BEETHOVEN: PIANO CONCERTO No4 DECCA SXL 2010 WBG ED1 EX

	£		37
	$		49

ARTIST

 WILHELM BACKHAUS WITH THE VIENNA PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA CONDUCTED BY HANS SCHMIDT-ISSERSTEDT

TITLE

PIANO CONCERTO No 4 IN G MAJOR

LABEL

DECCA (SXL 2010) STEREO WIDE BAND GROOVED ED1

YEAR

1958

CONDITION

RECORD

YOU ARE BIDDING ON A RARE LP OF 'BEETHOVEN'S PIANO CONCERTO No4' BY WILHELM BACKHAUS WITH THE VIENNA PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA. THIS IS AN ORIGINAL UK STEREO 1st PRESSING ON THE DECCA LABEL ISSUED IN 1958 AND HAS THE DECCA GROOVE RUNNING AROUND THE LABEL (WBG EDI). THIS IS THE VERY EARLIEST PRESSING OF THIS RECORD AND COMES WITH THE BLUE BORDER ON THE BACK OF THE SLEEVE. IT ALSO HAS THE DATE ABOVE THE CATALOGUE NUMBER AND THERE IS NO MENTION OF THE PLAYING SPEED. THE NEXT BATCH OF THESE PRESSED, WHICH ARE STILL ED1, HAD THE DATE BELOW THE CATALOGUE NUMBER AND 'SPEED 33 1/3 WAS WRITTEN ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE. THE VINYL ITSELF IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. SIDE ONE HAS ONE SMALL SCRATCH WHICH CAUSES A QUITE PRONOUNCED POP FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS BUT OTHER THAN THIS DISPLAYS JUST A COUPLE OF VERY LIGHT SURFACE MARKS ONLY VISIBLE BY TILTING THE RECORD IN THE LIGHT. SIDE TWO HAS A COUPLE OF THE VERY LIGHTEST SURFACE LINES BUT IS IN SUPERB OVERALL CONDITION. WHEN PLAYING, SURFACE NOISE IS ABSOLUTELY MINIMAL AND THERE IS JUST THE OCCASIONAL SOLITARY TICK HERE AND THERE. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED SCRATCH ON SIDE ONE, THERE ARE ABSOLUTELY NO OTHER SCRATCHES, HEAVY SURFACE LINES OR NEEDLE LINES AND NOTHING ELSE THAT CAUSES ANY UNDUE NOISE OR INTERFERENCE. THE VINYL STILL RETAINS AN EXCELLENT SHEEN AND LOOKS AS CLEAN AND BRIGHT AS IT DID WHEN NEW. IT PLAYS WITH NO STICKING, NO JUMPS AND NO CRACKLE ON THE RUN IN/OUT OR BETWEEN TRACKS. MORE IMPORTANTLY, THERE IS NO GROOVEWEAR AND NO DISTORTION. THIS RECORD HAS PROBABLY ONLY HAD VERY LIGHT USE AND HAS BEEN HANDLED WITH CARE. I WILL GRADE AS AN EXCELLENT AS THERE IS THE ONE SMALL DEFECT BUT THIS IS AN EXCEPTIONALLY CLEAN COPY FOR SUCH AN EARLY RECORD AND WITHOUT THE SMALL SCRATCH WOULD EASILY GRADE AS EXCELLENT PLUS. DO NOT MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PICK UP A SUPERB PRESSING  OF THIS 1950s RARITY.   

LABELS

BOTH LABELS ARE IN MINT CONDITION WITH NO WRITING OR STICKERS. THERE IS NO WEAR AROUND THE CENTRE HOLE AND JUST ONE OR TWO VISIBLE SPINDLE MARKS ON EITHER SIDE. THERE IS NO UNWANTED DIRT OR OTHER MARKS. THIS IS AN ORIGINAL 1st PRESSING BLACK AND SILVER DECCA LABEL WIDE BAND GROOVED. OVERALL, IN EXTREMELY NICE CONDITION.

SLEEVE

THE RECORD COMES IN IT'S ORIGINAL SLEEVE WHICH IS IN VERY GOOD PLUS CONDITION. THERE IS A LITTLE MINOR CREASING AND RINGWEAR ON THE FRONT AND A SMALL ONE INCH TEAR ON THE OPENING EDGE. THE CORNERS AND EDGES ARE IN GOOD CONDITION WITH JUST MINOR WEAR TO THE CORNERS. THERE IS A LITTLE TAPE RESIDUE ON THE TOP RIGHT HAND CORNER. THE SPINE IS INTACT WITH NO SPLITS AND IS NOT OF THE READABLE TYPE. THE LAMINATE IS ALL INTACT AND UNDAMAGED ALTHOUGH THERE IS THE ODD TINY PATCH STARTING TO LIFT. THERE IS NO WRITING ANYWHERE ON THE COVER. THE BACK IS CLEAN AND UNDAMAGED WITH JUST MINOR DISCOLOURATION AND A LITTLE VERY LIGHT RINGWEAR. THE FLIPBACKS ARE INTACT BUT THERE IS A LITTLE MINOR DAMAGE TO ONE CORNER OF THE LOWER ONE. THE SLEEVE HAS THE BLUE 'FULL FREQUENCY' TEXT BAND ALL THE WAY ROUND AND COMES WITH IT'S ORIGINAL 'FFSS' INNER SLEEVE. OVERALL, STILL IN NICE CONDITION FOR IT'S AGE.

GRADING

SLEEVE  VG   RECORD  EX

GRADING DESCRIPTIONS

MINT: A record that I know to be unplayed or one that is still sealed. The cover will be as new.

MINT-(MINUS): The record will be unmarked with no scratches or surface/scuff marks. It will probably have extremely faint sleeve removal marks visible under strong light. The cover will have the lightest of storage marks.

EXCELLENT+(PLUS): The record may have one or two very light, inaudible surface lines/marks but no scratches. There may be the occasional pop or click caused by dirt in the grooves due to age only audible between tracks or on the run in/out. Surface noise should be virtually non existent. the sleeve will show signs of use, but will be complete with no tears, splits or writing and no heavy creasing.

EXCELLENT: The record will be showing signs of light use with sleeve removal marks visible under strong light and inaudible surface marks. Record may have light needle lines, but not deep enough to be audible. A small amount of surface noise is possible due to dirt in the grooves. Still a very acceptable copy. The sleeve will display light use with some small creases but no splits or tears.

VERY GOOD + (PLUS): The record will have been played quite a few times and will have surface marks and light scratches, although most will be inaudible. It may have some light surface noise and a few pops and clicks caused mainly by dirt in the grooves due to age. The sleeve will have moderate wear with possible spine splitting and maybe some writing, but will still be acceptable.

VERY GOOD: The record will have been played quite a lot and will have light, audible scratches, but no sticks or jumps. The sleeve will be as above (VG+) but with the possibility of small tears.

GOOD: The record will be showing signs of heavy playing with quite a few audible scratches, some possibly heavy, but will still play through ok. The sleeve will show signs of heavy wear.

FAIR: The record will be just about playable, but will probably jump or stick. The sleeve will be badly damaged and torn.

I HAVE BEEN COLLECTING VINYL FOR THE PAST 35 YEARS AND SELLING FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS. ALL OF THE ITEMS THAT I OFFER FOR AUCTION HAVE BEEN CLEANED AND PLAY GRADED BY MYSELF ON QUALITY EQUIPMENT. I TRY TO BE AS HONEST AS I CAN WITH MY DESCRIPTIONS AND USE STRICT GRADINGS. IT WOULD NOT BE IN MY INTEREST TO DO OTHERWISE. HOWEVER, IF YOU ARE NOT 100% HAPPY WITH YOUR PURCHASE THEN PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT ME. A SOLUTION CAN ALWAYS BE SOUGHT. I OFFER A NO QUIBBLE, MONEY BACK GUARANTEE ON EVERYTHING I SELL SO PLEASE BID WITH CONFIDENCE. I WOULD APPRECIATE PAYMENT NO LATER THAN 7 DAYS AFTER THE END OF THE AUCTION. GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR BIDDING AND THANK YOU FOR LOOKING!!!!