Brahms Johannes

Johannes Brahms (May 7, 1833 – April 3, 1897) was a German composer and pianist who was a central member of the Romantic era.

Violin Electric recordings, 78rpm shellac rip

Beethoven Ludwig, Brahms Johannes, Classical, Goldstein Boris, Kreisler Fritz, Mendelssohn Felix, Menuhin Yehudi, Orlov Aleksandr, Oystrakh David, Prihoda Vasa, Remastering from shellac records, Tchaikovsky Piotr, Violin
Anton Stepichev

Young Menuhin and Oystrakh are inimitable, Oystrakh has a unique interpretation of Scriabin. Kreisler is amazingly good at showing the despair of the second part of Brahms's concerto, Tchaikovsky of 1946 Przygoda is as expressive as it could be. Oistrakh-Yampolsky-Oborin’s 1950s recording quality are no longer as beautiful as prewar ones, but Oistrakh's violin still sings excellent, especially in the "Reflection". Goldstein is an example of a great Soviet recording of the 1930s, unfortunately the record has some cracks.

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Brahms Violin Concerto – Joseph Szigeti, Hamilton Harty – 1928 78rpm shellac rip

Brahms Johannes, Classical, Columbia, Harty Hamilton, Remastering from shellac records, Szigeti Joseph, Violin
Anton Stepichev


For every lover of violin music it is impossible to avoid this album, Brahms – Szigeti's concerto blossoms with unusual colors. Record is not immediately discloses its pros, but the violin sounds quite well from the very beginning. The first side has some cracks.

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Brahms Double Concerto – Thibaud, Casals, Cortot – 1929 78rpm shellac rip

Brahms Johannes, Casals Pablo, Cello, Classical, Remastering from shellac records, Thibaud Jacques, Victrola, Violin
Anton Stepichev


This record made strong impression in analogue but after digitization the orchestra suffered greatly – the dynamics were smoothed, the clear tone weakened. The soloists on the first side recorded too quietly, starting from the second side the balance had been corrected. Something wrong happened with Victor's equipment on the last side: strange HF resonance appeared and the violin began to sound with distortions. Despite all this, what genuine emotions are audible in the record, how open and emotionally clean Thibault's violin sounds!

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