Classical

J.S.Bach – Brandenburg Concertos, Busch Chamber Players – 1935 78rpm shellac rip

Bach Johann, Busch Adolf, Classical, Columbia, Remastering from shellac records
Anton Stepichev


Re-released in the late 1940s with losses and superficial noises, Columbia had a series of such reissues albums, such as Chopin Godovsky's Nockturne and Bach Szigeti's solo partitas – both frank spoilage. But even in this form it is clear that the interpretation of bush's concerts is one of the best, and maybe the best – impressive delicate brass, not breaking into a cry and not lost in chorus, precise rhythm and good overall impression. The orchestra plays as a single organism, conducting above all praise.

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Soviet records – vocals, 78 rpm shellac rip

Bori Lucrezia, Chaliapin Feodor, Galli-Curci Amelita, Gramplasttrest, Nogisky Zavod, Obukhova Nadejda, Remastering from shellac records, Vocal
Anton Stepichev


Amelita Galli-Kurchi and Lucretia Bori are so good that even in copies they still full of life and emotions, I doubt that in our time there are stars of this magnitude – digital recording and mic singing does not contribute to this. Obukhova and Chaliapin perform the famous elegy on an equal footing, it is difficult to give preference to someone, although, after all, it is Chaliapin. Partly because Obukhova is not so clearly recorded.

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J.S.Bach — Concerto in A minor— Guberman, Dobroven — 1934 78rpm shellac rip

Bach Johann, Columbia, Dobroven Issay, Huberman Bronislaw, Remastering from shellac records, Violin
Anton Stepichev


A prefabricated set of records from the 1930s, the first record sounds clearer. The orchestra is written so-so, the violin is amazing. Guberman is considered not only a virtuoso, but also a great interpreter.

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J.S.Bach — Concerto For Two Violins — Szigeti, Flesch – 1937 78rpm shellac rip

Bach Johann, Classical, Goehr Walter, Remastering from shellac records, Szigeti Joseph, Violin
Anton Stepichev

A compilation of records from different sets, the first record from the United States is recorded with serious loss of clarity, the sound of the second, English version is great, but it is printed on a crackling mass of English HMV. In the first movement, you can appreciate the Szigeti violin with its emphasized upper formant, somewhat angular and beautiful in this angularity. Thanks to the efforts of American technicians, the Flash instrument sounds helpless, and only at the end of Largo and in the final it becomes clear that two equally great masters are playing, and their instruments are as good as their masters. It should also be noted that the orchestra is well-coordinated, emphasizing the expression of the allegro.

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J.S.Bach — Concerto For Two Violins — Jascha Heifetz , 1952 78rpm shellac rip

Bach Johann, Classical, Heifetz Yasha, Remastering from shellac records, Victor, Violin, Waxman Franz
Anton Stepichev


Both parts are recorded by Heifetz using an overdubbing. The recording is considered a failure, in my opinion, because of the relatively dull sound and the unsuccessful first movement: the tempo is too high, the orchestra plays monotonously, the violins do not differ in tone or style. I think because of this, many people never got to hear Largo, the first half of which is played and recorded musically perfectly. In the second part of Largo, the violins lost their voice, but the finale is recorded very well-expressively and with mood.

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J.S.Bach — Concerto For Two Violins — Yehudi Menuhin, Georges Enesco ‎– 1932 78rpm shellac rip

Bach Johann, Classical, Enesco George, His Master's Voice, Menuhin Yehudi, Monteux Pierre, Remastering from shellac records, Violin
Anton Stepichev


Only the first record is present from the set. The orchestra sounds a little heavy, but Menuhin's violin is recorded elegantly – touching, soft and intonated, it is for this sound Menuhin loved by his fans. The Enesco instrument sounds calm and muted, the teacher does not interfere with his protege.

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J.S.Bach – Concerto For Two Violins – Fritz Kreisler, Efrem Zimbalist ‎– 1915 78rpm shellac rip

Bach Johann, Classical, Cymbalist Efrem, Electrola, His Master's Voice, Kreisler Fritz, Remastering from shellac records, Violin
Anton Stepichev


Re-release of the 1930s, two records from different sets – the crackling HMV and the clean Electrola. Unique 1915 version of the concert – acoustic recording with chamber accompaniment, which preserved unusually merged consonances and chords, built by two beautiful violins and a quartet. The narrative is on the rise – setting the mood for vivace, then the extraordinary beauty of Largo and the passionate, divine Allegro at the end.

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Organ music, 1960th lp mono

Aprelevsky Zavod, Bach Johann, Boelman Leon, Braudo Issay, Classical, Clerambault Louis, Leningrad Sovnarkhoz, LP Remastering, Melodia, Reinberger Josef, Schweitzer Albert
Anton Stepichev


For all its power, the organ is vulnerable to intangible distortions made by the sound recording even more than its smaller acoustic brothers – the organ’s soft notes is poorly discernible, and the loud chords desperately screams in all the registers, the higher the register, the more desperate it shout. In my opinion, the organ sounds quite comfortable only on some very old records, they, thanks to the LO-FI recordings of those years, can convey to the listener the sublime mood inherent in church music. The 1960s Soviet records presented here are not ideal technically, nevertheless you can feel the heavenly beauty of them, especially if you listen to the tracks using an old tube receiver as an amp.

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I.S. Bach – Goldberg Variations, Glenn Gould – 1959 LP mono

Accord, Bach Johann, Classical, Gould Glenn, LP Remastering, Piano
Anton Stepichev

Reissue on the 1955s USSR Accord, the quality varies from track to track, the sound is sometimes not fully disclosed, but magical honey notes, expressive and caressing the ear, arise here and there. Gould is certainly a wizard!

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J.S.Bach – Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2 – Glenn Gould, LP mono Rip ‎

Bach Johann, Classical, Columbia, Gould Glenn, LP Remastering, Piano
Anton Stepichev


From the 3-lp set only the first (1968) and the third (1972) records have been found, from each one I took three most successfully recorded tracks. The result was an example of how the thoughtless replacement of recording equipment with a more modern one leads to the degradation of sound, in this case – the loss of natural timbres of the piano on the record of 1972 (tracks 4, 5, 6). In general, the sound of the entire second book of the WTC makes worse impression than the first (1965).

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