Semyon Snitkovsky performs in the same league like David Oistrakh and Leonid Kogan.
This stereo recording was made at the Tibor Varga Festival at the L'église des Jésuites, Sion, Switzerland, 1973 with a Studer C 37 tube recorder. Outstanding sound quality. First publication. This album is an exact reproduction of the original master tape. In order to guarantee the best possible sound quality, no digital equipment or post-processing has been used.
This newly released Triston recording features live performances by Soviet violinist Semyon Isaevich Snitkovsky, captured during the 1973 Tibor Varga Festival concert at the Jesuit Church in Sion, Valais, Switzerland. This previously unreleased recording features works by composers including Ravel, Tchaikovsky, Brahms, and Bach.
Semyon Isaevich Snitkovsky – a name perhaps less familiar to the general public, yet one who studied under the renowned violin master David Oistrakh during his formative years. In 1957, Snitkovsky entered the Moscow Conservatory, serving as David Oistrakh's assistant. Several years later, he obtained his doctorate and became a full professor at the Moscow Conservatory. Originally a postgraduate student at the Moscow Conservatory under David Oistrakh, he quickly distinguished himself.
Gérard Wyss (born 1944 in Bollenwil) studied under Paul Baumgartner at the Basel Conservatory, where he later taught postgraduate solo performance, song interpretation, and chamber music. His preference for duet playing gradually evolved into a lifelong pursuit, soon leading to collaborations with Pierre Fournier and Arthur Grumiaux.
This recording represents a precious legacy of the Soviet violin school. Semyon Isaevich Snitkovsky's playing embodies the core spirit of this tradition:
Technical mastery: impeccable intonation, clear and fluid bowing, and formidable finger technique.
Musical depth: transcending mere virtuosity to uncover the inner emotions and structure of the work, delivering interpretations that are both rigorous and deeply moving.
Timbre: characterised by a sweet, rich, and singing tone.
Sound quality: Exceptionally full across the entire frequency range with excellent separation between instruments. A truly audiophile-grade recording.
Listening to this album feels like an echo from history, allowing the listener to experience the unique artistic aesthetics of that era and the soul of an exceptional artist embedded within the notes.
Semyon Isaevich Snitkovsky, the legendary Soviet violinist, is considered the epitome of violin artistry. His precise and soulful playing shines like a hidden sword, elevating him to the pinnacle of the genre. The vinyl record Semyon Isaevich Snitkovsky – Violin Concerto*, released by the audiophile label Triston Master Recordings, features a live color recording of Snitkovsky and Gerard Wyss's performance at the Tibor Varga Festival on July 27, 1973, in the Jesuit Church in Sion (Valais, Switzerland). The album includes six tracks and a bonus track with classical works by Ravel, Tchaikovsky, Brahms, and Bach. For lovers of classical music, this is not only a rare live recording of Snitkovsky's playing but also a masterpiece of analog sound. Snitkovsky's bowing is as delicate as a gentle breeze, and combined with Triston's precise and meticulous analog production, this recording brings the wonderful, lost 1973 recording back to life.
Celebrated as the last golden violinist of the Soviet Union, Snitkovsky is renowned for his exquisite technique and profound emotional expressiveness. At 17, he entered the Moscow Conservatory and studied with David Oistrakh. Oistrakh not only taught him meticulous violin technique but also instilled in him a philosophy of music-making based on feeling and soul: "The violin is not a tool, but a mirror of the soul." Under Oistrakh's tutelage, Snitkovsky's playing improved rapidly. In 1952, he won the All-USSR Violin Competition, and in 1955, a silver medal at the International Violin Competition. Snitkovsky dedicated himself to his musical education with the same passion and devotion he devoted to his career as a soloist. In 1958, he became a professor at the Moscow Conservatory, where he mentored younger generations, including Vitaly Pichin. Snitkovsky was considered Moscow's leading violinist from the 1950s to the 1970s, but due to the isolation imposed by the Iron Curtain, his recordings in the West were extremely rare. This performance at the 1973 Tibor Varga Festival was one of the few occasions on which he was permitted to perform abroad.
This recording was meticulously produced by Swiss sound engineers using Neumann and Schoops microphones and Telefunken V 76 tube preamplifiers. The recording was made on a Studer C37 tape recorder. However, the master tape remained unreleased for half a century until it was rediscovered in 2025 by Jürg Schopper, head of Triston Master Recordings. This record was produced entirely in Switzerland – from recording and mixing to post-production, burning, and pressing. Adrian “Adi” Flück, lead sound engineer at Centraldubs, was responsible for post-production and mastering. The master disc was then sent to MEK Vinyl GmbH in Switzerland to be pressed into a high-quality 180g vinyl record at 33⅓ rpm. The entire production process was done without digital processing to preserve the purity of the analog recording. This over fifty-year-old recording was meticulously restored and remastered, addressing issues such as tape aging and noise, and achieving a warm, transparent sound. The result is an incredibly detailed sound that captures the atmosphere and warm charm of the original recording.
Triston Master Recordings' vinyl production is a prime example of audiophile craftsmanship. Thanks to AAA Reinaphon technology, the original master tape is digitised to ensure the highest level of detail. The cover features a fold-out design and showcases photos of Snitkovsky, the recording equipment, and the master tape. Triston's philosophy of reviving lost sounds is fully embodied in this album – a limited edition of only 250 hand-numbered vinyl records worldwide. The outstanding performances of Snitkovsky and Wyss, coupled with incredibly detailed sound effects, make this album a highly sought-after collector's item for audiophiles and vinyl enthusiasts.
Audiophile Reissues In Reference Quality
The Original Source for LP productions from the official Triston Masters original reel tape archive brings together high-quality reissues that are newly cut directly from the original 2-track master reel tapes with 100% pure analogue mastering, pressed on 180g virgin vinyl, and delivered in deluxe gatefolds with additional photo material and recording documentation.
Audiophile Editions at Triston Masters
For those who want to experience quality music sound rather than just listen to it, Triston Masters brings together exclusive audiophile series – from Pure Analogue releases and the Original Source series to strictly limited LP Records productions. Triston Masters sound connoisseurs will discover carefully curated reissues and new classical recordings, mastered, pressed on 180g vinyl and presented with original artwork, extensive liner notes and rare archival material.
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