Symphony No. 9 In D Minor, Op. 125 ("Choral") - Original 1955 UK His Master's Voice label LP

Rare 1955 UK His Master's Voice label 1st pressing 4-track 2LP set - the legendary recordings of Beethoven's final complete symphony from the re-openings of the Bayreuth Festival July 29th, 1951, with the great German conducter Wilhelm Furtwängler in front of the the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra - and featuring soprano Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, alto Elisabeth Höngen, tenor Hans Hopf and bass Otto Edelmann.

Vinyl has the generic red and gold printed company labels with top half, semicircular 'nipper' logo, curved, capital lettering, large fonted top rim company name.

Side 2 & 4 labels has embossed 'ET' taxcode in the narrow centre ring and vinyl has machine printed matrix information:
Side 1: 2XRA 16-2N, mother 1, stamper T
Side 2: 2XRA 17-2N, mother 1, stamper GR
Side 3: 2XRA 18-2N, mother 1 & 3, stamper GO
Side 4: 2XRA 19-3N, mother 1 & 3, stamper GD

Vinyls are held in era specific, polylined 'EMITEX' company inner sleeves - ultimate in separate fully laminated covers with pinched spines.

Condition: VG+(+) (Record 1 Vinyl and Labels)/VG+(+) (Record 2 Vinyl and Labels)/VG+(+) (Record 1 Cover)/VG (Record 2 Cover):
Vinyls are overall bright and lustrous - Side 2 and 4 have from a couple to three light and superficial hairlines, Side 1 and 3 are free from signs of play or handling.

Side 1 label has a light degree of diffuse spindletraces - looks like in the area of a handful really faint ones. Side 2 to 4 labels has from a single to a couple ones . hardly visible on Side 3 & 4, entirely superficial otherwise. Labels have no wear to centrehole itself and are easily graded near mint.

Side 2 and 4 vinyl are graded close to near mint/excellent - Side 1 & 3 vinyl are graded near mint - both records are overall conservatively close to near mint/excellent.

Cover for ALP 1286 has few fine signs of handling - small areas with a little laminate lift followed by a light degree of shelling in the mid-spine area and upper left, lower right extension flip regions.

Cover has a few spine wrinkles, tight seams except for half a cm towards opening, spine is nice and easily readable, opening edges with very little rubbing.

Spine corners are pointy, a little rubbing to opening corners. Cover is overall graded close to near mint/excellent.

Cover for ALP 1287 has likewise few signs of handling - the laminate lift along and shelling along opening is however more pronounced.
Cover has likewise a touch of wrinkling from spine and some lighter lines of laminate lift - no shelling - along back top extension flip.
Lower seam has a couple of cm's split against opening - upper seam less than a cm in the same area. Seams are otherwise intact without shelling or damage, spine is easily readable although the 't' in Furtwängler has been half obliterated, as it is the point of origin for one of the minor cover bends which inflicts very minor wrinkles.
Opening edges has a little light rubbing to front - probably the cause for the laminate lift. Although there is a little distraction from the laminate lift, the cover is still fine and the overall experience is great - Blake's magnificent artwork on the yellow base comes through nicely.
Cover for this one is grated upper VG or close to VG+.


Tracklisting:

Side 1:
1. 1st Movement: Allegro Ma Non Troppo, Un Poco Maestoso

Side 2:
1. 2nd Movement: Molto Vivace

Side 3:
1. 3rd Movement: Adagio Molto E Cantabile - Andante Moderato - Adagio

Side 4:
1. 4th Movement: Presto - Allegro Ma Non Troppo - Allegro Assai - Presto - Allegro Assai - Allegro Assai Vivace - Alla Marcia-Andante Maestro - Allegro Energico - Sempre Ben Marcato - Allegro Ma Non Tanto - Poco Adagio - Prestissimo

Recorded in the Festspielhaus, Bayreuth, July 29th, 1951.

Credits:
Wilhelm Furtwängler - Conductor
Elisabeth Schwarzkopf - Soprano Vocals
Elisabeth Höngen - Alto Vocals
Hans Hopf - Tenor Vocals
Otto Edelmann - Bass Vocals
Bayreuth Festival Chorus - Chorus
Wilhelm Pitz - Chorus Master
Bayreuth Festival Orchestra - Orchestra

Artwork:
William Blake - Front Cover artwork (The Ancient Of Days Striking The First Circle Of The Earth, Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester)
Dyneley Hussey - Liner Notes
Natalia MacFerren - English translation of Schillers 'Ode To Joy'
Camera Press Ltd. - Furwängler Photography