Historic Masters

Issued – November 1984 The first series of Historic Masters appeared in 1972. Twenty records by great singers of the past were made available by the British Institute of Recorded Sound (now part of the British Library) on an advance subscription basis. The records were pressed on vinyl and the scheme represented a collaboration between the BIRS and EMI Ltd. It was a great loss to the collecting world when  [ Read More ]

Issued – May 1997 Image: Vladimir Kastorsky (1871-1948) HM 120 Vladimir KastorskyHistoric Masters are able to announce the nineteenth issue of direct vinyl pressings produced in collaboration with EMI from original 78 rpm metal masters in their archives. Our complete catalogue now numbers 122 discs, comprising 243 sides. Of these no less than 64 have never previously been available in 78 rpm format. Both in respect of the size and  [ Read More ]

Issued – April 1998 Historic Masters are pleased to announce the twentieth issue of direct vinyl pressings produced in collaboration with EMI from original 78rpm metal masters in their archives. Our complete catalogue now numbers 129 discs, comprising 257 sides. Of these no less than 68 have never previously been available in 78rpm format. Both in respect of the size and range of catalogue and in the number of previously  [ Read More ]

Date of Issue Not Known (Circa: 1998) We are surely celebrating an anniversary since it is just twenty-five years since the very first issue of Historic Masters appeared under the aegis of the British Institute of Recorded Sound. This new issue is also our twenty-first and the complete Historic Masters catalogue now comprises 136 discs – 271 sides, around 70 of which had not previously been, available in ’78rpm’, format.  [ Read More ]

Issued – November 1999 We are pleased to announce the twenty second issue of Historic Masters. The complete catalogue of the series now comprises 143 discs – 285 sides of which around 77 have never previously been available in original 78 rpm format. Looking back on the history of making special pressings from original metals, we are proud to be continuing the work of Desmond Shawe-Taylor, Bill Seltsam and IRCC,  [ Read More ]

Our complete catalogue will soon comprise 150 discs – 299 sides of which 82 have never previously been available in original 78 rpm format. Looking back on the history of special pressings from original metals, we are proud to be continuing the work of Desmond Shawe-Taylor, Bill Seltsam and IRCC, Addison Foster and others. A member of our committee, Tom Peel is working on a comprehensive listing of vocal 78s  [ Read More ]

Written by Richard Bebb. Pitching decisions by Ward Marston and Richard Bebb HERBERT JANSSEN (1892 –1965) HMB 157 Kriegers Ahnung [Schwangesang] and Ganymed (Schubert) 2ea 2199 and 2ea 6153 – previously unpublished Recorded 1937 and 1938 Speeds 77.7 and 78.2 Of the many great baritones that Germany produced in the 1920’s, Herbert Janssen was, together with Friedrich Schorr, the most popular in England. Yet today this superb singer has been  [ Read More ]

Issued – July 2004 Our last bulletin held out the promise of important new discoveries in the EMI Archive. The 26th issue of Historic Masters offers subscribers a first instalment. Of the 14 sides included, no fewer than 11 were never published in original ‘78rpm’ form. It seems almost unbelievable that these include items by Bjorling and Gigli – two of the truly great tenors of the twentieth century! It  [ Read More ]

Issued – November 2004 Like the 26th, this new 27th issue of Historic Masters contains some unbelievable treasures never published in original ‘78rpm’ form. Our last issue included items by Björling and Gigli – surely two of the truly great tenors of the twentieth century! It seemed hard to believe that these were never published at the time of recording. On this occasion we can offer some equally fabulous items  [ Read More ]

Issued – April 2006 Introduction by Stanley Henig Hopefully it is by now superfluous to urge prompt ordering of this new issue. It seems almost miraculous that fifty years after the major recording companies stopped issuing 78rpm discs, we are still able to produce them and also find so many hitherto unknown treasures. But for our work to continue we need you to carry on buying Historic Masters issues. In  [ Read More ]