Ross W. Duffin
@rosswmd.bsky.social
Music professor (retired) & author, tune detective, Canadian ex-pat
Pasadena CA & Washington DC
Pasadena CA & Washington DC
I must say, the Chinese UBTECH humanoid robotic army brought to mind the Chinese Terracotta Army. Plus ça change?
November 15, 2025 at 4:10 AM
I must say, the Chinese UBTECH humanoid robotic army brought to mind the Chinese Terracotta Army. Plus ça change?
Nice! For anyone with an evensong tonight, I have a further suggestion. Email me if you want a pdf. Enjoy!
November 5, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Nice! For anyone with an evensong tonight, I have a further suggestion. Email me if you want a pdf. Enjoy!
Article from @earlymusicamerica.bsky.social from Kivie Cahn-Lipman on using AI in deciphering notation, but this image he created reminds me of a Weelkes madrigal (though slightly altered): Three arms, three, legs, two necks, one wreathing!
www.earlymusicamerica.org/web-articles...
www.earlymusicamerica.org/web-articles...
October 21, 2025 at 8:33 PM
Article from @earlymusicamerica.bsky.social from Kivie Cahn-Lipman on using AI in deciphering notation, but this image he created reminds me of a Weelkes madrigal (though slightly altered): Three arms, three, legs, two necks, one wreathing!
www.earlymusicamerica.org/web-articles...
www.earlymusicamerica.org/web-articles...
Sweet Ginger is four years old today. A joy forever!
October 11, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Sweet Ginger is four years old today. A joy forever!
This solitary Halloween decoration seemed weird until I realized it was pointing 6 blocks down the street to the US Capitol. Then it made sense!
October 3, 2025 at 2:57 PM
This solitary Halloween decoration seemed weird until I realized it was pointing 6 blocks down the street to the US Capitol. Then it made sense!
Under the category of random connections, I saw the obit for Martin Neary and remembered that my grandfather, William Nelson, was a fellow choir member of Neary's father, Leonard, at St Michael's Cornhill, and photographer for his wedding on Feb. 25, 1939.
www.thetimes.com/uk/obituarie...
www.thetimes.com/uk/obituarie...
September 29, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Under the category of random connections, I saw the obit for Martin Neary and remembered that my grandfather, William Nelson, was a fellow choir member of Neary's father, Leonard, at St Michael's Cornhill, and photographer for his wedding on Feb. 25, 1939.
www.thetimes.com/uk/obituarie...
www.thetimes.com/uk/obituarie...
Shocked and saddened to hear of the recent death of my former student, Mary Oleskiewicz. A wonderful baroque flutist and scholar, expert on Quantz, and a professional tango dancer as well! Gone too soon … too young. RIP
September 19, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Shocked and saddened to hear of the recent death of my former student, Mary Oleskiewicz. A wonderful baroque flutist and scholar, expert on Quantz, and a professional tango dancer as well! Gone too soon … too young. RIP
Most of the parrots around here are in flocks that scream together in flight. I spotted this guy on his own. Helping himself to fresh figs in a neighbor’s tree. The good life, parrot version.
August 23, 2025 at 2:51 AM
Most of the parrots around here are in flocks that scream together in flight. I spotted this guy on his own. Helping himself to fresh figs in a neighbor’s tree. The good life, parrot version.
Pasadena stork substitute … also doubles as a weathervane.
June 14, 2025 at 4:33 AM
Pasadena stork substitute … also doubles as a weathervane.
No cameras allowed but in my defense, the concert was over and she was speaking to the audience and you really do want record of having seen and heard JUDY COLLINS in person!
June 5, 2025 at 3:51 AM
No cameras allowed but in my defense, the concert was over and she was speaking to the audience and you really do want record of having seen and heard JUDY COLLINS in person!
Needless to say, it was fabulous!
June 1, 2025 at 2:19 AM
Needless to say, it was fabulous!
Novak Djokovic reaches his 100th tournament win and the ball kids spell it out on the court. Just like a masque from a different sort of court!
May 24, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Novak Djokovic reaches his 100th tournament win and the ball kids spell it out on the court. Just like a masque from a different sort of court!
Had a fabulous time talking about 'Donne's Lost Songs' @folger.edu today in the picturesque Founders Room. Thanks to the Folger Community Scholars for the invitation, and to Margot Rood and Billy Simms for providing the magic!
May 24, 2025 at 1:25 AM
Had a fabulous time talking about 'Donne's Lost Songs' @folger.edu today in the picturesque Founders Room. Thanks to the Folger Community Scholars for the invitation, and to Margot Rood and Billy Simms for providing the magic!
Here's the flyer for it:
May 6, 2025 at 11:43 AM
Here's the flyer for it:
Here I am with Mark Fewer, who just played the Ole Bull Strad with the Axelrod Quartet at the Smithsonian. Its ornately decorated pegbox graces the cover of my tuning book! Nice to see it in person, and hear it played so beautifully!
May 4, 2025 at 2:55 AM
Here I am with Mark Fewer, who just played the Ole Bull Strad with the Axelrod Quartet at the Smithsonian. Its ornately decorated pegbox graces the cover of my tuning book! Nice to see it in person, and hear it played so beautifully!
Lovely concert by the King’s College Choir at the National Cathedral in Washington. Fabulous music, beautifully sung in a gorgeous space!
April 7, 2025 at 1:09 AM
Lovely concert by the King’s College Choir at the National Cathedral in Washington. Fabulous music, beautifully sung in a gorgeous space!
A tiny corner of the Hands Off rally in DC with Jamie Raskin speaking.
April 5, 2025 at 5:01 PM
A tiny corner of the Hands Off rally in DC with Jamie Raskin speaking.
Spring in DC is not all cherry blossoms. Here’s a sampling from today’s walk around Capitol Hill with the pup. White dogwoods, lilacs, redbud tree, pink dogwood.
April 4, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Spring in DC is not all cherry blossoms. Here’s a sampling from today’s walk around Capitol Hill with the pup. White dogwoods, lilacs, redbud tree, pink dogwood.
It’s here! My book on music for the 1613 Palatine wedding masques! With nice blurbs by some very knowledgeable people (who really did read the book)! With lots of music and a full-color insert! Enjoy!
February 4, 2025 at 11:36 PM
It’s here! My book on music for the 1613 Palatine wedding masques! With nice blurbs by some very knowledgeable people (who really did read the book)! With lots of music and a full-color insert! Enjoy!
“And will there be a mighty wind then?” “Certainly there’ll be a mighty wind …”
January 14, 2025 at 6:53 PM
“And will there be a mighty wind then?” “Certainly there’ll be a mighty wind …”
I’ve been saying that the real danger of the Eaton fire to us (2.5 miles north) is burning embers, but it seemed too far to be a worry. Then this landed in the garden …
January 11, 2025 at 12:01 AM
I’ve been saying that the real danger of the Eaton fire to us (2.5 miles north) is burning embers, but it seemed too far to be a worry. Then this landed in the garden …
And speaking of the smoke, here is the sun setting near the Huntington a few minutes ago. Cropped but unretouched.
January 9, 2025 at 12:55 AM
And speaking of the smoke, here is the sun setting near the Huntington a few minutes ago. Cropped but unretouched.
Very sad to report that my Stanford advisor Bill Mahrt died peacefully this afternoon. He was brilliant, kind, generous, enthusiastic & funny, and his influence on me and other students, like Kerry McCarthy, was profound. He retired just last June at 85: Why retire? he'd said, I love what I'm doing!
January 2, 2025 at 1:01 AM
Very sad to report that my Stanford advisor Bill Mahrt died peacefully this afternoon. He was brilliant, kind, generous, enthusiastic & funny, and his influence on me and other students, like Kerry McCarthy, was profound. He retired just last June at 85: Why retire? he'd said, I love what I'm doing!