Musicologist. Classical music devotee. Genealogy enthusiast. www.ross-review.blogspot.comhttps://bsky.app/profile/ryanmross.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/ryanmross.bsky.social/post/3mja6tjnivs2zOne of my personal heresies: Beethoven never again equaled his Razumovsky Quartets. The late ones, while in some ways "deeper" and even more impressive, don't have the same expressive directness and emotional sweep.11 Apr 2026 15:49 +0000at://did:plc:tbqoqwiibhv4qdyo6ddwtac4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mja6tjnivs2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/ryanmross.bsky.social/post/3mj5rqepupk2kMy review of Järvi’s new Mahler 7. https://classicalcandor.blogspot.com/2026/04/mahler-symphony-no-7-in-e-minor-cd.html?m=110 Apr 2026 16:50 +0000at://did:plc:tbqoqwiibhv4qdyo6ddwtac4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mj5rqepupk2khttps://bsky.app/profile/ryanmross.bsky.social/post/3mizcgyyyds25Paavo Järvi is not a great Mahler conductor.08 Apr 2026 22:05 +0000at://did:plc:tbqoqwiibhv4qdyo6ddwtac4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mizcgyyyds25https://bsky.app/profile/ryanmross.bsky.social/post/3mis4kk5id22mMartin Romberg’s songs and piano music have been a wonderful recent discovery.06 Apr 2026 01:31 +0000at://did:plc:tbqoqwiibhv4qdyo6ddwtac4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mis4kk5id22mhttps://bsky.app/profile/ryanmross.bsky.social/post/3mij6iczprk2mMy review of the new Holst/Bax disc by Pappano and the LSO. https://classicalcandor.blogspot.com/2026/04/holst-planets-bax-tintagel-streaming_01461444035.html?m=102 Apr 2026 12:12 +0000at://did:plc:tbqoqwiibhv4qdyo6ddwtac4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mij6iczprk2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/ryanmross.bsky.social/post/3mgba3lqf7s25My review of Alexander Malofeev’s debut release - “Forgotten Melodies.” It’s a winner. https://ross-review.blogspot.com/2026/03/recording-review-71-malofeevs-melodies.html?m=104 Mar 2026 21:29 +0000at://did:plc:tbqoqwiibhv4qdyo6ddwtac4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgba3lqf7s25https://bsky.app/profile/ryanmross.bsky.social/post/3mg4uctrpwc2mMy review of Edward Gardner’s new Brahms 2 and 4 with the Bergen Philharmonic on Chandos is up. https://classicalcandor.blogspot.com/2026/03/brahms-symphonies-nos-2-4-cd-review.html?m=003 Mar 2026 03:47 +0000at://did:plc:tbqoqwiibhv4qdyo6ddwtac4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mg4uctrpwc2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/ryanmross.bsky.social/post/3mfp7ef7o3c2fMy son plays Super Mario Wonder quite a bit. Any “ludomusicologist” looking for a good paper subject might check out its music. Many VERY interesting things go on in it musically. Stuff I’ve never seen before. Music as a key element of gameplay, not just underscoring.25 Feb 2026 17:28 +0000at://did:plc:tbqoqwiibhv4qdyo6ddwtac4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfp7ef7o3c2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/ryanmross.bsky.social/post/3meyzjmzi422hSome things seem like they never end while you're experiencing them: -Driving across Texas -Getting a root canal -Waiting in line at the DMV -Pierre Monteux getting through Brahms 216 Feb 2026 21:45 +0000at://did:plc:tbqoqwiibhv4qdyo6ddwtac4/app.bsky.feed.post/3meyzjmzi422hhttps://bsky.app/profile/ryanmross.bsky.social/post/3meowxtpcy225I’m honored to be chosen for the Music Library Association’s 2026 Eva Judd O’Meara Award for my review of Byron Adams’s and Daniel Grimley’s “Vaughan Williams and His World” in Notes.12 Feb 2026 21:33 +0000at://did:plc:tbqoqwiibhv4qdyo6ddwtac4/app.bsky.feed.post/3meowxtpcy225https://bsky.app/profile/ryanmross.bsky.social/post/3meocb5aiz22zYour music isn’t great just because your story is sad. [contains quote post or other embedded content]12 Feb 2026 15:22 +0000at://did:plc:tbqoqwiibhv4qdyo6ddwtac4/app.bsky.feed.post/3meocb5aiz22zhttps://bsky.app/profile/ryanmross.bsky.social/post/3menmn7aayk2lMy review of the new Avril Coleridge-Taylor recording: https://classicalcandor.blogspot.com/2026/02/avril-coleridge-taylor-piano-concerto.html?m=112 Feb 2026 08:55 +0000at://did:plc:tbqoqwiibhv4qdyo6ddwtac4/app.bsky.feed.post/3menmn7aayk2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/ryanmross.bsky.social/post/3me76enh57s2bSaddened to hear of Tamás Vásáry’s death. A very fine pianist who left behind some terrific Chopin recordings among other things.06 Feb 2026 15:02 +0000at://did:plc:tbqoqwiibhv4qdyo6ddwtac4/app.bsky.feed.post/3me76enh57s2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/ryanmross.bsky.social/post/3me4oh2icv22hMy review of Chandos’s new Bennett/Duke Violin Concertos release. https://classicalcandor.blogspot.com/2026/02/bennett-and-duke-violin-concertos-cd.html?m=105 Feb 2026 15:12 +0000at://did:plc:tbqoqwiibhv4qdyo6ddwtac4/app.bsky.feed.post/3me4oh2icv22hhttps://bsky.app/profile/ryanmross.bsky.social/post/3mddr4caeu22kMy review of Diyang Mei’s Bowen and Walton Viola Concertos. https://classicalcandor.blogspot.com/2026/01/bowen-and-walton-viola-concertos-cd.html?m=126 Jan 2026 17:23 +0000at://did:plc:tbqoqwiibhv4qdyo6ddwtac4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mddr4caeu22khttps://bsky.app/profile/ryanmross.bsky.social/post/3mdb6olt6tk2bMartyn Brabbins sounds like the name of a hobbit.25 Jan 2026 16:48 +0000at://did:plc:tbqoqwiibhv4qdyo6ddwtac4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mdb6olt6tk2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/ryanmross.bsky.social/post/3mcqd3y3b322yMy review of Paavo Järvi's new Mahler 1 with the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich. https://ross-review.blogspot.com/2026/01/recording-review-70-mercurial-mahler.html?m=118 Jan 2026 23:52 +0000at://did:plc:tbqoqwiibhv4qdyo6ddwtac4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mcqd3y3b322yhttps://bsky.app/profile/ryanmross.bsky.social/post/3mck6ixhsps2bMy review of Eric Lu’s new Schubert Impromptus Recording. https://ross-review.blogspot.com/2026/01/recording-review-69-imbued-impromptus.html?m=116 Jan 2026 13:14 +0000at://did:plc:tbqoqwiibhv4qdyo6ddwtac4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mck6ixhsps2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/ryanmross.bsky.social/post/3mcfp5fbbos2eMy review of Onyx’s recent Butterworth/Holst recording featuring Andrew Manze and the RLPO. @loveinner.bsky.social https://classicalcandor.blogspot.com/2026/01/butterworth-holst-orchestral-works-cd.html?m=114 Jan 2026 18:28 +0000at://did:plc:tbqoqwiibhv4qdyo6ddwtac4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mcfp5fbbos2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/ryanmross.bsky.social/post/3mcd5cs2dwk2mI’m very much enjoying Eric Lu’s new Schubert Impromptus recording. He has a wonderful touch and great musical instincts.13 Jan 2026 18:04 +0000at://did:plc:tbqoqwiibhv4qdyo6ddwtac4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mcd5cs2dwk2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/ryanmross.bsky.social/post/3mc3ntyxv7c2uMy review of Pletnev’s new Chopin/Scriabin preludes recording. Yuck. https://ross-review.blogspot.com/2026/01/recording-review-68-mikhails-mess.html?m=110 Jan 2026 18:38 +0000at://did:plc:tbqoqwiibhv4qdyo6ddwtac4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mc3ntyxv7c2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/ryanmross.bsky.social/post/3mbyslxe6ec2kMy review of SOMM’s new Samuel Coleridge-Taylor release. This one’s a winner. https://classicalcandor.blogspot.com/2026/01/samuel-coleridge-taylor-orchestral.html?m=109 Jan 2026 15:25 +0000at://did:plc:tbqoqwiibhv4qdyo6ddwtac4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mbyslxe6ec2khttps://bsky.app/profile/ryanmross.bsky.social/post/3mbuzou7wqs2nSamuel Coleridge-Taylor was a very good composer.08 Jan 2026 03:22 +0000at://did:plc:tbqoqwiibhv4qdyo6ddwtac4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mbuzou7wqs2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/ryanmross.bsky.social/post/3mbra4oo6qk2cHot take: Pierre Boulez’s contributions to performance don’t measure up to the harm his polemics had on the Western classical tradition.06 Jan 2026 15:06 +0000at://did:plc:tbqoqwiibhv4qdyo6ddwtac4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mbra4oo6qk2chttps://bsky.app/profile/ryanmross.bsky.social/post/3mbp22upguk25I won’t say Pletnev’s new Chopin/Scriabin disc is bad all the way the way through, but it’s forced and even a bit mannered. Review to come.05 Jan 2026 18:12 +0000at://did:plc:tbqoqwiibhv4qdyo6ddwtac4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mbp22upguk25https://bsky.app/profile/ryanmross.bsky.social/post/3mbmglb4k7224“There is always a danger in musicology of making too much out of too little.”- Alan Walker, “Fryderyk Chopin: A Life and Times” (Picador, 2018), p. 478. I’d say over 50% of musicology I read has this problem. Amplification of mere possibility, + impatience with the limitations of primary sources.04 Jan 2026 17:18 +0000at://did:plc:tbqoqwiibhv4qdyo6ddwtac4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mbmglb4k7224https://bsky.app/profile/ryanmross.bsky.social/post/3mbksdzugdk24https://ross-review.blogspot.com/2026/01/nikolai-kapustin-1937-2020-discography.html?m=104 Jan 2026 01:44 +0000at://did:plc:tbqoqwiibhv4qdyo6ddwtac4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mbksdzugdk24https://bsky.app/profile/ryanmross.bsky.social/post/3mbgvcxpydc2whttps://ross-review.blogspot.com/2026/01/recording-review-67-altered-ambience.html?m=102 Jan 2026 12:26 +0000at://did:plc:tbqoqwiibhv4qdyo6ddwtac4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mbgvcxpydc2whttps://bsky.app/profile/ryanmross.bsky.social/post/3mbf6422dl22uOkay, one area where Apple outdoes Spotify: 100,000-track playlists. Wow! Ideal if you want to put a huge body of musical literature together and just marinade in it over months.01 Jan 2026 19:58 +0000at://did:plc:tbqoqwiibhv4qdyo6ddwtac4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mbf6422dl22uhttps://bsky.app/profile/ryanmross.bsky.social/post/3mbetgg72rk2vThere needs to be a #genelaogy software program that works like a wiki but that you can keep on your pc. Where you can write everything out in terms of sources and narratives, and connect profiles and facts as a secondary function. A special file type could work for this and replace GEDCOM.01 Jan 2026 16:47 +0000at://did:plc:tbqoqwiibhv4qdyo6ddwtac4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mbetgg72rk2v