arcadia book was officially published this week. I haven't got a copy yet, so it doesn't feel real quite yet. iupress.org/978025307653...
iupress.org
Enchanting Arcadia
Sir Philip Sidney was one of Elizabethan England's greatest poets, producing an enormous body of poetry, voluminous letters, and his seminal treatise, The De...
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Great! Congrats! And how about a tag for @alanamailes.bsky.social!
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Wonderful! My former student, Nicolas Haigh, is organist and choir director there. Say hi for me.
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Reposted by Ross W. Duffin
Selena Simmons-Duffin @selenasd.com · 02/10/2026
My latest: As of Oct. 1, refugees lost access to Medicaid because of H.R.1 Republicans passed last summer. "I spent these past two weeks just talking with so many of them, literally just terrorized by the reality that their children with disabilities are losing coverage" www.npr.org/2026/10/01/n...
npr.org
'It's a nightmare.' Former refugee, professor on Trump's new Medicaid policy
Starting Oct. 1, many immigrants who are here legally lose their Medicaid coverage because of the Republican budget bill passed last year.
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
failure? Could he have meant future?
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Can't remember the last time I saw a job posting like this: musicology/early music/historical performance. Assistant Professor at Florida State. jobs.omni.fsu.edu/psc/sprdhr_e...
jobs.omni.fsu.edu
Welcome | PS LINKS
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
I will be watching this when it comes out next month. Loved the show, especially how they integrated musical guests into the skits - like Al Jarreau playing a jazz singer who wanted to become a cantor! Priceless! people.com/snl-s-cooler...
people.com
SNL’s ‘Cooler, Older Cousin’ That Martin Short Calls ‘the High-Water Mark of My Whole Career’ Gets Props in a New Doc
The trailer for the new documentary ‘SCTV: The Greatest Show You’ve Never Heard Of’ features show legends like Martin Short and Rick Moranis, and sit-downs with Tom Hanks and Conan O’Brien
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Yes, it's terrific. Reminds me that decades ago a friend got the idea that they should issue culture stamps the way they issue food stamps. Everyone who needs more culture than they can afford would be given stamps to redeem at events. Maybe this is the first step to benefit artists more widely.
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Making a recipe I’ve made before. Calls for 26 oz. jar, which I’ve bought in the past, but now the product comes in 24 oz. jars. That’s shrinkflation right there! Not only more expensive but less of it.
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
They can be, but not today. I think they were smoking. Also, it tends to be the lone ones that are making a racket. "Hey – over here – I'm over here!"
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Four young peacocks sitting on a hedge. Since they’re all males, this is the equivalent of teenagers standing around on a street corner.
Four young peacocks sitting on a hedge.
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Inspiring story of amputee Terry Fox trying to run across Canada for cancer awareness. My sister Jackie was then the cancer doc in Thunder Bay who had to give him the bad news that ended his journey. apple.news/ANm0F9zVTQd-...
apple.news
‘It’s almost impossible not to feel inspired’: how the story of Terry Fox fired up Canada’s patriotic spirit again — Guardian US
Canada’s citizens are finding unity again in the story of the man who ran cross-country on one leg to raise awareness for children’s cancer research
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Merrily researching as usual and all of a sudden Google Scholar refuses to execute my search saying that they detect "unusual traffic." WTF? Hadn't even been that many searches. Maybe there are early modern poetry keywords that are now banned. Not great that Google can censor even search requests. 😖
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Fascinating and beautiful, but I have questions: I recognize the horn-like instrument at top left, the harp at bottom left, and the rebec at bottom right, but what is the instrument at top right? And what are David and the harp player holding in addition? Tuning hammers? Curious.
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
Please please please name the baby Googoo!
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Tickled that Travis Kelce & Taylor Swift bought a home in Cleveland: 8 BR, 3.5 lakefront acres for $5.3M. Good value, for sure (good luck finding that anywhere else in the US), but - niche quibble - had to laugh when I read that the Tudor style mansion was named 'Moyenage'. It's all old, right?
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
So sorry to hear of the recent death of Nik von Huene, son of Friedrich of the von Huene recorder workshop in Boston. I remember being stuck in the dorm at a brutally hot 1988 summer workshop, and the two of us being introduced to single malt scotch! Cheers, Nik. RIP www.vonhuene.com/news.aspx?sh...
vonhuene.com
News Bulletin
enter your site description here
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
or if you're old enough …
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
At least it’s diastematic!
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
I’m very happy for these folks at what is clearly important international recognition, but I laughed out loud at the use of ‘lute, crumhorn, and baroque violin’ as the representative instruments for early music. That may be the first ever sentence with that combination! www.bbc.com/news/article...
bbc.com
Banbury Early Music Festival 'proud' of international award nomination
Oxfordshire festival says it is "a remarkable milestone" for an event established three years ago.
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Oh dear! Another book due out in October. I’m going to need a taller bookshelf!
A shelf full of books, all authored or edited by Ross Duffin.
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Lots of friends and former colleagues here. And two violin soloists are former students Carrie Krause and Alan Choo. Thanks for posting!
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Sad to hear of the death of Stanley Ritchie, pioneer baroque violinist and teacher at Indiana U. When I spoke at IU once I stayed with him and he said he'd never retire - he loved teaching so much. He finally retired at 86 after teaching generations of students. RIP music.indiana.edu/news-events/...
music.indiana.edu
Indiana University mourns loss of violin and early music professor Stanley Ritchie: 08: Folder Name: Info: News: News & Events: Jacobs School of Music: Indiana University Bloomington
It is with sadness that the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music announces the death of Stanley Ritchie, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of music in violin and early music, on August 23, at age ...
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
This sounds great. Sorry for this bit of irreverence (and sorry if this joke has been made too many times already), but perhaps you could begin the festivities with this recording. youtu.be/prgWRNnH45Q?...
youtu.be
Frank Sinatra - Begin The Beguine
YouTube video by PM793
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Good timing! I managed to persuade A-R Editions to let me use manicules to indicate the part carrying the tune in my new edition of Philip Sidney's Psalms. Manicules were used for that purpose in 16thC prints, so why not in modern editions? www.areditions.com/philip-sidne...
Fragment of a musical edition of Psalm 23 by Philip Sidney, showing a manicule indicating the tenor part carrying the psalm tune.
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
My expectation is that individual psalms will soon be available for inexpensive individual pdf download, so stay tuned (as it were). And in the meantime, ask your library to purchase a copy of the edition. You'll want to read the full Intro anyway.
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
For all who love Philip Sidney's poetry—and who doesn't?—my musical edition of his psalms is now out. Some may be surprised at this, but I make a case for his use of French psalm tunes, based on his Huguenot tutor, French church next door, and colleagues using them for their own psalm collections.
areditions.com
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Not sure about “decent” but Mathis der Maler by Hindemith, about Matthias Grünewald.
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
For friends and colleagues of the late Betty Hageman, her obituary was published by the Washington Post today. A memorial for her will be held at the Folger Library on August 24 at 3 pm. I'll be there in spirit and hope some of you can go. www.legacy.com/us/obituarie...
legacy.com
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Absolutely true. And it happens during daily downtime as well. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had insights after turning things over in my head while walking the dog. A most important process!
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Re. Collier's forgeries, see also Arthur & Janet Freeman's, 'John Payne Collier: Scholarship & Forgery in the 19th Century'. Also a good chapter on Collier in v.2 of Carole Rose Livingston's diss. on ballads. Perhaps most worrying to me is that JPC was allowed to take the Stationers' Register home!
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
I think one of those replacements was the 4th to the 6th to the 7th scale degrees, also known as fa-la-si.
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
CWRU has said it will continue to pay for its students to take lessons at CIM through this year. After that, CWRU may hire its own adjunct teachers, but they are likely to be very good - perhaps even some of the same individuals.
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Not sure. Many great HP professionals started at CIM, but CWRU has its own students as well. But ensembles like the baroque orchestra and courses like baroque dance for musicians will be missing those CIM students. Not to mention the music history courses that had huge CIM enrollment.
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
This is so sad. CIM withdrawing from the Joint Music Program with CWRU after 58 years. It made so much sense for the schools and for the students. Now, for example, CIM students will have to pay out of pocket to participate in HPP courses and ensembles, meaning they won’t. A terrible tragedy.
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
I think there's a little more info in Peter Seng's book, 'The Vocal Songs in the Plays of Shakespeare'. My guess is that it's a late 18thC tune, possibly composed by Vernon.
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
Thinking of writing a new book on acceptable harmonies in Just Intonation. Tentative title: The Overtone Window. What do you think?
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
Children's author and Donne scholar Katherine Rundell argues powerfully against the use of AI in schools. I hope that teachers and school administrators take heed!
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
I brought the Oregon musicians who did this to Cleveland and heard them speak persuasively about reconstructing the instruments from tombs and sculpture. The Cleveland Museum of Art often then brought them in when they had ancient art exhibits. Not well known but worth checking out. a.co/d/02p0SMLT
a.co
Amazon.com
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
Well, since the plural form is GUFI, that sounds like a fun task!
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
So sorry to hear this news. Her book on baroque string playing was a valuable, pioneering work. Thanks to Peter Holman for a fine remembrance. www.theguardian.com/music/2026/a...
theguardian.com
Judy Tarling obituary
Other lives: Violin and viola player whose leadership of orchestras and books on the subject greatly influenced the performance of baroque music
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Golden anniversary dinner in Paris! Whole family stood & sang a silly parody—a family tradition! I noted the use of the original tune I reconstructed (Speculum ‘88). Kids said: “You taught us; it’s the only version of the tune we know!” Oral tradition in musicology! Teach your children well.
Song lyric to the tune of Sumer is icumen in.
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Yes, that’s good but also check out the Smithsonian Academy Orchestra for young period instrument players in the US. share.google/1RShAJuogaLr...
share.google
Smithsonian Academy Orchestra | Smithsonian Chamber Music Society
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Still remember the bins of original music type from my visit in 1995! Visit now or later! Amazing place.
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Well, that’s gotta be Patty Halvorsen on gamba. Back then and still at it!
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Three restaurant servers in Paris in 2 days have asked me where I learned French. So either they find it comical or they’re wondering why I sound like a refugee from ca.1600!
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
5 yo granddaughter unhappily captured in a photo: “I want that photo deleted!” Sheesh. Tech-savvy 5 year-olds!
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
Sorry to hear of the death of Joel Cohen, pioneering director of the Boston Camerata. classical-scene.com/2026/07/27/j...
classical-scene.com
Joel Cohen (1942-2026) - The Boston Musical Intelligencer
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Ross W. Duffin @rosswmd.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
That’s the spirit! Mutton grumble.
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