More than 100 episodes of Micrologus, the syndicated public radio show that introduced the history of early music to millions of listeners, are now available to stream in the American Archive of Public Broadcasting (AAPB) as part of the new “Micrologus with Ross W. Duffin” collection online.
Micrologus, which first aired in 1980 with Dr. Ross W. Duffin at the helm as host and producer, was broadcast locally on WCLV in Cleveland and then syndicated for 18 years by NPR until 1998. The series, which focused on early music between the 13th and 18th centuries, introduced listeners to early composers, performers, instruments and musical traditions.
Each half-hour episode of Micrologus features a combination of discussions, interviews, and musical excerpts. The collection includes conversations on Gregorian chant with guest William Mahrt, Stanford Professor, and President of the Church Music Association of America; and baroque violin in Bach with Sigiswald Kuijken, renowned baroque violinist, conductor, and teacher; as well as episodes on the music of Petrarch; music in Shakespearean theater; Orchésography and Dances of the Renaissance; a memorial for musician Jason Paras; the musical tradition of the Oltremontani; the motet; and historical instruments like the lute and viola da gamba.
An authority on early music between the 13th and 19th centuries with a specialization in 15th-century Franco-Flemish music and 16th- and 17th- century English music, Duffin directed the early music program at Case Western Reserve University from 1978 until his retirement in 2018. He is now Fynette H. Kulas Professor of Music Emeritus, and CWRU Distinguished University Professor Emeritus.
The American Archive of Public Broadcasting is a collaboration between the Library of Congress and Boston public media producer GBH to digitize, preserve and make accessible historic public radio and television programs from across the country.
