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Welcome to this profile of Siegmund Forst, taken from the Fall Issue of Liner Notes. Launched in January 2022, Liner Notes is a classical music quarterly, an e-zine (pdf format) distributed to our subscribers. Our focus is on historical artists and recordings, generally speaking from the 78rpm era through the early days of stereo, with an emphasis on the golden age of the LP. We often try to profile lesser-known figures; thus, instead of another piece on Wilhelm Furtwängler, we profiled Swedish conductor Tor Mann. We also try to recognize the contributions of those “behind the scenes”; e.g., producers and sound engineers, as well as graphic designers whose work has made great albums possible.
Each issue runs to approximately 200 pages and consists of 2-3 extended articles, plus numerous recurring departments. These include:
Quotes, Anecdotes and Caricatures – tidbits of wit and wisdom from artists and composers
On the Web – 2 to 3 sites of interest to the classical music lover are featured each quarter
Rarissima – Forgotten and/or elusive recordings from the 78rpm and LP era; e.g., Izler Solomon’s first LP recording, made with the Columbus Philharmonic Orchestra for Discovery Records in 1950
From the Archives – landmark recordings from the back catalog; e.g., Frederick Riddle’s 1937 account of Walton’s Viola Concerto, the works’ gramophone debut
Soundings – the history of recording; e.g., German sound engineer Helmut Krüger, who helped pioneer the use of magnetic tape during World War II, technology that would revolutionize the art of recording
Portraiture & Design – examines the various cover art designs for a particular recording and the artists behind them; for example, Toscanini’s 1950 RCA recording of La Mer, in all its iterations on LP and CD
Store Profile – here, we visit an internet-based and/or brick-and-mortar shop somewhere in the world that sells classical LPs and/or CDs. In the past we have profiled HMV Japan, AudiophileUSA, and Bongiovanni, Italy’s oldest record store
Label Profile – every quarter an historical label is featured; these have included Marston Records, St-Laurent Studio (78rpm Experience), Parnassus Records, Clarinet Classics and others
The Art of Cover Art – here, a particular artist or photographer is profiled in depth; examples include Christian Steiner, Joe Weitz and Robert Velde
Desert Island Discs – as the name suggests, indispensable recordings for the ages
The Curiosity Shop – unusual recordings, memorabilia, or artifacts from the world of classical music; e.g., RCA Victor’s “picture disc” series that took in Sarasate, Caruso, Stokowski and others.
Book Department – both recent and interesting out-of-print books are surveyed every quarter
Film Department – classical music-related feature films, documentaries and television series are discussed here.
Performer as Composer – here we focus on artists better known as performers, but who also composed; e.g., pianist Shura Cherkassky and conductor Serge Baudo.
Liner Notes subscribers are sometimes afforded exclusive discounts at the labels and/or shops we profile. Please consider joining us; a one-year subscription is only $20.00 USD.
I would like to thank author Cynthia Elyce Rubin for allowing us to publish her invaluable profile of the great artist, calligrapher and author Siegmund Forst, a remarkable individual whose artistic impact continues to this day.
Please write with any questions. Thank you.
— Warm wishes, Joe Moore / Editor, Liner Notes Magazine
