25 New "Living Stereo" Titles Coming in 2026

AP announces 45rpm reissues using Classic Records metalwork

Yesterday, October 29th, Acoustic Sounds announced pre-orders for a new selection of reissue titles from the RCA Living Stereo catalog scheduled to ship in early 2026. This marks the first new releases in this series of reissues from Analogue Productions since 2018. These 25 titles will be released as double 45rpm pressings housed in gatefold jackets.

The majority of these titles will be pressed from metal parts owned by Acoustic Sounds from its buyout of the Classic Records catalog. Classic Records released a number of single-sided 45rpm cuts from the RCA Living Stereo catalog in the late 1990s, cut by Bernie Grundman on his all-tube cutting system. These pressings have long been highly regarded by fans of classical vinyl releases, and this will mark their first time back in print in over 20 years.

Matthew Lutthans at the console of The Mastering Lab

Notably, a select few titles are not from the Classic Records metal parts, and are being cut by Matthew Lutthans at the newly reassembled Mastering Lab at QRP in Salina, KS. This cutting system was another purchase by Acoustic Sounds, this time from the estate of the late Doug Sax. As another side note, one title, Leibowitz’s The Power of the Orchestra, is a repress from a 2009 release for AP, cut by the late George Marino at Sterling Sound. The full selection of titles is listed below:

LSC-1806: Fritz Reiner - Richard Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra
LSC-1831: Arthur Rubinstein/Fritz Reiner - Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 15*
LSC-1893: Charles Munch, Boston Symphony Orchestra - Ravel: Daphnis And Chloe
LSC-1900: Charles Munch - Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique
LSC-1903: Fritz Reiner - Brahms: Violin Concerto/ Jascha Heifetz, violin
LSC-1934: Fritz Reiner - Bartok: Concerto For Orchestra
LSC-1984: Charles Munch, Boston Symphony Orchestra - Ravel: Bolero*
LSC-1992: Jascha Heifetz, Charles Munch, & Boston Symphony Orchestra - Beethoven: Violin Concerto (in D)
LSC-2147: The Festival Quartet - Schubert: Trout Quintet*
LSC-2150: Fritz Reiner, Chicago Symphony Orchestra - Prokofiev: Lieutenant Kije / Stravinsky: Song of the Nightingale
LSC-2230: Fritz Reiner, Chicago Symphony Orchestra – Spain
LSC-2241: Fritz Reiner, Chicago Symphony Orchestra - Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture
LSC-2314: Jascha Heifetz, Charles Munch, & Boston Symphony Orchestra - Mendelssohn: Concerto In E Minor / Prokofieff: Concerto In G Minor
LSC-2341: Charles Munch, Boston Symphony Orchestra - Saint-Saens: Symphony No. 3 - A Stereo Spectacular
LSC-2369: Pierre Monteux, Boston Symphony Orchestra - Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4
LSC-2374: Fritz Reiner, Chicago Symphony Orchestra - Bartok: Music For Strings, Percussion And Celesta / Hungarian Sketches
LSC-2424: Societa Corelli - Vivaldi: The Four Seasons*
LSC-2430: Artur Rubinstein, Fritz Reiner, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Enrique Jorda - Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini / Falla: Nights In The Gardens Of Spain
LSC-2490: Gregor Piatigorsky, Charles Munch, Boston Symphony Orchestra - Dvorak: Cello Concerto
LSC-2586: Earl Wild, Arthur Fiedler, The Boston Pops - Gershwin: Concerto in F - Cuban Overture - "I Got Rhythm" Variations
LSC-2603: Jascha Heifetz, Sir Malcolm Sargent, New Symphony Orchestra of London - Bruch: Scottish Fantasy / Vieuxtemps: Concerto No. 5
LSC-2652: Jascha Heifetz, Sir Malcolm Sargent, New Symphony Orchestra of London - Bruch: Concerto In G Minor / Mozart: Concerto In D Major
LSC-2659: Rene Leibowitz, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - Moussorgsky: The Power Of The Orchestra: A Night On Bare Mountain / Pictures At An Exhibtion**
LSC-2734: Jascha Heifetz, Walter Hendl, Izler Solomon, William Primrose - Glazounov: Violin Concerto / Mozart: Symphonie Concertante in E-Flat
LSC-2767: Heifetz, Hendl, Dallas Symphony Orchestra - Rozsa: Concerto For Violin And Orchestra / Benjamin: Romantic Fantasy

*Denotes titles cut by Matthew Lutthans at the Mastering Lab

**Denotes titles cut by George Marino at Sterling Sound

These all-tube, two and three track recordings made at the dawn of the stereo era in the late 1950s and early 60s represent some of the finest, most natural sounding classical recordings ever put to tape. The story of the RCA Living Stereo series is heavily intertwined with the development of high-end audio, with original pressings of these LPs being chronicled heavily in the writings of the late Harry Pearson, founder of The Absolute Sound. While many of the titles on this list are not new to the audiophile-reissue circuit, most have been out of print on 45rpm, and reaching discouraging prices on the secondary market. This makes them ripe for a reintroduction to a new generation of listeners. Given that clearly Chad Kassem is willing to invest in some new cuts via Matthew Lutthans and his revamped studio, I can only hope that more titles, particularly records not yet touched by Classic Records or Chesky, can see new life through this reissue program.

Comments

2025-10-30 12:53:50 PM

Robert A. Ober wrote:

I subscribed to this as I missed some the first (Classic) and second (AP) times. Surprised that Scheherazade is not on the list. I believe that (which I have from Chad's first go at them) and LT Kijie (which I also have) were HP's favs of the original shaded dogs.

Robert
- 2025-10-30 02:45:14 PM
  
  Come on wrote:
  
  I think Scheherazade and certain others got a 45 RPM reissue already not so long ago.
  
  I’m quite selective which of those I consider worth having for music or sound reasons. I consider just very few of the RCA reissues as “most natural sounding classical recordings” vs. rather vintage and limited sounding , but those few are exceptional.
2025-10-30 04:29:16 PM

John Marks wrote:

Hmmm... my absolute fave RCA LS is the Charles Munch BSO Debussy "La Mer."

Both as an interpretation, and for the technical and artistic perfection of the playing, I am not aware of anything better. However, if you have a favorite "La Mer" that is not BSO/Munch, please let me know.

I had the opportunity to walk across the stage area of Boston's Symphony Hall when it still had its original flooring. I can assure I had whole-body goosebumps--I was standing where Oistrakh stood!

But I must admit that in the fullness of time, the flooring needed replacement. I clearly heard the difference after new floorboards and supports were put it--from the same mill as the original flooring materials.
- 2025-10-31 03:09:14 PM
  
  Michael Weintraub wrote:
  
  Some other good ones are Karajan's 1977 version with the BPO, the Haitink's rendition with the Concertgebouw, and, for good, atmospheric modern sound, Mark Elder with the Halle Orchestra. These are three very different takes, but all quite enjoyable.
2025-10-31 05:13:22 AM

David Gow wrote:

It is always going to be a challenge economically to reissue classical music records, so good to see Chad Kassem/AP issuing more titles. It is disappointing that other than these RCAs, Sony Music shows little interest in issuing its classical catalogue on vinyl. Warner Music also seems to have limited interest in issuing the EMI classical catalogue. It is also a shame that Decca and Mercury seem shy about reissuing their catalogues. So thanks Chad.
2025-11-01 06:36:51 AM

Jack Pot wrote:

Hi Mark,

You are familiar with these recordings. What would be your 5 favourites? I understand you particularly praise Munch/La Mer, Reiner/Kije, Reiner?/Music for strings, percussion, celesta.
2025-11-02 08:46:46 PM

bill schweitzer wrote:

"I can only hope that more titles, ...not yet touched by Classic Records or Chesky, can see new life through this reissue program." AMEN.