The original Command lp pressings had black print over a gold field. The album jackets also had a thick dowel spine. The re-issued Commands had black print on the record label with the Command logo framed by a rainbow colored rectangle along with a small black circle on which ABC(signifying ABC Paramount)was printed in white. All this appeared over a pale, off white background. There were no dowel spines on the album covers. Though most of the originals were done with William Steinberg and the Pittsburgh Symphony,others included some different classical and non classical artists. Boxed sets of the Brahms and Beethoven Symphonies with Steinberg contained the ABC labels, not the original gold Command labels. I cannot speak for the sound quality on any of the re-issues, since I had no interest in buying them. In general, I have never been a great fan of classical lp re-issues. I've heard relatively few that could approach the sound quality of the originals. However, I do own Steinberg's original Command performances of Brahms' First,Second and Third Symphonies. His Brahms Fourth was never issued individually on Command, but he did record the latter with the Pittsburgh Symphony on Everest years before his Command renditions. To my ears, the sound presented on the Steinberg/Command originals IS indeed realistic and natural. No hype, no nonsense, not overly analytical and none of the treble emphasis found on so many recordings elsewhere. Record surfaces are also very nice. Good luck and happy hunting!
Incidentally, about 50 years ago I attended a concert given by Steinberg and the Pittsburgh Symphony, and had the opportunity to chat with him off stage afterward. He was a very gregarious man, with a marvelous sense of humor that reminded me a lot of Victor Borge, the well known comedian/pianist. To this day, Steinberg remains one of the most underrated conductors from the Golden era of classical artists and recordings.
