BERLIOZ Symphonie Fantastique MITROPOULOS MS 6030 SPEAKERS CORNER Test Pressing
$
31
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Description
SPEAKERS CORNER RECORDS • AUDIOPHILE TEST PRESSING
Ultra-Rare Factory Production Sample / Review Archive Copy
ALBUM HEADLINE
- Artist: New York Philharmonic Orchestra | Dimitri Mitropoulos
- Title: Hector Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique (Stereo)
- Recording Date: February 1957 in New York
- Speakers Corner Remaster Release Date: February 2017
ITEM SPECIFICATIONS
- Conductor: Dimitri Mitropoulos
- Orchestra: New York Philharmonic Orchestra
- Composer: Hector Berlioz
- Label: Speakers Corner Records
- Catalog Number: Columbia MS 6030
- Pressing Plant: Pallas (Germany)
- Format: 1 LP / Standard Sleeve / Stereo / 180g Audiophile Vinyl
- Price Code: SC01
- Barcode: 4260019715326
ARCHIVAL OVERVIEW
Up for auction is an exceptionally scarce grail piece for classical symphonic collectors and analog purists: an authentic Speakers Corner Records factory test pressing/sample sleeve copy of the historic 1957 stereo recording of Hector Berlioz’s monumental Symphonie fantastique, performed by Dimitri Mitropoulos and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra.
This rare piece features the official, original Speakers Corner production data sheet permanently affixed to the reverse side of the jacket. Prepared inside their German headquarters in anticipation of the February 2017 master release window, it outlines critical matrix tracking information, price codes, and recording provenance documenting the historic February 1957 sessions captured in New York.
Because test pressings represent the absolute first stampers pulled directly from the fresh matrix to evaluate audio integrity before commercial factory runs, they hold a revered place among high-fidelity collectors. They represent the absolute closest possible physical replication of the original master tape.
REPERTOIRE & PERFORMANCE NOTES
Composed in 1830, Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique is a revolutionary masterpiece of the French Romantic era. This massive, five-movement program symphony tells the hallucinatory and autobiographical story of a young artist dreaming his way through various intense episodes—fueled by the recurring, delusional theme of his beloved (the "idée fixe")—moving from a vibrant ball to a terrifying opium nightmare and his own macabre burial.
Among the many high-quality recordings of this impassioned piece, this interpretation by Dimitri Mitropoulos stands out as a true benchmark reference. Mitropoulos makes the rhythms pulsate, masterfully balances the immense orchestral weights of the New York Philharmonic, and blends the brass, woodwinds, and percussion with such precision that hidden textural details emerge beautifully upon every listen.
Track Listing:
- Hector Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14
VISUAL & PLAY-GRADE CONDITION REPORT
- Vinyl Grade: NEAR MINT (NM)
- The vinyl surfaces retain their full original high-gloss factory sheen. The disc appears exceptionally clean, free of any scratches, hairline marks, or sleeve scuffs. It plays beautifully with crisp, clear stereo separation, immense orchestral dynamic swings, and minimal to no background surface noise, standard for a premium Pallas test strike.
- Jacket/Sleeve Grade: NEAR MINT (NM)
- The outer jacket is crisp and highly preserved with sharp corners, firm edges, and a fully intact spine. The factory-applied Speakers Corner data cue sheet on the back is in exceptional condition, fully legible with no tears, staining, or handwriting. An outstanding archival presentation copy.
PROFESSIONAL AUDIOPHILE SHIPPING PROTOCOLS
- The vinyl record is safely removed from the outer jacket prior to packaging to eliminate any risk of seam splits, spine punches, or knife-edge travel damage during transit.
- Shipped exclusively inside a heavy-duty, dedicated corrugated cardboard LP mailer, flanked by extra internal cardboard stiffeners to resist bending.
- Full tracking, signature delivery verification, and premium carrier insurance coverage apply globally. Bid with absolute confidence!
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