Scott Ross (harpsichordist)

Scott Ross (March 1, 1951 – June 13, 1989) was a United States-born harpsichordist who lived in France and Canada for many years.

At Université Laval that was attended by the university chancellor and the French Consul General, he wore jeans and a red lumberjack shirt.

His keyboard interests were similarly wide-ranging, extending beyond the harpsichord to the music of Frédéric Chopin, Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel that he performed on the piano, and he also accompanied Schubert lieder.

He loved the music of Brian Eno and Philip Glass, and was a fan of the punk performance artist Nina Hagen.

Comparisons which might be drawn between Ross and the Canadian pianist Glenn Gould due to their common love of Baroque music and their unconventional approaches.

These comparisons are put into a fuller context by comments from Ross in a documentary film made toward the end of his life: When I hear nutcases like Glenn Gould who do: [plays staccato version of J.S.

[3]In 1983 Ross took an indefinite sabbatical from Laval, embarking on several recordings for the French label Erato, including the Eight Great Suites of George Frideric Handel, Bach's 6 Partitas, and keyboard works by Jean-Henri d'Anglebert.

Ross was homosexual[4] and died of pneumonia related to AIDS on June 13, 1989, in his house in Assas, France, aged 38.