Xhou Xuan's most beautiful pieces of Song

Zhou Xuan 1920-1957 A Shanghai Singer and actress. Who had made many memorial and melodic song... of the 1930’s This record was made from the original master mold plate of 1930-1940 stored in Shanghai Record company , passed to Pauler Acoustics Company in Germany for Further DMM master audio processing and touch up.

 Then sent to Pallas Group pressing company in Germany for mass production, The Vinyl is quiet, you would bother it is mono, it would create a lot of old Memory through the easy going melodic of the famous song like Shanghai Night (EMI B966 Record No. EMI 3565A Recording date Sep 21 1946, issue Date Jan 15 1947). And many other beautiful tunes! 

You would be amazed on what kind of sweet musical that was picked up by the tiny stylus drawing along the swinging grooves on the slow moving 33-1/3 RPM Disk… That is the Analogue Music … from the beginning to the End, pure Analogues… for all kind of sweet nostalgic memory of your first love. 

That warm tune is a kind of attitudes towards the master piece of the song writer sung by the most famous and Pretty Shanghais Singer Zhou Xuan in front of the Vacuum Tubes Microphone… in the Audio Recording room in Shanghai… 

The world was jealousy about this little talented singer and took her life away at only 37 years by a tumour in her brain! 

That was the tragedy.., for my idol.


Shanghai Snob

Eric Clapton - Unplugged / After Midnight

Eric Clapton's Unplugged was responsible for making acoustic-based music, and Unplugged albums in particular, a trend in the early '90s. Clapton's concert was not only one of the finest Unplugged episodes, but also some of the finest music he had recorded in years. The music was straightforwardt, alternating between his pop numbers and traditional blues songs. The result was some of the most genuine, heartfelt music the guitarist has ever committed to tape. And some of his most popular - the album sold over seven million copies in the U.S. Unplugged won the 1993 Grammy Awards for Album of the Year, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance and Best Male Rock Vocal Performance. "Tears In Heaven" won the Grammy for Song of the Year and "Layla" was named Best Rock Song. Mastered at Bernie Grundman Mastering. Two 180-gram LPs pressed at Pallas. Packaged in a two-pocket direct-to-board gatefold jacket at Furnace.

Never been released on vinyl in America before. Import copies came and -went, quickly becoming collectible. Now spread over two LPs!

Available in Sonata Kowloon.

HK Snob

One of my beloved Piano Music Frederic Chopin 10 Nocturnes No. 11-20

This is a very dynamic, vivid, clear, melodic Chopin Piano Music Played by Tamas Vasary Recorded by DGG in the year of 1959 I guessed! I used to listen once at least when I am at Home every week end.

I have 4 copies...

Highly Recommended!

HK Snob

The Japanese Romantic Guitar Delight for a Blue Afternoon

This is one of the favourite Guitar Music from JVC SVLP-1002, Paul ( the Hong Kong No. 1 Vinyl Collector sold me 3 year ago. This is a Japanese Pressing, Very Quiet, dynamic, the recording could pick up a lot of hidden detail of the Guitar under the delicate finger of Shoji Yokouchi and His Allstar Latin Combo.
Look at this Playing list.
1. History of Lover (historia de un amor)
2. Kiss me more (besame Mucho)

3. One Rainy night in Tokyo

4. Sway( quien Sera)

5. Save the last dance for me

6. Magic in the moonlight (te quiero dijiste)

7. With you darling (Sans toi mamie)

8. Littke Star (Estrellita)

9. Black Angels (angelitos negros)

10. Una Sera Di Tokyo (one night in Tokyo)

11. Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps (quizas, quizas, quizas)

12. You belong to my heart (solamente una vez)

The First one History of love , is my favourite music of guitar, a bolero composed by Garlos Almaran of Panama in 1955.

“ One Rainy Night in Tokyo” in international big hit composed by Japanese Composer Domei Suzuki.

The last one side one “magic in the Moonlight “Te Quiero Dijiste” means ‘You said- I love You-“ This sweet and romantic cansion of love was written by a female composer of Mexico , Marcia Grever in 1932.

Why I said Sad Afternoon, because of the Japanese Earthquake plus and my lovely feeling to one woman… who has not been able to understand me … thoroughly!
HK Snob

Tchaivosky's Patheque and Saint Valentine's day

When you are Sad, then you could have the feeling on what Tchaikovsky was thinking when he composed this great Music in 1893, The “Pathetique”.

The Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74, Pathétique is Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's final completed symphony, written between February and the end of August 1893. The composer led the first performance in Saint Petersburg on October 28 of that year, nine days before his death.

The third movement as my favourite portion revolves around two themes, a nervous, jittery motif in the woodwinds and a majestic march originating in the woodwinds. As a march, it is very un-military. Its harmonic structure is established on the tonic and subdominant rather than the more common tonic and dominant. The jittery theme completely gives way to the march theme at the short development. Eventually, the orchestra launches into a full, triumphant chorus of the brass theme at the movement's end, often leading the audience to believe that the symphony is over. I had been to listening to this masterpiece that some of the people clapped their hands at City hall Hong Kong. And the rest of the sheep followed! What a Shame…

Well, Only if you have suffer, bankruptcy, devoices, of your girl is running away, or your girl does not allow you to enter the room when you are horny. Then you know how emotional and arousing pity this music could be…

I am listening to this DMS, Delos, Digital Master Series, recorded in USA and Printed in Japan using the latest digital technology in 1985, The Claims frequency response from 0 to 21 Khz, Dynamic Range better than 90 db, S/N ratio better than 90 db…

They used Schoeps 221B omnidirectional microphones.

When listened to this LP, I did not feel that is Digital, but a sort of Mild Tube like warmth of Analogue Music… Worth your Turn Table,Tone Arm and the Precious Cartridge to work on this 40 minutes of Enjoyment! And better Cry out Loud for your beloved! “Darling, come Back Home!
Tomorrow will be St, Valentine’s day, may all the beloved should stay together…. And Enjoy Dinner under the Candle Light….!!! Listen to the heartily tender words from your lover!!

HK Snob

Why Louis Armstrong called " Satchmo"?

Armstrong's nickname is short for "Satchel mouth." This derogatory-sounding moniker was actually a compliment that referred to his generous mouth (which was also reported to be quite dirty). Some say his nickname stemmed from his wide, infectious grin, while others state it was a nickname he earned in band class as his cheeks blew up when he played the cornet.

Regardless, "Satchmo" was coined during a 1932 trip to London when a magazine editor greeted Armstrong with "Hello, Satchmo." Armstrong liked the shortened version of his nickname so much he used it as an album title. It stuck. As we learned from our research, Louis was also called "Pops" and "Sweet Papa Dip." Why the latter?

This is Satchmo plays King Oliver…

You will love it for even ten second for the Song one side A.. "St. James Infirmary"
Don't miss this Great LP applying rge MS Recording using two Telefunken microphone units in teh same housing with their respective direction of maximum sensitivity at 90 degrees or right angle to each other.
What A Satchmo!! Bravo!

HK Snob

18 Selections from the World's Finest Sounding Recording from Telarc Collection Volume 1

Telarc is the largest American owned, independent Classical Recording company, with significant releases in the crossover and jazz categories as well. Founded in 1977 by two Classical Musicians, jack Renner and Robert Woods, Telarc has always been in the forefront of Digital recording technology and is known throughput in the world for is exceptional high Quality Releases.

When I was “kid” I used to buy those LPs from Telarc. And This is a CD made in 1992, recording many great classical recording and some of the good jazz, Started with Copand Fanfare for the Common Man, Steiner Tara’s Theme from “ Gone with the Wind”.

The best tune is Side A No. 5 Gershwin” I got Plenty O’nuttin from Porgy & Bess.

It opens a new arean of Hi Fi using my Western Electric tubes output stage CD Player. And my new Telefunken ECC803S and Telefunken 6211 at my line amplifier. The Sound effect was so vivid that Woke me up all in sudden.

Highly recommended CD… If I can find the LP… Wow, that couldn’t be more Magnificent!
HK Snob

Emmanuelle Earthquake Fantasy; I am In love with you!

This is one of my favorite Records for testing your Stereo System, at that time when Earthquake was showed in HK in 1975 summer, the first 4 rows of seat of Mongkok Oil Sing Cinema were removed and installed stacks BGW power amplifiers and loudspeaker to create the live vivid earth quake effect. It was like real and shocked all the seats, ceiling, your popcorn would jumped out when the earthquake in movie came…

During the First day of the New Year. I took out this CD4 version of this disk and put it on my Linn Sondek LP12.

It was fantastic as it played Emmanuelle on the first side of the LP, the familiar melody of this erotic movie theme music just resembled what I had experienced in the past year with one of the most important women in my life… she is tender, Talked like ringing bell, perfect body profile, a kind of nose that is not coming with Chinese, whereby the have a special face profile, tall and slim, sweet and that one could not be ignored that he is in midst of his most happiest moment in his life….However,

After I flipped to the next Side, The first music was Earthquake. The powerful earthquake roared my heart, it broke my heart as much as she broke my heart. Since the first day of the year if Rabbit, we separated…nothing seems could do much to help unless I marry her.


In the last section of the movie Earthquake, Stewart Graff (Charlton Heston) was wipped away by catastrophic massive flow water in the sewage tunnel when he wanted to save his wife Remy Royce-Graff (Ava Gardner). I wish I could be Stewart in the Movie to show man’s greatest ego to die for love. …but in the real life of a lone man, I have too many responsibilities that I have to work for. Nothing hurts more than your woman leaves you….especially that you have not done anything wrong..

I had run a few rounds of the Emmanuelle and I could not stop thinking of her…
I think I won't hurt so much if I do not love her.

HK Snob

Kalinka The State Symphony Capella of Russia Chief Conductor Valeri Polyansky

The State Symphony Capella of Russia , Company of 50 singers, was found in 1991 by merging of former USSA Stats Chamber Choir under Valery Polyanskiy and the State Symphony Orchestra of he former Ministry of culture headed by Gennady Rozhdestvensky.

The Capella is a renowned for its flexibility in phrasing, rich and warm tone, nobility of expression nd skillfully balanced sounding sections. The Capella’s repertoire includes classical works by such composers as Mozart, Schubert, Bruckner, Liszt, Verdi, Cherubini, Brahms, Britten, Devork, to name a few as well as traditional Russian Folk Songs, Rachmaninov’s The Bells and Stravinksy’s Wedding are amongst the Capella’s extensive repertoire.
Apart from Performing in Russia, The Capella has toured to Spain, Hungary, France, Holland, Germany, Sweden, Canada, England, Italy, and other European Countries. Over the years the Capella has received critical acclaims for the groups’ flawless technique, beautiful, tone, clear and precise intonation and unfailing attention to poetic words, In 2005, the Capella has also made a debut tour to Far East Visiting Hong Kong and Mainland China to celebrate the Christmas.

This is the time that I had a chance to sit in the hall to enjoy the great singers in the Holy Christmas day 25 Dec 2010. They had a good arrangement of the songs and the Climax was the last song Kalinka , probably the most famous Russian Folk Songs!
Little Snowberry, snowberry,



Snowberry of mine!

Little raspberry in the garden,

My little raspberry,

As, under the pine, the green one, lay me down o sleep.

Ah, rock-a-baby.

Lay me down to sleep,

Little Snowberry, snowberry,

Snowberry of mine!

Little raspberry in the garden,

My little raspberry!

Ah, little pine, little green one,

Don't rustle above me.

Ah, rock-a-baby.

Don't rustle above me.

Little snowberry, snowberry, Snowberry of mine!

Little raspberry in the garden,

My little raspberry!

Ah, you beauty, Pretty maiden.

Take a fancy to me,

Ah, rock-a-baby,

Take a fancy to me,

Little snowberry, snowberry, snowberry of mine!

Little raspberry in the garden, my little raspberry!

HK Snob

Ken Choi Fung Wah, one of the greatest HK Singers.

I met Ken Choi as for the first time. It was Chui Wah, where he used to take dinner.
Tall, quiet, low key, put on his causal wear as you and me does... Wearing sun glasses as one of his eyes was hurt in 2003. I had a chat to him and found him a decent, polite,humble guy.. I hope he can come back for a Concert and I am sure there are a lot of fans supporting him; that of course including HK Snob.
Ken, wish you all success... one of you fans...

HK Snob