Giulini: Brahms Haydn Vars + Schubert Unfinished - Columbia 33CX 1778

Jacket EX / LP EX / English pressing

This beautiful LP from Columbia (33CX 1778, English EMI pressing, blue/gold label, laminated flipback cover, mono) features Carlo Maria Giulini and the Philharmonia Orchestra's classic accounts of Schubert's Symphony No. 8 in B minor D. 759 "Unfinished"* and Brahms's Variations on a Theme by Haydn Op. 56a "St. Anthony", recorded in the rich acoustics of London's Kingsway Hall on 25/26 and 27* January 1961. This is exalted orchestral playing, and conducting, by any measure – the sound throughout is glorious.

Wrote the outstanding editor, writer, and critic David Hurwitz for ClassicsToday: "Giulini's Philharmonia version of the Haydn Variations is outstanding, with excellent wind playing and an imposing climax to the final passacaglia leading to a truly joyous windup."

Incidentally, the lovely cover art reprints Jacob Grimmer's "Landscape with Castle", held at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Brussels. The liner notes on the reverse side of the jacket (in English only) were written by Noel Goodwin, while the photo of Giulini on the back was taken by Angus McBean.

CONDITION:

The gradations of condition I use are as follows: MINT, Near-Mint, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor.

The condition of the jacket is EXCELLENT. There is slight bumping/wear at corners, minor edgewear, and two small former price stickers to the rear panel. However, there are no seamsplits, bends, or owners' markings and the album remains perfectly solid, bright, glossy, and attractive (the laminate finish perfectly intact) – overall, an excellent collector's copy.

The condition of the LP itself is EXCELLENT++. Although the surfaces are not CD silent, in general the playback is superb. The labels are free of spindle trails and the vinyl retains a high gloss. If you must have a flawless copy, however, then please do not buy this LP. Overall, this rates as a truly excellent collector's copy.