Golden Age Classical Records - Analogue Productions RCA Living Stereo

[@ScottHughes-n4u]

I listened to the 1960 Reiner Johann Strauss collection anthology today and it brought back such good memories of how beautiful the playing was and the wonderful sonority they could achieve in prerenovation Orchestra Hall. Love all that cool reverberation. I remember reading in "Season with Solti" that this Johann Strauss collection was one the orchestra's favorite recordings of their own. That 1960 set is sort of a classic of its kind . A lot of the players said the 1962 Richard Strauss Also Sprach Zarathustra was the best thing they ever did. I could not agree with them more! I've been in love with that recording since I first heard it in high school in 1975. The section "The Dwellers of the Unseen World", "Of Joys and Passions", "The Convalescent" , and the heaven on earth ending of "The Night Wanderers Song" with Sidney Harth's beautiful violin solo. Donald Peck principal flute, Ray Still oboe, Leonard Sharrow principal bassoon singing their hearts out you will never hear collective artistry like this again. Claudia Cassidy who was a tough as nails music critic for the Chicago Tribune said "When Fritz Reiner stands before the Chicago Symphony with a Richard Strauss score incandescent at his fingertips no wise man stays home". Yeah, she was so right!

[@rufus_the_cat]

thank you for letting us live vicariously through you with these beautiful records.

[@ThePressingMatters]

Yes, the channel has given me an excuse to feed my addiction! Lol, I cut out unnecessary things to be able to indulge. 20 year old car, living on rice and beans lol.

[@TrueStereo-]

Thanks for the living stereo series.

[@ThePressingMatters]

Glad you're enjoying it! I really love doing it.

[@techrider2088]

Really do appreciate your work in featuring these classical albums. I began collecting these 20 years ago and have most of the Living Stereos. There are many gems in the large collection. The violin selections featuring Heifetz seem to me under appreciated. Many of them combine a superb performance and a beautiful sound. Win win.

[@ThePressingMatters]

Thank you for the encouragement! I will get to some of the great Heifetz records soon. Some of them have wonderful balance with the orchestra.

[@sidesup8286]

Back at the 1980s and 1990s which were the height of value for the the original RCA records, there was something called The Mitchell List, (by a guy named Jim Mitchell), which was our guide as to which were the greatest of the classical Living Stereos. Without it, we would have had nothing to go on. The list had evaluative write ups on each of the many hundreds of Living Stereo titles. The first record you showed , the Gounod Faust/Bizet Carmen was Jim Mitchell's #1 rated Living Stereo of all time. He said "If I had to pick one record thar best demonstrated the excellence of the Living Stereo sound, LSC 2449 would be it." The original 1s/1s pressing has something about it that is hard to describe or put into words. The instruments have such a palpable placement and presence that it makes other Living Stereo titles sound like they just have ghost images or something. It's like everything is just "So there, and settled in place." Even an original copy of Power Of The Orchestra sounds like the presence is just fudged a little with brightness to achieve the same effect; but fails to succeed at achieving the same effect LSC 2449 does, which was also recorded in England. The dynamic climaxes surpass almost anything on vintage lps. I was once in a high end audio parlor where they leave you in the listening room, close the slide glass door behind them and wait on customers in the main area while you listen in seclusion. This was the only time the guy came back in way before the record was over to ask me "What is that?" Even with the glass door closed between us, he could hear something really extraordinary going on in there. The sensation of live music. The lp, rare as the goose that laid the golden egg, could get $1,500 in Germany circa 1990; we're talking for the original U.S. pressing. The German collectors had far inferior pressings of Living Stereos. Same album covers but glossier, same LSC numbers, but very inferior sound compared to the American original pressings. They wanted the American pressings; badly. Another Living Stereo, which was about a $400 record back then was LSC 2400 Ballet Music From The Opera. It was one of only 2 original Living Stereos that I found that was either a test pressing or a promo copy. Unbelievably great sound and music. Another one recorded in Europe with the top Paris Orchestra and Anatole Fistoulari conducting; who was the brother in law of Gustav Mahler, and a great ballet conductor The Iberia I believe was recorded in Chicago's Symphony Hall before it was remodeled to add more seats. Some say it ruined or greatly diminished the acoustics; never to be heard again, existing only in the diminished scale of recordings. A local guy here, who was a classical lp collector, worked on the engineering team in Chicago at the time they made the Reiner/CSO recordings. Reiner in the pre stereo era conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, before moving up the ladder to what was probably the greatest American Symphony Orchestra at the time, along with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Boston and Cleveland, not that far behind.

[@ThePressingMatters]

I've only seen the original pressing once in my lifetime. I was in New York and I really wanted an EMI of Antill's Corroborree. It was an TAS LIST title so it was rare and it was an import only. I saw an ad in TAS for someone dealing in records out of his apartment and he had the EMI. I paid more than I ever had for a record up til that point. Well I walk in and they're all there, Decca , RCA, Mercury and sitting in front of one stack was LSC 2449. It was $1,000! I was so glad to get subsequent reissues. I'd never fork over that much for any record but I do love the record. By the EAs I want a reprint of that Living Stereo Guide. I thought it was by a guy with the last name Moon. Are we talking about the same thing? Do you have one?

[@sidesup8286]

@@ThePressingMatters There was a book called The Guide To London Bluebacks by Robert Moon. I never heard of Moon doing anything RCA. I have neither, but I had a long look at The Mitchell List, which far preceeded The RCA Bible by Valin. There were a few abbreviated ones going around, one of which just had about 3 pages with the RCA titles listed and 2 numerical ratings from 2 different people alongside each one. The ratings were for the combination of sound and performance. The ratings were from 1 to 10++. Most were around a 7 or 8. The two ratings by each person rarely varied by more than a. digit or two. They averaged out the rating numbers given by the two for the final rating. I remember the Eleanor Roosevely LSC they only gace a 3 to. One guys comment was "Goodbye Eleanor." I think it was a compilation with her doing nararation or something.

[@djjoeykmusic]

Awesome! Bravo Thank you so much! I need this video help grow my classical. Great job Thank you

[@ThePressingMatters]

You're very welcome! It's been a pleasure revisiting these records. Thank you for your kind words Joey!

[@djjoeykmusic]

@@ThePressingMatters Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication. You are the best. Thank you

[@rc2257]

I have all those titles. I purchased the Rubinstein a month ago and haven't listened to it yet. After your enthusiastic review, I'm very much looking forward to playing it this evening. I agree with your comments about all the other titles, grateful as always for the thought and care and attention to detail in your reviews, and that you're introducing this amazing music to a wider audience. Bravo!

[@ThePressingMatters]

Boy you're in for a treat tonight! It's a beauty. I'm so thrilled that people are coming round to these videos. Seems to be developing a following. The viewers are so passionate in their comments and full of great information. The comments section is an added bonus for us Living Stereo fans. Thank you Ron for your encouragement early on.

[@rc2257]

@@ThePressingMatters I've now had the chance to listen to the full record carefully two different times. The music is beautiful, including the Manuel de Falla piece I'd never heard before. The performances are THRILLING. And the SQ is 5-star, for sure! One of my new favorites in the RCA LS series!

[@ThePressingMatters]

@@rc2257 I KNEW you were going to love it. It's one of his greatest records. . There's a famous Night in the Gardens of Spain with Argenta conducting on Decca London as well. I'll probably cover that disc when I do a Decca series. A Mercury overview is coming up on Sunday.

[@ScottHughes-n4u]

Rubinstein's Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini was the first Rubinstein recording I purchased back in 1976. The Grieg concerto was on the flip side and his interpretation of the Grieg is wonderful too. He had such an aristocratic elegance and made the piano sing with his deft light touch. The only other pianist I love as much as Rubinstein is the Russian pianist Emil Gilels. He made his first American recording with Fritz Reiner and the Chicago Symphony in Orchestra Hall in October 1955. It was the Tchaikovsky First and the playing is magnificent. The way Reiner and Gilels end the slow movement is so beautiful I get all choked up. If you hear the way Gilels rolls his arpeggios you'll hear the similarity to Rubinstein's style. That lovely cantabile quality that makes the piano sing. That's why Rubinstein was so admired and loved. I have that Debussy Iberia coupled with the Liszt Mephisto Waltz and the Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture on an RCA Victrola LP. A $3.17 bargain I got at Rose Records in Chicago. If you've never heard Reiner's Liszt Mephisto Waltz it's another astonishing gem from December 1955. Reiner has them zipping along and strutting their stuff. The ensemble of the violins with all those fast 32nd notes is amazing. Really impressive and beautiful. The trills between the solo flute, Ernst Liegl, and the concertmaster, John Weicher, are perfectly together. It sounds like one person playing with the pitch and the speed of the trills perfectly matched. This wonderful performance demonstrates how Reiner and Chicago Symphony got the spirit and the schmaltz exactly right. I have that Prokofiev Third with Cliburn coupled with the Schumann on a Living Stereo CD. I think the tempos in the Prokofiev are ideal and allow all the complex rhythms to register clearly. The sound captures the beautiful glow over the orchestra in Orchestra Hall, the lustre on the flutes and the way the percussion expanded was thrilling. I was so pleased when I read the comments that you're helping people navigate their journey through classical (orchestral) music and is s very good thing. I read an article in Stereo Review many years ago by Mr. Sarnoff who was the president of RCA said "If we don't introduce young people to the beauties of orchestral music concert music is going to die". I absolutely agree with that. So keep the classical reviews coming.

[@ThePressingMatters]

Thank you my friend for the wonderful and informative comments. I too am in love with the Rubenstein style - it's just as you describe. I'm a huge fan of his Chopin Nocturnes. I'd love to see that reissued. Wonderful sound and that aristocratic air and touch that only he has. A true gift to the music world.

[@jesseg2889]

Scott really loving your channel. Especially this classical focus you’ve been focusing on lately. You’ve really opened my eyes to it. Grateful for it!

[@ThePressingMatters]

Man I'm so glad to hear from you regarding the classical. I'm getting such a positive response on them. I think they are resonating with people because I really get into doing them and have been listening for a long time. There will be much more coming soon so stay tuned!

[@michaelpfister7764]

I happened upon your channel via a general search for information on AP Faust/Carmen. Really enjoy your style, information, and reviews!

[@ThePressingMatters]

Hi Micheal, I'm so glad you found the channel! I appreciate your kind words. I'm putting out more and more classical content so I hope you'll join me for the ride!

[@illumon8]

I always enjoy your videos Scott and I owe this one to starting myself on a revigorated journey of classic music. I feel I can relate to your journey the more and more I watch your channel. I have been hunting for Blue Backs, Decca and EMI pressings and have quite good luck actually. Spinning a NM Blue Back for the 1st time on the the table is a true sonic delicacy. I have heard a lot of classical music when I was young as half of my parents collection was classical. They always bought the cheaper cuts though unfortunately. I am loving the journey I am on and I feel more out there probably feel the same. It feels just like my 1st days of experiencing jazz and how quickly it grabbed me. Just like jazz, I just received 15 AP Living Stereos and can’t wait to get them cleaned and start listening. Thank you Scott, you really have influenced the new deep dive I have been on. Cheers!

[@ThePressingMatters]

Aww what an awesome comment! Thank you for following the classical content, and building a collection you enjoy and can be proud of! So wonderful you are coming across originals as well as the great reissues.I need to get back out there and see if o can add some new treasures to my collection.

[@illumon8]

I just found a Mint Blueback Petrushka for $2 an estate sale. So happy. Cant wait to listen to this. So clean!!!!

[@ThePressingMatters]

That's a great record. I have the recording but not the Blueback

[@illumon8]

I now have the Blueback and also have the original mono. Going to order the ORG if they ever release a date.

[@ThePressingMatters]

Me too. I really love all my ORG London 45s

[@ThePressingMatters]

@@illumon8 You know what? I just realized I have the London mono, the early ones on the thick beautiful vinyl pressed in the UK. I went through a time when I picked those up wherever I saw them

[@illumon8]

I found them both in separate estate sales. The mono jacket is beautiful. It is still so glossy.

[@audiophileman7047]

Ah yes, the RCA Living Stereo Series is definitely for the audiophile. 😻 Of the reissues put out by AP/QRP you mentioned, I have the Reiner Debussy Iberia. It's a terrific reissue without a doubt. I've heard some people say that it exceeds the original in some ways, but the original is better in other ways. I don't have an original to compare. Of the AP/QRP Living Stereo reissues I've acquired, the Elvis Presley Elvis 24 Karat Hits! 45 rpm album is my absolute favorite. 😻😻😻 Over the decades from childhood to adulthood, I've heard those Elvis songs many many times, and hands down I've never heard them sound better than on this reissue. Some of the earlier songs on the album are in Mono, but still sound fabulous. The Stereo cuts just blow me away. 😻😻😻😻😻 Like the Mercury Living Presence issues, the Living Stereo originals always command my attention when I find them in the wild. I spent the last two days on an LP Safari and acquired some original Living Stereo issues in the wild. The notable artists include Arthur Fiedler, Fritz Reiner, and Julian Bream. 😻 I'm really looking forward to listening to them after I clean them up a bit. 😎

[@ThePressingMatters]

I love the AP series and continue to pick them up. I'm due for a few more soon which I will cover here on the channel. For Elvis, that record is amazing! I did cover it in an older video if you want to check that out! kzbin.info/www/bejne/bJqpipx_lNmthbcsi=4cRBEEhwWT25TDE4

[@audiophileman7047]

You continue to have much to look forward to as you acquire more of the LS AP reissues. I look forward to hearing what you think about them. I'll definitely check out what your take is on the Elvis reissue in the video you mentioned. 👍👍👍@@ThePressingMatters

[@ScottHughes-n4u]

I know you're a big Rubinstein fan as I am and I just saw a video on KZbin of Mr. Rubinstein playing Falla's Ritual Fire Dance from El Amor Brujo filmed at Carnegie Hall in 1947 and it was hair raising. That a 60 year old man could play with that kind of fire and virtuosity is incredible to begin with and it was musically so right. He sounded like a one man symphony orchestra. I think in that three and a half minutes I became Spanish. It was wonderful. If you want to view that yourself I typed in Arthur Rubinstein Ritual Fire Dance videos and it will take you right there. I think you'll be as impressed as I was. .

[@ThePressingMatters]

Oh I'd love to see that, and will check it out tonight!

[@davidchan8108]

It’s nice you gave credit to Kenneth Wilkinson with the Faust/Carmen title. People only talk about who remaster/cut the reissues these days. Looking forward to your Pines/Reiner review coming up soon.

[@ThePressingMatters]

Hi David! Absolutely one of my favorite engineers, it seems anything he touches is gold. I particularly love his work on the Readers Digest boxes. That reminds me I have to get to more of those :-)

[@davidchan8108]

@@ThePressingMatters Thanks for bringing up Reader’s Digest/ K Wilkinson recordings. I have the “Scheherazade” 10 LP box and the “Romantic Rach/ Earl Wild”, but please let me know if I’ve missed anything. BTW, quite some Lyritas were also recorded by “Wilkie”.

[@ThePressingMatters]

Yes! One of my favorites is Festival of Light Classical Music. Treasury of Great Music is fantastic too.

[@ThePressingMatters]

I have a review for the Rachmaninoff box. You should check it out. I think it's under the title of Building a Classical Library kzbin.info/www/bejne/eIu5h5Zpo7yjgMk

[@chrismckee4154]

I have about 45 of these Living Stereo releases on SACD but not the ones you’ve revised here so I’ll definitely be getting a few on vinyl. Thanks for the excellent review!

[@ThePressingMatters]

You're welcome, Chris! I haven't heard any of the SACDs but if they are anything like these, they must be great. I have the set from Sony BMG but nothing to play them on at the moment! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@garagegeek4863]

I have these on CDs, and only one bought on used vinyl. I continue to search for this series….great video.

[@ThePressingMatters]

The CDs are truly excellent. If I had disc playback again, these would be an instant buy. They are very special. I May come around again to CD for vintage classical yet!

[@jasonwhiton174]

Thanks! I always love seeing your reviews of the classical Living Stereo records. I have the AP SACDs and at some point I will want to do some comparisons with a few faves on vinyl, as well.

[@ThePressingMatters]

Great, I'm so happy you are liking these videos! I'd love to try the SACDs at some point. I know I'd love the black background! I need to get a player.

[@audiotomb]

Munch Boston Symphony - Ravel Daphne and Chloe - just stunning

[@ThePressingMatters]

I think that might be among the next few I pick up. I've just started getting more into it, though I've had it for years in the other versions. I think I'd like the upgrade. Do you consider it a step up over the the Chesky and Classics 33 or 45. I never did find an original.

[@reinhardmayr5068]

Hello Scott. Your channel is great. For me especially the videos with classical music content. A very good friend of mine gave me the Arthur Rubinstein AP live at Carnegie Hall. This one is great. It is so relaxing and the sound......wow. I am looking foreward to your next videos. Greetings Reinhard😊

[@ThePressingMatters]

Thank you so much Reinhard! The classical review videos are a favorite of mine too, and they seem to have found an audience much to my delight. You can be sure that there will be more coming, not only Living Stereo, but many more from the greatest labels of the golden age of classical recording. I will put the Carnegie Hall disc on my want list - I'm currently deciding on a few more from this series. Thanks for the recommendation and support for this series. Glad to have you here!

[@reinhardmayr5068]

Thank you very much for your answer Scott. Wow, great Idea to talk about more classical labels. I wish you all the best. Greetings from Germany 😁👍

[@ScottHughes-n4u]

Scott have you heard the rare Reiner/CSO recording of Rolf Liiebermann's Concerto for Jazz Band and Symphony Orchestra. I think it was coupled with Richard Strauss's Don Juan and recorded in Orchestra Hall in December 1954. Sort of an odd coupling. I heard it many years ago when Norm Pellegrini played it on the Chicago Symphony Retrospective and I remembered how dynamic the Sauter Finnegan Band sounded in the prerenovation Orchestra Hall's acoustics. I remember Mr. Pellegrini said he could see Reiner dancing on the podium. Yeah, right. Isn't that funny? Anyway I wondered if you'd heard this relatively rare Reiner/CSO recording. It was a marvelous performance!

[@ThePressingMatters]

No I can't say I have, or had ever heard of it! Reiner dancing?!?

[@ScottHughes-n4u]

Happy to hear you already have them. I left a message in the replies section.

[@ThePressingMatters]

Sure! I'm at work, but I'll get to respond asap

[@robertmorgan9205]

Great video. I only have two Living Stereos but they do sound great. One is a Lena Horne album, not that I’m especially into her but it was there in the record shop, the price was right and I just wanted to hear what LS records were like, and I wasn’t disappointed. I don’t see the classical ones very often, at a price I can afford, but I’d love to hear one of these on a really good system.

[@ThePressingMatters]

The popular series, the LSP series has many gems like the Lena Horne, Belafonte etc. if I see the banner and it's cheap, I get it. I found all mine in thrift stores over the years.

[@ScottHughes-n4u]

I just thought of another RCA LP that has drastically different sound from Side A to Side B and in the same hall Orchestra Hall Chicago. It was the Bartok Piano Concertos 1 and 3 with Perter Serkin and Seiji Ozawa. I believe the 3rd was recorded in June 1965 in prerenovation Orchestra Hall and you can hear the warm, resonant, vibrant spacious acoustics noticeable on all the famous Reiner recordings. Then you flip the disc over for the 1st concerto that was recorded in June 1966 while the renovation was taking place and the sound was so dry it sounds like it was recorded in an anechoic chamber. That's the acoustic calamity that the Chicago Symphony had to play in after the unbelievably incompetent 1966 renovation. To have their home halls acoustics destroyed that way must have made the musicians absolutely livid. The hall was so deadened and dulled by the renovation that the record companies had to go to Medinah Temple, a Shriner's auditorium to record the great Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Back in the day I listened to the "Chicago Symphony Retrospective" every Tuesday evening from 7 to 9 on WFMT hosted by program director Norm Pellegrini and I learned so many interesting historical details about the Chicago Symphony from his show. He played all the famous Reiner recordings and a Frederick Stock recording from 1941 of the beautiful Chausson Symphony in B flat that is rarely performed today. I think it was recorded in late December 1941 a couple of weeks after the Pearl Harbor attack on December 7th. The timeline makes me imagine what our country must have been going through at that time. He played a wild recording of Prokofiev's Scythian Suite conducted in 1945 by Desiree Defauw and Stock recording of Khatchaturian's Sabre Dance from 1940 that was so fast is sounded like Stock was on speed. Another interesting detail I learned from Mr. Pellegrini about Heifetz's recording of the Tchaikovsky Concerto with Reiner in April 1957. In the spring of 1957 they were constructing the Borg Warner building right next door to Orchestra Hall and right before the last movement begins you can hear the pneumatic pile drivers tapping outside. I learned so much about the Chicago Symphony's history from Norm Pellegrini program director of WFMT Chicago. There is a wonderful book "Season with Solti" that details the history from how the orchestra was started in 1891 by Theodore Thomas up until the Solti era if you're interested in the history of the great Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

[@ThePressingMatters]

I've heard the horror stories about that renovation! What a shame. Have they ever tried to correct it in later years?

[@ScottHughes-n4u]

They have done a couple of renovations since the 1966 renovation (desecration) but it hasn't made much improvement. They extended the stage floor out to give more upward reflection and placed an acoustical canopy over the stage to improve on stage hearing but it's a tiny improvement at best. The ceiling that was originally solid plaster is now screenlike material for the air conditioning ducts so much of the sound rising from the stage is lost up in the rafters. My first concert for the Chicago Symphony was in November, 1970 and my seat was in the gallery the top tier of Orchestra Hall. The elevator takes you up to the sixth floor and I'll never forget walking through that door and how high it was. The first thing I noticed was how small those chairs looked way down on the stage and the second thing I noticed is that I could see the spotlights shining down on the stage through the false ceiling over the gallery. What was originally solid plaster, a hard reflective surface, is now an absorbent surface that effectively did away with all the natural reverberation and beauty Orchestra Hall had since 1904. I can't believe the powers that be at that time would not have consulted with every possible acoustician to see how the alterations would effect the outstanding acoustics of Orchestra Hall before they went ahead to trash the hall. The Chicago Tribune called the 1966 renovation "an acoustical calamity" and the music critics said "the signature sound of the hall had been destroyed". I feel so cheated. I never got a chance to hear the wonderful Chicago Symphony in the original hall. It must been awesome. Thank God they made all those wonderful Reiner recordings for RCA in Orchestra Hall before the damage was done so everybody can appreciate how beautiful it was. The only seats worth the trip are in the lower balcony , the so called sweet spot of the hall, because of all the dead spots in the rest of the hall and they're getting kind of pricey at $125. a ticket. I can't afford it anymore. My favorite concert with the Chicago Symphony was the Dvorak Cello Concerto with the Brahms Second Symphony and I lucked out and got lower balcony seat for $15. Those were the days. The playing was so beautiful I was floating down Michigan avenue. When you hear an orchestra as great as the Chicago Symphony it changes you for life.

[@ThePressingMatters]

@@ScottHughes-n4u It's really unbelievable what occurred. Thanks for sharing all the great info on the renovation and your own observations. Very interesting.

[@fueledbylove]

Another enjoyable video! These AP re-issues are tempting but if I already have a satisfactory original LP or another re-issue like Chesky or Classic I am not going to jump. I have a good deal of mint Classics, mostly purchased new or in LSC Box sets barely used and other used NM to fill in the gaps and I am very happy with them all. That, and I also buy reel tapes and have limited space to put stuff - unneeded duplicates, hmmm it is a no no. So,Tempted, yes but not to the point of purchase unless it is a title I do not already have. BTW: I have that James Mitchell list...somewhere, took awhile to chase it down and that was I guess 14 years ago, if longer, I do not want to know. Since back then, I was indiscriminately grabbing up any LSC titles I could snag imagine my disappointment to find most of them were rated quite low by Mr. Mitchell. Fact is there are few that got a 10 rating, much less a 10+. But it took those re-issues to finally be able to enjoy those higher rated LPs I never could find, or afford!

[@joseluisherreralepron9987]

The Reiner/Rubinstein "Rhapsody" is a marvel for sure. It even avoids most of that kind of wonky early stereo piano sound RCA was notorious for ("the giant piano"). The orchestra sounds spread out in a semi-circle behind Rubenstein...lovely stuff. I know it's a 2-track recording but I'm not sure if it 15 ips or 30 ips.

[@ThePressingMatters]

Not sure but it's one of the best. I absolutely love his way with that piece. Thanks for watching this earlier video. I really loved making that one.

[@georgeholoubek6600]

Great review, Scott. Charles Munch was a French conductor, and so he was kind of a specialist in those particular works on those recordings. I would recommend Daphnis and Clothe, by Ravel, on the AP label as well if you don't already have it. I adore Rubenstein and his work. I was crushed when I mentioned him to a member of the Houston Symphony, with whom I was studying, and he commented that he was not especially "easy to work with and that he didn't care if he ever worked with him again."

[@ThePressingMatters]

I was just listening to Daphnis and Chloe last night to see if I need an upgrade from the Classic. I've heard a couple of people recommend the AP so I'll probably get it. I really enjoyed it more than ever last night. Interesting about Rubinstein. I'm sure he was pretty particular about things, but always a gentleman. He left a wonderful recorded legacy. I love his Chopin Nocturnes.

[@georgeholoubek6600]

@@ThePressingMatters That's the hard part about it, because Rubenstein was not a gentleman about it, at least according to my prof.

[@ThePressingMatters]

@@georgeholoubek6600 I don't doubt the recollection at all. It is surprising to someone outside the orbit, being that the image differed from reality! I guess the 'cultured sophisticated and elegant gentleman' is really what they wanted to project for Rubinstein. Very interesting info!

[@garyrobinson8665]

Hi Scott. Interesting video. I don't own any of these. I love classical music I particularly enjoy solo piano music. My favourites are Schumann, Debussy, Chopin and Ravel. I dont like the orchestral stuff as much. I do own Charles Dutoit bolero Daphnis et Chloe 2 cd set by Decca. It's beautiful. I think its has most of his work on it. My favourite pieces are Gaspard De La Nuit and Le Tombeau De Couperin.

[@ThePressingMatters]

Hi Gary, thanks for your comment! I have a great Vox Box set of all of Ravel's work. I haven't played it in years but it was a TAS list title back in the day. Solo piano is great but it's something I prefer on CD. Too much to go wrong in LP form. An orchestral piece had hide some minor flaws but with the solo piano there's no where to hide. An off center pressing, even if minor can really stand out.

[@garyrobinson8665]

@@ThePressingMatters i had Vlado Perlmuter piano works on Vox. Must have been from the 50s it was super crackly. I agree i prefer the cds. The sound needs to be crisp and clear for piano music. I've got the complete Ravel piano works by Jacques Rouvier from the 70s on cd. It's remastered it's a good cd. Not too polished I don't like too crisp and polished. I've tried dozens of different pianists im really fussy when it comes to piano it's got to sound right and be played how I like it. Rouvier gets it mostly right for me. I've got other sets by jacques fevrier and samson francois. The latter is really different but I like it. The Fevrier set is excellent. I like debussy piano music too. I recommend Peter Frankl. Excellent playing.

[@robsantry9772]

So far, I have 41 of these A.P. Living Stereo reissues, but I don't have the Van Cliburn. After hearing your review, I will order it next month. I tend to get 2 a month so as to get free shipping, and here in Oregon, no sales tax.

[@ThePressingMatters]

I'm doing the exact same thing Rob, two a month, free shipping lol. I think you'll love the Van Cliburn. It's a beautifully done recording, with more polished sound than some of the earlier piano discs from RCA. Great readings too, and you rarely hear the MacDowell anywhere so there's that too. I hope you love it.

[@thejoyofthemusicinmylife7897]

I like how in the early days of stereo albums that record label would create artwork like the RCA Living Stereo to put on the album cover to let the consumer know that music was recorded in stereo.

[@ThePressingMatters]

I do love those banners as well. Mercury's is beautiful as well.

[@thejoyofthemusicinmylife7897]

@@ThePressingMatters Yes I have a number of those Mercury ones in my collection as well.

[@ThePressingMatters]

@@thejoyofthemusicinmylife7897 I'll be doing a best of Mercury Living Presence soon. Cant wait!

[@ScottHughes-n4u]

I have an interesting back story about the Heifetz version of the Sibelius violin concerto. RCA had scheduled to record the concerto with Reiner conducting but Reiner made some disparaging remarks about Chopin that got back to Rubinstein who was very close friends with Heifetz so Heifetz refused to work with Reiner. That is why the concerto was recorded with the associate conductor Walter Hendl.

[@ThePressingMatters]

I always wondered why Hendl was assigned to some of these major recordings. Great story, now I know!

[@ScottHughes-n4u]

That wonderful Prokofiev Third and McDowell concertos with Cliburn we're recorded with Walter Hendl because of Reiner's heart attacks in October, 1960. That best recording of the Rachmaninoff variations and the Falla Nights on the other side demonstrate the vastly different acoustics of the recording halls. The resonant warmth of Orchestra Hall Chicago as opposed to the dry as dust War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco.

[@ThePressingMatters]

@@ScottHughes-n4u Yrs the difference in venue on the Rubinstein disc is striking. Always a letdown after the magnificent first side.

[@djjoeykmusic]

Can't Wait! Awesome

[@ThePressingMatters]

Cool. Cant wait for you to see it. I've taken all the production on now. I do the editing and this is the second thumbnail that I did myself. It's kinda nice not having to pose for thumbnails! I hate that, lol

[@djjoeykmusic]

@@ThePressingMatters Awesome Job! Can't wait. Have a wonderful one

[@sidesup8286]

OMG!!!..The luck of the Irish came today. Two days late, but I'll take it. I just found what I have heard described as the rarest Living Stereo item there is. The Boston Symphony Box Set. It's a medium size box set with a handful or so of shaded dog lps in it. I was too excited to count. Ones that were individually released like the Tchaikovsky Pathetique with Monteux etc. Holy Moloney, the store was about to close too. They have Sunday hours and I just made it in time. The box is tan and has a big picture of the symphony in black and white. Nice condition too. The only RCA box sets I've never found are the Rachmaninoff and the classical Stereo For The Joy Of It. Someone just assured me those aren't as rare. This was my lucky classical day. Yesterday I found ametal artsy Art Deco Trumpet wall hanging with valves that look like sheet music notes. Lots of squarish stuff in the design back then. Yesterday was my Jazz lucky day I guess.

[@ThePressingMatters]

I don't know if I'm even aware of it. Let me search for a picture of it to jog my memory.

[@ThePressingMatters]

What is the catalog number of the box?

[@sidesup8286]

@@ThePressingMatters I'm on my way to my favorite restaurant now to celebrate. The rarest Mercury Living Presence might be a box set too. I think they're all Dorati records in it.

[@ThePressingMatters]

@@sidesup8286 Ok enjoy dinner, and you're new acquisition!

[@sidesup8286]

@@ThePressingMatters You know there was a guy long ago, around 1988, that sent me a photocopy of that LSC rating list, so I'd know which ones to look out for. He was a doctor from out west. The list with the ratings were typewritten, but on the last page where there was room to write below the last ones; he wrote in his own handwriting that he was really looking for The Boston Symphony Box and Stereo For The Joy Of It. The ratings list didn't cover box sets. Near the eatery now. Double portions tonight!

[@sidesup8286]

What started me looking for early stereo RCA's, Mercuries etc. was an article in The Absolute Sound by I believe it was Frank Doris. It was a multi page article. Before reading it, I had no idea Living Stereos or Mercury Living Presence lps were valuable. I was not a classical music listener. I think the only two records in my collection that were straight classical was Arthur Fiedler Plays The Beatles and the soundtrack to 2001: A Space Oddysey. The article took command of me for a day or two like H.A.L, the computer in the movie 2001. Interestingly I recall the article never mentioning any monetary numbers, but it said stuff like, "What if you visit your uncle... you know the one that was nice to you since you were a kid, and amongst his old Miracord turntable and equipment you see a half dozen Living Stereos?" "Should you offer to buy them for what average records usually go for?" Only your conscience can be your guide." I thought "OK, they must be really worth a lot of money then. I found out a little more about them Within 3 months a trip was planned. Where I was living, they were too hard to find. I did find an old Saint Saens Symphony 3 with Munch, but that was about it. Obviously too many people looking out for them there, I thought, but there might be greener pastures elsewhere. Maybe there's small cities somewhere with no one wise to them in town. Or bigger cities where there are always lots of new arrivals always being put out. I wasn't exactly picturing I'd make a mint, but maybe enough for that new Threshold Fet Ten two piece preamp that just got such a glowing review in Stereophile by J. Gordon Holt. I had been using a seven year old PS Audio preamp which I bought used and was using for 5 whole years, because of bad finances. When I had a good job the actual time between me upgrading something, was on the order of around 8 months. 5 whole years with the same piece was unheard of. When I first started out I was picking up too many Dynagrooves. In retrospect I'm glad that the word Dynagroove was not in big letters at the top like LIVING STEREO or I might have picked up a thousand of them. That article didn't cover everything. Someone told me some titles were more valuable than others. When I was able to find quite a few I started to try and sell them. Some people were amused at how green I was. Like I can remember pronouncing Wagner as Wag ner with the W pronounced like a W instead of a V. I remember that amusing someone. I got ripped off sending a big box of collectible records to someone who talked his delivery man into taking a personal check for C.O.D. He stopped payment on the check, cherry picked what albums he thought he wanted the most, and were most valuable, and haphazardly sent back the spoils. I did find a local guy who was interested in them. I started getting into taping them, and I would monitor the recordings through headphones, as I didn't have a power amp or good speakers. My brain wasn't wired for listening to classical music, but certain composers started catching on with me. I think Tchaikovsky was the first and I remembered liking the Dvorak Violin Concerto played by Josef Suk. It was mistakenly placed in a Living Stereo album cover by someone, and I must have not checked the condition of the lp on that one. Tchaikovsky & Dvorak must be accessible, since they were about the only ones whose music I "got" at first. It took more than one listen or two for Bartok and heaven knows Stravinsky. But at some point I started liking the music. Scheherazade might have been the first piece I really liked a whole lot. I heard the Monteux version first, then the Reiner, then the Beecham. Some of the money I made selling early stereo classical lps went into buying out of print Mofi and Nautilus titles, which I discovered were escalating in value. They usually were in way better shape too, than records from around 1960. I found just about every Living Stereo shaded dog there is to find, except for a few box sets and the Soria Royal Ballet Gala. The Mercuries and Bluebacks are different. Many titles I've never found. With the exception of a handful of RCA's, there are Mercuries that are way rarer and harder to find. Same with Bluebacks and Decca SXL's. My new headphones just arrived earlier. My system is warming up as I write this; because I don't want them to give me a bad first impression. What's the first thing I'll play? The Living Presence recording of Rodrigo Councerto de Aranjuez by The Romeros, which I just found in the same place as I made a great find yesterday. If they were putting more out like that; I wanted to be there.

[@ThePressingMatters]

Many of your recollections mirror my own. Great story thank you!

[@sidesup8286]

@@ThePressingMatters You're welcome. If you see some equipment described in the forums as sounding this or that way. Don't believe it I'd say. I swear they are more often wrong than right. It might be that we all hear different. But I feel like it is more like we all think different; some of us think right, and some of us think wrong. Waiting for these headphones I was expecting them to be analytical and lacking in warmth, by real, let's say unperceptive remarks about their sound on the net. If they're too thin and lacking in body and warmth, the highs might be white sounding and harsh, I was thinking. Maybe I'll be able to stand them; they should have bushels of detail at least. From what I was reading by some, I wondered if I'd be able to stand them. They Are The Exact Opposite of what they were saying. Much warmer and full of body than what I was using before. Not a sign of harshness anywhere, unbelievable purity and transparency, and that ever so subtly mechanical quality of my cd playback, turns out it was the lack of perfect transient response of the headphones I was using. They're wonderful, and they are still breaking in. I won't mention what they are, but a headphone like this will make every record sound like it is a way better recording than you thought. Way less distortion, resulting in smoother and you'll hear more clarity too. At least one guy was right, he said they sound as good as their $1,000 model at a fraction of the price. I truly couldn't imagine anything better. Still a little in shock. Will my lighter colored label Mercuries now sound as clean and as good as the darker color label deep groove pressings? Will so many of those rock records that have a slight edge to the sound, will that disappear revealing them to be much better recordings? That's what I'm guessing. I need that kind of tool to evaluate the mods I do on cd players. I have no idea where my cd playback equipment stands in relation to expensive stuff out there. Has anyone out there who has an 8 grand Ayon cd player or a $50,000 Burmester cd player compared cd sound quality vs. Lp sound quality? Are ANY of those bad qualities of digital sound still there, even a little ?

[@ThePressingMatters]

@@sidesup8286 Good points, all of them!

[@sidesup8286]

@@ThePressingMatters I'm still an analog guy too; but I'm all in on cds. As good as my opinion of them was before my new headphones which came today; they're a whole class higher up now. My playback of them, on most of them, surpasses the kind of sound I paid extra to get when I bought new Mofi lps back in the late 1970s to into the 19i0s. I'm talking mostly cleanness and transient sharpness and clarity, which are the main things vintage Mofis, Nautilus etc. offered. The 8 grand Ayon cd player floods its insides with red light, while a cd is playing. Instead of a red laser light playing in white light. That makes sense, and those are the kind of ideas tweakers like me like to hear, as we can figure out how to do stuff like that ourselves. High end audio is sort of flavor of the month. But for awhile years ago, The Absolute Sound had Ayon preamps/amps at the top of their hierarchy.

[@sidesup8286]

It's hard to believe that Living Stereo prices were once so high. I found another rare Living Stereo box at that store. All shaded dog lps. It's the Tchaikovsky Omnibus box. I never seen this box set before either; although I heard about it. They just keep putting more amore out each day. Of course most of them are not RCA's, but other labels. But they are definitely from the right time period. This guy whose collection this must be, really liked Capitol, Everest, Vanguard, Westminster, and Urania. The Urania labels have a swirling black and white design that looks like it is meant to hypnotize you. What I think is the violinists that go way back like Nathan Milstein; they knew that it wasn't just technique like Heifitz, but real playing with emotion. SD ome say Heifitz was the best violinist ever, while others found his playing cold emotionally. Christian Ferras and guys like that, they like a lot better. On piano some deify Horowitz while others think him not great at all. Is it me or does Milstein rule over Heifitz? There are LSC piano works repeated by Van Cliburn & Richter. Many say skip the Van Cliburn, you won't play it after you hear the Richter. I don't know them so well that I would rule the other one out. Can't wait for my neighbor to go on vacation; so I can play my speakers for a change.

[@ScottHughes-n4u]

I left a couple comments on your Romantic Rachmaninoff page. I hope you enjoyed the historical Rubinstein Falla video. I thought he was fantastic.

[@ThePressingMatters]

I did find it and it was everything you said! Amazing to see his live performances. How I wish I had been in the era where I might have been lucky enough to see him perform. Fortunately he was so famous he was filmed pretty often. Comes across as an urbane and sophisticated gentleman, though I've heard some reports that he was difficult. Still no denying his supreme talent.

[@chrislj2890]

I have the Faust/Carmen along with the Royal Ballet Gala coming and a couple others if they ever ship them. I already have the Bolero, Rubinstein and Iberia since I'm trying to collect them all. I have 31 on LP so far (and more on CD from the '90s) and over 60 more to go. I really love the ones with Jascha Heifetz also.

[@ThePressingMatters]

All solid choices. I'm looking into picking up a few more from AP. I don't think they are going to be in print forever, except the top 10 titles. I'm going to grab some more obscure ones next

[@chrislj2890]

@@ThePressingMatters Yes, I'm going to try to order at least ten at a time. I think there were a couple in my wishlist that went back ordered darn it.

[@ThePressingMatters]

@chrislj2890 yea. Venice and the Heifetz Mendelssohn are out.

[@ThePressingMatters]

@chrislj2890 I think I'm going to get Le Mer, Four Seasons and Alexander Nevsky

[@chrislj2890]

@@ThePressingMatters I already have Le Mer and Four Seasons, and have Nevsky in my wishlist.

[@Born2gun77]

Great video!! An Anolog productions copy of Faust is in my future for sure!! Still dream of finding a beat up copy in my charity shop travels as a historical example..Keep up the good work and keep breaking the Audio techica in!!

[@ThePressingMatters]

If you ever see it grab the mono. You're more likely to find them. I have a bunch of mono from the living stereo era. I should do a mono stereo comparison video. That might be interesting. Great idea! You'd probably have a ball at one of my garage sales. Lots of great thrift records I've picked up over the years. Thing is when I sell them I always end up thinking I shouldn't have lol.

[@Born2gun77]

@@ThePressingMatters i have that sinking feeling of selling as well..i have to remind myself that the hunt is a big part of the love as well and the less i have by selling them ,the more i have to hunt.

[@ThePressingMatters]

Excellent observation! I shall use it going forward. Honestly though I do look forward to lightening my load and having a well curated concise collection. I touched on this in a video called The Downsizing Dilemma.

[@Born2gun77]

@@ThePressingMatters pressing matters garage sale!!! Im in..if im ever in Florida!!

[@ThePressingMatters]

@@Born2gun77 Where are you if you don't mind me asking?

[@Muzik20]

That Cliburn/Prokofiev has great sound. I wish they did more of his RCA Living Stereo releases - Tchaikovsky's 1st Piano Concerto for example, of which there are a thousand scuffed copies out there at the thrift shops.

[@ThePressingMatters]

This one is a great sounding disc! I was surprised they chose it and I agree, a definitive Tchaikovsky 1st would be wonderful. I have the most duplicates of that one over any other, and most are mediocre. Late stampers, bad vinyl, poor condition. I finally found a good early one, and a .5 series version. Let's hope they do a third batch. That's why I like supporting this series and bringing it to more peoples attention. I want a new set of 25 or 50 titles to choose from! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@Muzik20]

@@ThePressingMatters Thanks for your replies; it's nice to talk to others who share a passion for classical music on vinyl. I imagine you may have shown an interest in DG's new Original Source series(?). I have the Stravinsky issue on the way and have pre-ordered 2 more from the 2nd batch (Brahms concerti + Ravel). All reviews so far say they surpass the originals very easily. I'm excited to hear my copy when it arrives this week.

[@ThePressingMatters]

@@Muzik20 You're welcome, I love discussing classical with other enthusiasts. I have been keeping an eye on the Original Source Series. I have been hesitating because of my experiences with the original issues. On those I never felt the records did the recordings justice, but from all reports this series is upping the game considerably. I'm thinking of getting the Stravinsky to start with. Money is a bit tight so I'm going to have to pick and choose. Your feedback will be most important to me. Please get back to me on what you think about these once you've heard them.

[@analogueanorak1904]

Another great video Scott. Sadly in the UK these AP pressings are going up even further in price well out of my range. The one that appeals the most to me is the Carmen/ Faust so I’m picking up on eBay the two different SPA Decca UK pressings that this RCA record was split up and released as when RCA broke their side of the agreement made when Decca did the English recordings for them. I will let you know my thoughts when I’ve given them a good clean. Your video did make me realise how relatively below the radar the Royal Covent Garden orchestra are considering how many awesome audiophile classic records they recorded, I think it likely is because Ballet music was their USP and so much of it suits audiophile ears and also they had a run of conductors working with them to keep them on their toes in the late 50s early 60s when most of their best recordings took place: Constance Lambert, Kubelik, Lanchberry and Solti. I’ve also ordered the Decca SPA “Solti at the opera” or better known on your side of the pond, Venice!

[@ThePressingMatters]

I have one of the SPA reissues of the Carmen Faust, SPA 97, and it's got the Faust piece in it. Good alternative if the AP is out of reach. Very good pressings as you probably know.

[@analogueanorak1904]

@@ThePressingMatters Thanks Scott I’ve cleaned the copy of SPA97 and the Faust does sound very good budget alternative to AP. A helpful quality of the SPA’s is they all seem to have Harry Fisher mastering these disks the main draw back is their mid price range means a large number of them have not been looked after so buying after inspection in charity shops is preferable to eBay. I recently discovered the joys of SPA203 which gives generous groove space to Fistoulari RCA Paris Conservatoire recordings with Martinon Le Cid rather crammed at the end. I suspect Kenneth Wilkinson who recorded the Fistoulari had a lot of sway in the 70’s at Decca and had a hand in the unequal apportioned groove space!

[@ThePressingMatters]

@@analogueanorak1904 That's interesting. It seems that here in the US, the budget lines like STS and Victrola were picked up originally because they were cheap, but never really were played much if at all. Usually on better condition than originals. I think people here were less into classical, and many bought them because they thought they should have some classical.

[@analogueanorak1904]

@@ThePressingMatters There are a decent amount of never played which are easy to spot in the wild. As the SPA’s were often repackaged as best of’s particularly “The world of…” and had great tunes some have clearly been loved to death by non Hi-Fi fans with crappy gear totally undoing all of Harry Fisher’s expertise but good for them! The main UK specific problem with poor vinyl storage is the cold and damp climate which over 40 years or so can damage hardly played vinyl beyond saving. One of my cardinal rules is if it’s welded to the inner sleeve move on!

[@mcgjohn22]

don't forget if you are in the UK, the RCA VICS series were pressed by Decca for the UK market. Later these were re-released under the Decca SSD prefix in Gt. Britian and as STS prefixes in the US. Sonically some of those are very good.

[@jasonhoffer9017]

Any chance you might consider covering Respighi/Renier - Pines Of Rome/Fountains Of Rome?

[@ThePressingMatters]

Absolutely Jason! That would be a good segment as I could do a more extensive comparison with other pressings including RCA originals, Chesky, Classics and AP

[@daveandreahoward8203]

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[@litoboy5]

Great

[@ThePressingMatters]

Thanks for watching!

[@cave70]

Hey Scott, Based on your review, I've decided to take the plunge and purchase a classical LP. My taste in classical tends towards soft strings, no bombast. Based on that, what might you recommend ? Thanks for all you do, look forward to your vids. Best, Johnny K.

[@ThePressingMatters]

Hmm let me think about that before I answer. I want to give a good answer. It might be something quite apart from the classical I've covered so far, by a composer I haven't covered yet on a label I haven't covered yet! (Yes my mind is heading in a certain direction on this)

[@ScottHughes-n4u]

If you don't have Heifetz's versions of the Brahms, Tchaikovsky, and Sibelius concertos with the Chicago Symphony you need to get those. They sre reslly special. Like Rubinstein's Rachmaninoff Rhaspsody on a Theme of Paganini in "The Grand Manner Style" that was unique to the Chicago Symphony in the 1950's.

[@ThePressingMatters]

Hi Scott, Yes I do have all of these in originals, Classic 33 and some 45s. I haven't yet tried an AP version yet.i agree, these are very special.

[@jfm0830]

I really need to stop watching your channel, it costs me money almost every time you do a record review. Obviously just joking😆. Bolero and Iberia are now on their way. I just got 3 more Living Stereos you reviewed in other videos, this past Friday. Listening to those 3 today, hard to keep up. Thanks for the new reviews.

[@ThePressingMatters]

I hope you enjoy the ones you chose. Please keep watching! I love your input!

[@jfm0830]

@@ThePressingMatters Thanks. My comment about leaving was purely a (bad) joke. You keep making them and I'll keep coming.

[@ThePressingMatters]

@@jfm0830 I know, Jim, we all have the obsession with this, but it's a magnificent obsession!