US
1967- Label and catalog number
- Columbia Masterworks MS 7088
- Format
- LP, Stereo
- Runout / matrix
o XXSM135126-1E I T D3Runout A, stamped, '3' etched
XXSM135127-1F I o T A4Runout B, stamped, '4' etched
XSM 135126Label A
XSM 135127Label B
Vinyl pressings
Moonlight Sonata / Appassionata Sonata / Pathétique Sonata
by Ludwig van Beethoven · 1967
20 pressings7 countriesClassicalRomanticSonataPiano
Moonlight Sonata was first pressed on vinyl in 1967. Every vinyl pressing is listed below with its label, catalog number and runout codes, so you can tell an original from a reissue.
How to spot a first pressing of Moonlight Sonata
3 pressings came out in 1967, the album's first year. Compare the label and catalog number on your copy, then the codes etched or stamped in the runout groove (the dead wax around the label): they are the surest sign of an early pressing.
US
1967- Label and catalog number
- Columbia Masterworks ML 6488
- Format
- LP, Mono
US
1967- Label and catalog number
- Columbia Masterworks MS 7088
- Format
- LP, Stereo · Pitman Pressing
- Runout / matrix
o XXSM135126-1J 2 P A2Runout A side
o XXSM135127-1J 1 P A3Runout B side
XSM 135126Label A side
XSM 135127Label B side
Not sure how to read the runout? See matrix numbers, runout and dead wax and how to tell a first pressing.
All 20 vinyl pressings
By decade, oldest first. Open a pressing for its full label, barcode and runout details.
1960s3 pressings
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | US | Columbia Masterworks MS 7088First yearLP, Stereo | LP, Stereo |
| 1967 | US | Columbia Masterworks ML 6488First yearLP, Mono · Mono | LP, Mono · Mono |
| 1967 | US | Columbia Masterworks MS 7088First yearLP, Stereo | LP, Stereo |
1970s5 pressings
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Canada | Columbia Masterworks MS 7413LP, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Reissue, Stereo |
| 1970 | US | Columbia Masterworks MS 7413LP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1974 | Japan | CBS/Sony SOCM 83LP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1979 | Europe | CBS CBS 61861 / CBS 61 861LP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1979 | Germany | CBS 61 861LP, Album | LP, Album |
1980s1 pressing
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Hungary | CBS SLPXL 12607 / Hungaroton SLPXL 12607LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
Year unknown11 pressings
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| ? | Australia | CBS Masterworks SBR-235371 / CBS SBR-235371LP, Album | LP, Album |
| ? | Canada | Columbia Masterworks MS 7088LP, Stereo | LP, Stereo |
| ? | Canada | Columbia Masterworks MS 7088LP, Stereo | LP, Stereo |
| ? | Canada | Columbia Masterworks MS 7088LP, Stereo | LP, Stereo |
| ? | Canada | Columbia Masterworks MS 7413LP, Stereo | LP, Stereo |
| ? | Japan | CBS/Sony 18AC 962LP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| ? | Japan | CBS/Sony YDSC-141LP, Reissue, Repress, Stereo | LP, Reissue, Repress, Stereo |
| ? | US | CBS MS 7413LP, Album, Repress | LP, Album, Repress |
| ? | US | CBS MS 7413LP, Album, Repress | LP, Album, Repress |
| ? | US | Columbia Masterworks MS 7413LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| ? | US | Columbia Masterworks MS 7413LP | LP |
Tracklist
- Sonata No. 8 In C Minor, Op. 13, "Pathétique"
- Sonata No. 14 In C-Sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2, "Moonlight"
- Sonata No. 23 In F Minor, Op. 57, "Appassionata"
Questions
How many vinyl pressings of Moonlight Sonata are there?
20 vinyl pressings of Moonlight Sonata are listed here, from 7 countries, released between 1967 and 1984.
When was Moonlight Sonata first released on vinyl?
The earliest pressings are from 1967, in US. One of them is Columbia Masterworks MS 7088.
How do I tell if my copy of Moonlight Sonata is a first pressing?
Check the catalog number on the label (first-year pressings use MS 7088, ML 6488) and the codes etched in the runout groove, then compare them with the pressings listed above; for example, o XXSM135126-1E I T D3 and XXSM135127-1F I o T A4. Later reissues often keep the catalog number but change the label design or the runout codes.
How much is Moonlight Sonata on vinyl worth?
It depends on which pressing you have and on the condition of the record and its sleeve. Early pressings from the album's home country in near mint condition are usually worth the most; common later reissues are worth far less. Scan your copy with VinylLens to see its value for every grade.
