An Unboxing and Farewell to my Favorite Classical Record Dealer

[@mattwalsh751]

You have been sorely missed, I sincerely hope everything is well.

[@IRo415]

Happy to see you again.

[@toddbromgard5211]

I enjoy your videos. Nice to have you back!

[@FrogmanXL47]

Great to have you back. Worth the wait. Hope the new career is going well. Would love a tour of your new listening room.

[@frankvaliulis877]

Thank you for sharing about this great lady!!

[@cjay2]

It's great to see you on again. I hope all is well with you. Greetings from Italy.

[@grayhalf1854]

Spiral Classics was an invaluable resource when i was first learning the minutiae of SXL label variations! Never ordered from her but enjoyed reading her descriptions.

[@davidgow9457]

I have bought a number of records from Spiral and have always been pleased by the quality of the vinyl. Sorry to hear Sophia is retiring. I live in the UK and there are a number of other classical vinyl dealers who can be relied on for their gradings including Carstairs Classical and Earthquake. As Michael says, you need to find dealers who grade accurately.

[@musiconrecord6724]

Utterly delighted to see a new video from you - the first of many, I'm sure! What a lovely tribute, and what a stellar selection of records you showed. Yup, there's just something about those silver/light blue first Columbia first pressings, although the second "magic note" label is often as good or better. So happy to see you've got that Shostakovich set which I bought when it came out (that's how old I am....) - has been a prized possession ever since. You may remember I showed it on my contest entry for your channel - first video I ever made I think. I love the EMI/Melodiya records - essential for any lover of Russian music. So curious about that Block concerto - and that record. Looking forward to chatting on our next Classical Bums stream - whenever that turns out to be. Enjoy those OS records - and the Gieseking!

[@poetryonplastic]

Thanks Mark! Just listened to the first two sides of the Debussy yesterday!

[@cradio52]

Lookin’ pretty darn sharp, man! So glad you’re back!

[@tonyjennings9739]

I came across your KZbin site in my search for an a way to get SACD output to a DAC through an HDMI to I2S converter box. Thank you. After watching that video about SACD, I am surprised you are such a vinyl lover. I used to be and your channel brings back fond memories. Happy hunting and all the best to Sophia!

[@analoguecity3454]

Happy to see you return, working with Michael Fremer at "tracking angle" must take up much of your time! I look forward to your articles as well!😊

[@spinningtheblackcircle8554]

Wow, what a great upload. I live in the UK am just on the cusp of beginning a classical vinyl collection and can’t believe I overlooked Spiral Classics.

[@ImpossibleStation]

Great to have you back, Michael!

[@georgeknowles6806]

Great 👍 you are back safe and well 🙏 and enjoying your records again and happy retirement to that lovely lady dealer

[@analogueanorak1904]

Lovely to see some new POP content Michael, welcome back.

[@Svein-Frode]

Great to see you again! Keep on keeping on!

[@CUBICUB]

So glad to see you posting again.

[@Localbandography]

The first Rossini LP you showed looks in my wheelhouse. Will check that out.

[@jazzmetalaudiophile]

So great to see you back again 😊

[@Tojazzer]

Welcome back. That's a great stash you have. So glad that you are listening to more Bloch. BTW... Otto is pronounced "Auto" as in Automobile.

[@cranberrysauce9275]

Great to have you back doing videos! Thanks for sharing those fine classical albums as well as the tribute to Sophia. I hope your performance of the Britten War Requiem at the Strathmore went well, which I'm sorry I missed. Alan

[@relayernj]

Great to see you back! I love this channel.

[@celtic-audiophile]

So glad you’re back, hope your training went well

[@julianwarr7246]

Welcome back, lovely to see you again!

[@garycornell6433]

Welcome Back! Dizzy is one of your biggest fans of your channel!

[@johnwilton1807]

Great to have you back!

[@bigtom6939]

Great to see you back. Saw the classical "Jazz Bums" loved the conversations.At my age I really don't want to invest much more in recordings but between you and Mark and a couple of other guys(Hurwitz) I am loading up my QOBUZ favorites. thanks for being there.

[@jivy2]

Always my go-to dealer. Such a wonderful lady.

[@heifetz6382]

Sophia is (was) one of the kindest persons in this male dominated business. My best my best purchase from her: Mravinsky and the Leningrad PO at the Vienna Festival (EMI Melodiya)! Thanks, Sophia!

[@timothymorgan4441]

THANK YOU…EXCELLENT …! !

[@NotedArchived]

So nice to see you! What a beautiful homage and an incredible collection and showcase. Would die for that Callas a Paris - and the Klemperer Beethoven - WOW. Missing you around these parts - hope y'all are well. !!

[@poetryonplastic]

Thank you Michael, hope to play them for you sometime!

[@vincentpesqueira8084]

I just learned about you a year ago and have been watching all your Back videos wishing you came back and you did ,I just recently got into classical, and your knowledge has made me more enriched and understanding the music, thank you

[@robertmorgan9205]

I’ve never bought anything from Spiral Classics but I love the information on record labels that is on her website and have referred to it many times. If the site is to be closed down then I must take screenshots as I find that bit invaluable.

[@robertmorgan9205]

* I posted this halfway through your video so didn’t realise you’d already mentioned this.

[@thebuxtstopshere]

So miss Art Dudley.. Great to see ya streaming again Senhor 🌻

[@poetryonplastic]

Him and Fremer were the reasons for my Stereophile subscription, the new issues are certainly missing his lighthearted wit.

[@thebuxtstopshere]

Beautiful selection.

[@Claus-CaptainPhoenixCorner]

Good to see you back. Even if classical music takes up less than 5 % of my listening, I always enjoy the knowledge you share on your classical videos.

[@betze7169]

Nice to have you back. I hope you had a good time! Looking forward to the next videos. Greets from Deutsche Grammophon Land;-)!

[@gdp6586]

You sir have a great knowledge. You remind me of me in the mid ‘80’s. Classical record collecting, looking for the rare SAX’s, wide bands, shaded dogs etc. Your videos are very informative and very correct! Eventually I got married and got kids who loved my records a frizbees so I had to sell the lot and went streaming so it was so nice to see you with your collection. Keep up the videos they are so nostalgic for me to see!!! BTW keep a look out for the wide band decca Wagner ring cycle worth hunting for!!

[@celtic-audiophile]

Just ordered 15 from Spiral, never heard of them until now, thank you

[@celtic-audiophile]

Now had 4 orders and about 100 albums from Sophia, lovely lady, 80 on her birthday, retiring at year end.

[@celtic-audiophile]

And now up to nearly 100, love the lady

[@vinyltalkwithtavis3145]

Awesome channel. My first experience with classical music on vinyl was during my college years. Bach’s Mass in B minor conducted By Albert Coates👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾

[@surfbaum3329]

Always great...Thx for sharing...be great if you gave us a Deutsche Gramophone Orignial Source series update.

[@poetryonplastic]

I am/did! Check out my latest at the Tracking Angle.

[@carlbanville7289]

He's back. Great to see your face and hear your voice. Miss your writing. Hopefully you've settled in with the AF and can settle back in to giving us the joy and incentive to listen to more music. BTW, I meet you for the first time on RSD, one year ago in Tucson and you recommended we see you play the Star Wars tribute with the TSO. Excellent recommendation. We're all settled now in Santa Barbara. Rock on!

[@poetryonplastic]

I remember that, thanks for saying hello!

[@thomashowe5256]

Michael please share some feedback after you have had the opportunity to hear these wonderful records.

[@babyfranz1]

All Solomon is good! Inspired by your post I placed an order with her: Monteux conducting Elgar Enigma Variations and Brahms Haydn Variations with the LSO (1965), Munch conducting a program of Ravel, Saint-Saëns, Lalo and Berlioz with the BSO (1955), and Grumiaux’s recording of the Handel Op. 1 violin and keyboard sonatas.

[@JesusGonzalez-ky8im]

Glad to see you back Michael!

[@poetryonplastic]

Thanks Jesus!

[@timkimware3537]

Welcome back, Mr Johnson!

[@rcarloz]

I have ordered some LPs from here before. We will miss her. Whishing her a happy retirement.

[@citroen2cvnz]

I've been looking for that Shostakovich Boxset in decent condition locally as postage doubles the price.

[@MickTaylor-t2c]

So who is your favorite dealer now? Looking for good recommendations

[@doodahdavesrecords4319]

Watching your journey interesting I just started collecting classical again what instrument do you play I’m guessing piano or violin? I played clarinet

[@NicholasRathbone-l2p]

I have the Bruckner record you are looking for.

[@stevegrant-gp3qu]

Youre a good guy

[@LorrydriversSon]

intro song?

[@poetryonplastic]

Plaster Zodiac by For Hours and Ours.

[@LorrydriversSon]

@@poetryonplastic thank you very much! spent a good portion of my day searching without results.