24/48: Sergei Rachmaninov / Philadelphia / Ormandy - Rachmaninov. Piano Concerto 1 - RCA Victor 1940

Sergei Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto no.1 in F sharp minor, op.1
I: Vivace ~ II: Andante ~ III: Allegro vivace  

16/44 FLAC 
24/48 FLAC   

Sergei Rachmaninov, piano - The Philadelphia Orchestra  conducted by  Eugene Ormandy

HMV  DB 5706-8   Mint 1947 pressings. RCA matrices 2A045621-6. Recorded: 4 December 1939 & 24 February 1940 -Academy of Music, Philadelphia.

I'm very dubious regarding transferring from shellac (if the needle-crackle can be diminished the 'grunge' & waveform deformation still remains) and RCA's early '50's transfer (on HMV/Decca CSLP/RB) is pretty decent. Anyway..this transfer has the benefit of a) being Accurate..b) retains the original Dynamics (more than can be said for a PC4 sample from 'elsewhere'.......

STOLEN WITHIN HOURS on YOUTUBE!!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ibSN0S_ieY

24/48: Richard Wagner. "Siegfried" - Lauritz Melchior - HMV 1928-1932

Richard Wagner: 
"Siegfried"   ACT ONE   3 files 16/44 zip FLAC  
1. Musical Motifs - London Symphony Orchestra  conducted by  Lawrance Collingwood   
from C.2237/2238    17 April/23 May 1931 - Kingsway Hall  (2B4432 -I, Blumlein transfer 1932)

Act 1, Scenes 1 and 2   Prelude ... 3. Zwangvolle Plage! ... 4. Hoiho! Hoiho! Hau ein! ...  5. Das ist nun der Liebe ... 6. Jammernd verlangen Junge ... 7. Soll ich der Kunde glauben ... 8. Heil dir, weiser Schmied! ... 9. Dein Haupt pfand'ich ... 10. Viel, Wanderer, weisst du mir
Heinrich Tessmer  (Mime)  /  Lauritz Melchior  (Siegfried)  /  Friedrich Schorr  (Wanderer)   
London Symphony Orchestra  conducted by  Robert Heger
DB.1713  (2B529 -IA)  &  DB.1578-81  (2B528 -II, 531 -II, 532 -IIA, 533 -IA, 534 -IA, 525 -IA, 526 -II, 527 -I)   9/21 May 1931 - Kingsway Hall

Act 1, Scene 3   11. Fuhltest du nie im finstren Wald ... 12. Nothung! Nothung! Neidlicher Schwert! ... 13. Hei weiser Wanderer ... 14. Er schafft sich ein scharfes Schwert
Albert Reiss  (Mime)  /  Lauritz Melchior  (Siegfried)   London Symphony Orchestra  conducted by  Albert Coates
D.1690-1  (CR 2197 -IIIB, 2198 -IIB, 2199 -IIIA, 2200 -II)   16-17 May 1929 - Queen's Hall
HMV  Album  no.172 (38 sides) : Act One - 14 sides (DB.7252-8)  Auto   late-1930's set   
Obert-Thorn's Muffled Travesty -mp3 sample (inc.'Nothung!' -seems transferred @ wrong volume...)  ....'muffled HF hearing' the cause?!!
(I really can't now be bothered to transfer the rest - buy Mr Pristine's €€-crap..!! )

Leopold Stokowski / Philadelphia Orchestra - Rimsky-Korsakov. Scheherazade - RCA Victor 1935

Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov:  "Scheherazade"  - Symphonic Suite, op.35.
I: The Sea and the Vessel of Sinbad  ~  II: The Tale of the Prince Kalender ~    
III: The Young Prince and The Young Princess  ~  IV: The Festival at Bagdad - The Sea - The Vessel Is Wrecked - Conclusion
2 files zip 16/44 FLAC 
Alexander Hilsberg, solo violin - The Philadelphia Orchestra  conducted by  Leopold Stokowski     
HMV  DB.7875-80  Auto  (DB.2522-7)  Album no.232.    RCA matrices: 2A.84513-24    Recorded: 8 October / 12 November 1934 - Studio 2 Camden Church, Philadelphia.
Transferred solely for my interest: early 1941 set. Recording is 2.5dB below average RCA levels so used 2 lots of Izotope de-click as the surfaces (maybe the matrices) were a bit 'hashy' in places: end of side 7 in particular, though it does 'soften' the clarity. 32 bit-float derived. 
Walter Legge's notes included.

24/48: Landon Ronald / New SO - Tchaikovsky. Symphony 5 - HMV 1928

Peter Tchaikovsky:  Symphony no.5 in E minor, op.64  
I. Andante – Allegro con anima (1-4)  ~  II. Andante cantabile con alcuna licenza (5-7)  ~  III. Valse: Allegro moderato (8/9)  ~
IV. Finale: Andante maestoso – Allegro vivace – Andante maestoso – Moderato assai e molto maestoso (10-12)
2 files 16/44 zip FLAC                 2 files 24/48 zip FLAC   
New Symphony Orchestra  conducted by  Sir Landon Ronald  
HMV  D.1511-16  (Album no.73)  1929 pressings   Matrices: CR1773-1780 -IA,I,III,IA,I,I,III,I, CR1770 -IA,1781 -II, CR2006-7 -IIA,I.    
Recorded: 18-19 April / 2 May 1928 - Queen’s Hall.   
New transfer - more detailed  ('keener' treble) than the previous CD-RW. Side 1 is rather less vivid, and (varying) surface hiss is mainly a problem during that 1st mvt introduction.. The 1926 Beethoven Sym.5 won't be uploaded (at least one matrix is faulty, a second set is 'worn')...

24/48: Serge Koussevitzky / Boston S.O. - Sibelius. Symphony 2 - RCA Victor 1935

Jean Sibelius:
Symphony no.2 in D major, op.43  
I: Allegretto  ~  II: Tempo andante ma rubato  ~  III: Vivacissimo  ~  IV: Allegro moderato    

2 files zip 16/44  FLAC               2 files zip 24/48  FLAC   

Boston Symphony Orchestra  conducted by  Serge Koussevitzky

HMV  DBS.7949-DB.7954  Auto  (DB.2599-DBS.2604)   Album no.241.   RCA matrices: 2A.88924-88934.     'As New' 1937 set.
Recorded: 24 January 1935 - Symphony Hall, Boston.    

24/48: Arturo Toscanini / NBC SO - Beethoven. Symphony 3 - RCA Victor 1939

Ludwig van Beethoven:
Symphony no.3 in E flat major, op.55  - "Eroica"   
I: Allegro con brio  ~  II: Marcia Funebre, adagio assai  ~  III: Scherzo -Allegro vivace  ~  IV: Finale -Allegro molto

2 files zip 16/44 FLAC             2 files zip 24/48 FLAC 
NBC Symphony Orchestra  conducted by  Arturo Toscanini

HMV  DBS.8904-DB.8910  Auto   (DBS.5946-DB.5951)   Album no.366.   RCA matrices {2A.043527-39}   1941/2 set
Recorded live: 28 October 1939 - Studio 8-H, New York
Matrices '1', except s.8 (1R) and  s.13 ('IV') - RCA transfers (ends of mvts. 2 & 4)  

24/48: Hermann Abendroth / London S.O. - Brahms. Symphony 4 - HMV 1927

Johannes Brahms:
Symphony no.4 in E minor, op.98   
I: Allegro non troppo   ~  II: Andante moderato  ~  III: Allegro giocoso   ~   IV: Allegro energico e passionato  
16/44 FLAC               24/48 FLAC  
London Symphony Orchestra  conducted by  Hermann Abendroth
HMV  D.1265-70   Album no.45.   Matrices: CR1235-46 (Ia,I,I,I,I,I,I,I,I,I,Ia,I)    Recorded: 27 March 1927 - Queen’s Hall   
Minor 'wear' audible on some peaks despite the 1928 set's 'new' appearance.  A (very) low-level recording means unavoidably high surface hiss/grunge (2-part de-click required).  Slight treble reduction August 2018.. Sound gets a bit faint near the end.. Impressive performance and lovely string tone.. 

24/48: Leopold Stokowski / Philadelphia Orchestra - Stravinsky. Rite of Spring - RCA Victor 1930

Igor Stravinsky:  "Le Sacre du Printemps"
First Tableau:  L'Adoration de la Terre   ~   Second Tableau:  Le Sacrifice   

2 files zip 16/44 FLAC        2 files zip 24/48 FLAC     

The Philadelphia Orchestra  conducted by  Leopold Stokowski

HMV  D.7802-5  Auto  (D.1919-2)   Album no.124.   RCA matrices: A37471-3, A47975-9 (4,4a,3a,1a..3,4,5a,7a).
Recorded: 24-25 September 1929 / 12 March 1930 - Academy of Music (Philadelphia).    New 1939 set
2 different microphone balances: some sides are very vivid - others are recessed/lacking impact  (4th disc, pt.1):  very quiet passages are hardly suited to shellac - probably due in part to the original processing - as limited the frequency-range to 12kHz - sufficient for piccolo outbursts.

24/48: Willem Mengelberg / New York Philharmonic - Beethoven. Symphony 3 - RCA Victor 1930

Ludwig van Beethoven:
Symphony no.3 in E flat major, op.55  - "Eroica"    
I: Allegro con brio  ~   II: Marcia funebre (Adagio assai)   ~   III: Scherzo (Allegro vivace)   ~  IV: Finale (Allegro molto)    
16/44 FLAC         24/48 FLAC
The Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra of New York  conducted by  Willem Mengelberg  
HMV  DB.1599-1605  Album no.153   RCA matrices: A58152-62 (3,6,3,3,3,2,2,1,2,1,1)  //  mvt.IV: A58172-4 (2,2,2)
Recorded: 4/9 January 1930 - Liederkranz Hall, New York.  1933 set
Superb performance in rather decent RCA sound (this transfer has more clarity than 2013's CD-RW) - and any shellac 'hash' isn't too distracting.    
The last 2 sides are transferred @ 1dB less.   Mengelberg's 1940 Concertgebouw Beethoven recordings 

24/48: Serge Koussevitzky / London Philharmonic - Beethoven. Symphony 3 - HMV 1934

Ludwig van Beethoven:
Symphony no.3 in E flat major, op.55  - "Eroica" 
I: Allegro con brio  ~  II: Marcia Funebre, adagio assai  ~  III: Scherzo -Allegro vivace  ~  IV: Finale -Allegro molto  
2 files zip 16/44 FLAC             2 files zip 24/48 FLAC        inc. Walter Legge's notes
London Philharmonic Orchestra  conducted by  Serge Koussevitzky     
HMV  DB.7754-9  Auto  (DB.2346/51)   Album no.222.   Matrices: 2EA.840-51 (I,IIa,I,I,I,I,I,I,Ic,Ia,I,II).  
Recorded: 7 September 1934 - EMI Studio no.1, Abbey Road.   1935 set.
Very fine performance. EMI's quieter recording + EQ  sadly gives 5+dB more 'crackle' compared to an EMI-pressed RCA.  

24/48: Arturo Toscanini / New York Philharmonic - Beethoven. Symphony 7 / Wagner - RCA Victor 1936

Ludwig van Beethoven:  Symphony no.7 in A Major, op.92
I: Poco sostenuto - Vivace  ~  II: Allegretto  ~  III: Presto - assai meno presto  ~  IV: Allegro con Brio   
16/44 zip FLAC           24/48 zip FLAC 

Richard Wagner:  "Gotterdammerung" - Dawn and Siegfried's Rhine Journey    /    "Lohengrin" - Prelude, Act III
2 files 16/44 zip FLAC           2 files 24/48 zip FLAC 
The Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra of New York  conducted by  Arturo Toscanini   
HMV  DB.2986-2990   Album no.266.  RCA matrices {2A.101200-9}.    Recorded: 9-10 April 1936 - Carnegie Hall.   1938 set
HMV  DB.2860/1    RCA matrices {2A.94657-60}.     Recorded: 8 February / 9 April 1936 - Carnegie Hall.   1941 pressings
Beethoven side1 ('take1') transferred 2.5dB higher: less good sound with some side-end deterioration.     "Lohengrin" is remarkably good sound.

24/48: Pierre Monteux / Paris Symphony Orchestra - Berlioz. Symphonie fantastique - HMV 1930

Hector Berlioz:  Symphonie fantastique, op.14

I: Reveries, passions (Largo - Allegro agitato ed appassionato assai)  ~  II: Un Bal (Valse: Allegro non troppo)  ~  III: Scene aux champs (Adagio)  ~  IV: Marche au supplice (Allegretto non troppo)  ~   V: Songe d'une nuit du Sabbat (Larghetto - Allegro)

16/44 FLAC              5 files zip 24/48 FLAC
Orchestre symphonique de Paris  conducted by  Pierre Monteux 
HMV  D.7854-9  Auto  (D.2044-9)  Album no.135.  1938 set.  Matrices: CF2757/8, 2799 : 2786/7 : 2800, 2807/8, 2801 : 2806 : 2816/7 (1/2/2/2/1/1/2/1/3/2/2/3)    Recorded: 20-29 January 1930 - Salle Pleyel, Paris.    Walter Legge's analytical notes >>>   
(For some reason side 3 was recorded 2dB louder than the rest (here corrected) bringing benefits in terms of reduced 'crackle' interference)

24/48: Leopold Stokowski / Philadelphia Orchestra - Stravinsky. Petrushka - RCA Victor 1937

Igor Stravinsky:  "Petrouchka" - Ballet Suite  (1911)
First Tableau - The Mid-Lent Fair   /   Second Tableau - In Petrouchka's Room   /   Third Tableau - The Moor's Room   /
Fourth Tableau - The Fair, Towards Evening
16/44 zip FLAC              24/48 FLAC 
The Philadelphia Orchestra  conducted by  Leopold Stokowski  
HMV  DB.8633-36  Auto  (DB.3511-14)  Album no.328    1940 pressings/RCA Matrices  (originally: CS 07588/90-1, 07591-3, 07592/4-1, 07595-2)   Recorded: 19 April / 7 November 1937   - Academy of Music (Philadelphia)
Side 1 +2dB, Sides 2,3 +1dB transferred compared to Sides 4-8  (the latter were also somewhat superior recording sessions). 
Surface-noise is mostly quite innocuous thanks to the high-level sound/RCA's HF EQ...plus some decent EMI shellac.   

Willem Mengelberg / New York Philharmonic - Richard Strauss. Ein Heldenleben - Victor 1928

Richard Wagner:  "The Flying Dutchman" - overture

FLAC  

Richard Strauss:  "Ein Heldenleben", op.40  
FLAC 
The Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra of New York  conducted by  Willem Mengelberg   
HMV  D.1089  ...  D.7321-5  Auto   (D.1711-5)  Album no.122.    c.1936 pressings  
Victor matrices: A29791 -6 / A29922 -7 ...  A47925-34 (1/4/2/2/1/2/3/2/2/2)    Recorded: 6 October  1925 - New York /  11-13 December 1928 - Carnegie Hall, New York.  Oct 2014 raw dubs re-edited Oct 2015

24/48: Franz Schalk / Wiener Philharmoniker - Beethoven. Symphony 6 - HMV 1928

Ludwig van Beethoven:
Symphony no.6 in F major, op.68  "Pastoral"   
I: Erwachen heiterer Empfindungen bei der Ankunft auf dem Lande  - Allegro ma non troppo  ~ 
II: Szene am Bach - Andante molto mosso  ~  III: Lustiges Zusammensein der Landleute - Allegro  ~
IV: Gewitter, Sturm - Allegro  ~  V: Hirtengesang. Frohe und dankbare Gefuhle nach dem Sturm - Allegretto
16/44 FLAC          24/48 FLAC
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra  conducted by  Franz Schalk   
HMV  D.1473-7  Album no.96  Matrices: Ck 2854-63  (II-II-II-II-I-II-II-II-II-II).   Recorded:  4/11 April 1928 - Mittlerer Konzerthalle, Vienna  
Original 1928 set (my Red label set is pressed from later-sequence metal parts).  Side 1 transferred @ 0.5dB less than sides 2-6, and 1.0dB less than sides 7-10. Side 6 has some harmonic/cutter distortion.  The 24bit file is somewhat superior...and a better source if you want to 'noise-reduce' the file; thereby likely turning it into near-featureless sludge.

24/48: Arturo Toscanini / NBC SO - Beethoven. Symphony 5 / Egmont Overture / Leonore 3 - NBC/RCA 1939

Ludwig van Beethoven:  Symphony no.5 in C minor, op.67  
I: Allegro con brio  ~  II: Andante con moto  ~  III: Allegro  ~  IV: Allegro
16/44 zip FLAC              24/48 zip FLAC          inc. analytical notes
Ludwig van Beethoven:  "Egmont" - Overture, op.84    /   "Leonore" - Overture no.3, op.72a    
2 files 16/44 zip FLAC           2 files 24/48 zip FLAC  
NBC Symphony Orchestra  conducted by  Arturo Toscanini  
HMV  DB.8691-4  Auto  (DB.3822-5). Album no.511    RCA Matrices: 2A 032806-14  Recorded: 27 February / 1 March 1939 - Studio 8-H.
HMV  DB.5703 / DB.5704-5    RCA matrices: 2A 043605/6 ...  RCA transfer: 2A 043558-61 (VI,V,VI,V)
Live performances:   18 November 1939 / 4 November 1939 - Studio 8-H, New York   July/Sept 2014 files - Egmont/Leonore 3 not US issued..  HMV label scans >>>

24/48: Arthur Bliss / Muir Mathieson - London Symphony Orchestra - Things To Come - Decca 1936

Arthur Bliss:  "Things To Come" - Suite  
Ballet for Children  - TA 1726 -I      /     Melodrama : Pestilence  - TA 1732 -I    
Melodrama : Attack  - TA 1731 -II     /    The World in Ruins  - TA 1728 -II
16/44 FLAC                 24/48 FLAC 
London Symphony Orchestra  conducted by  Arthur Bliss  
Decca  K.810 / 811    Recorded: 3 March 1935. Thames Street Studios.
March  - GA 7686 -I     /    Epilogue  - GA 7687 -I     16/44 FLAC   
Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra  conducted by  Muir Mathieson       
Decca  K.817   Transfer from 1935 Film Soundtrack: 18 Feb.1936
Slight treble-boost applied to the soundtrack disc - which remains congested/constricted in frequency-range.     2 label scans >>>   

24/48: Constant Lambert / Halle Orchestra - Borodin. Symphony 2 - Columbia 1943

Alexander Borodin:   Symphony no.2 in B minor 
I:  Allegro  ~  II:  Scherzo (Prestissimo) - Allegretto  ~  III:  Andante  ~  IV:  Finale (Allegro)  
The Halle Orchestra  conducted by  Constant Lambert     
16/44 FLAC         24/48 FLAC 

Columbia  DX 1125-1128   Matrices: CAX 9108 -9114  -1/-1/-2/-2/-1/-1/-1 - 1943 pressing.
Recorded: 26 March 1943 - Houldsworth Hall, Manchester.         

24/48: Brahms. Double Concerto. Thibaud - Casals - Cortot - HMV 1929

Johannes Brahms:  
Double Concerto in A minor, op.102   
I: Allegro (1-4)  ~  II: Andante (5/6)  ~  III: Vivace non troppo (7/8)
16/44 FLAC            24/48 FLAC  

Jacques Thibaud, violin,  Pablo Casals, 'cello
The Pablo Casals Orchestra of Barcelona  conducted by  Alfred Cortot  
HMV  DB.1311-1314  (Album no.85)  Matrices: CJ 2156-2163 (IIA/I/II/II/I/IIA/IIIA/II)   
Recorded: 10/11 May 1929 - Olympia Hall, Barcelona.     

Felix Weingartner / Royal Philharmonic Society - Beethoven. Symphony 5 -&- Symphony 6 - Columbia 1927

Ludwig van Beethoven:  Symphony no.5 in C minor, op.67  
I: Allegro con brio  ~  II: Andante con moto  ~  III: Allegro  ~  IV: Allegro          FLAC 
Columbia  L 1880-1883   late 1920's Album.   Laminated pressings.   Matrices: WRAX 2414/5, 17-22 (2/2/2/2/2/2/2/3)
Recorded: 28–29 January 1927 - Scala Theatre, London

Ludwig van Beethoven:  Symphony no.6 in F major, op.68  "Pastoral"
I: Allegro ma non troppo  ~  II: Andante molto mosso  ~  III: Allegro   ~  IV: Allegretto          FLAC
Columbia  L 1893-1897   late 1920's Album.  Laminated pressings.   Matrices: WRAX 2363-66 (1/2/1/2) & 2377-82 (3/1/2/2/2/1)
Recorded: 18–19 January 1927 - Scala Theatre, London
The Royal Philharmonic Society Orchestra  conducted by  Felix Weingartner     
A few slight 'wear' traces remain in the 'Pastoral'.  You can compare these to the 'new improved' transfers by Obert-Thorn for Mr.Pee    Mr.Pee's Sym 5+6 mvt.1 mp3 sample

Rachmaninov. Paganini Rhapsody - Benno Moiseiwitsch / LPO / Cameron - HMV 1938

Sergei Rachmaninov:
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, op.43  
FLAC  Mega Download
Benno Moiseiwitsch, piano - London Philharmonic Orchestra  conducted by  Basil Cameron  
HMV  C.3062-4    Mint 1947 pressings.  Matrices: 2EA.7178-7183 (IIA/I//I/I/II/I) 
Recorded: 5 December 1938 - EMI Studio 1, Abbey Road 
Sounds OK/exciting: about an octave more treble than Bryan Crimp's 1987 APR transfer (some slight 'wear' traces due to the extended treble?) 

Transferred RIAA 78rpm to CD-RW- then adjusted:-get a different sound ('softer') than by transferring direct to Terratec soundcard with no EQ @ 33rpm...
http://musicparlourhistorical.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/benno-moiseiwitsch-plays-rachmaninov.html
(One of the discs of the Rachmaninov PC2 'broke' whilst removing it from the album - so that won't get uploaded!)         

Bruno Walter / BBC SO - Brahms. Symphony 4 - HMV 1934

Johannes Brahms:
Symphony no.4 in E minor, op.98     
I: Allegro non troppo   ~  II: Andante moderato  ~  III: Allegro giocoso   ~   IV: Allegro energico e passionato 
FLAC    
The BBC Symphony Orchestra  conducted by  Bruno Walter    
HMV  DB.7718-22  Auto   (Album no.218)   [DB 2253-7]   1939/early 1940 Mint pressings.  Matrices: 2B 6937-46 (II/II/I/II/II/II/II/II/III/II)   
Recorded: 21 May 1934 - EMI Studio 1, Abbey Road.