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Richard StraussEin Heldenleben Op. 40

Vinyl pressings

Ein Heldenleben Op. 40

by Richard Strauss · 1959

40 pressings10 countriesLate RomanticOrchestraTone PoemClassical

Ein Heldenleben Op. 40 was first pressed on vinyl in 1959. 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 Ein Heldenleben Op. 40

4 pressings came out in 1959, the album's first year, in 2 countries. 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.

Not sure how to read the runout? See matrix numbers, runout and dead wax and how to tell a first pressing.

All 40 vinyl pressings

By decade, oldest first. Open a pressing for its full label, barcode and runout details.

1950s4 pressings
YearCountryLabel and catalog numberFormat
1959GermanyDeutsche Grammophon LPM 18 550First yearLP, Mono · MonoLP, Mono · Mono
1959GermanyDeutsche Grammophon LPM 18 550First yearLP, Promo · PromoLP, Promo · Promo
1959USDeutsche Grammophon DGM 12022First yearLP, Mono · MonoLP, Mono · Mono
1959GermanyDeutsche Grammophon SLPM 138 025First yearLP, StereoLP, Stereo
1960s15 pressings
YearCountryLabel and catalog numberFormat
1960USDeutsche Grammophon DGS 712022LP, StereoLP, Stereo
1960GermanyDeutsche Grammophon SLPM 138 025LP, StereoLP, Stereo
1962GermanyDeutsche Grammophon LPM 18 550LP, Mono · MonoLP, Mono · Mono
1962SpainDeutsche Grammophon 138 025LP, Mono · MonoLP, Mono · Mono
1963GermanyDeutsche Grammophon LPM 18 550LP, Repress, Mono · MonoLP, Repress, Mono · Mono
1963GermanyDeutsche Grammophon LPM 18 550LP, Repress, Mono · MonoLP, Repress, Mono · Mono
1964GermanyDeutsche Grammophon 138 025 SLPMLP, Card Backed, Repress, Stereo · Colored vinylLP, Card Backed, Repress, Stereo · Colored vinyl
1966GermanyDeutsche Grammophon SLPM 138 025LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo · Colored vinylLP, Album, Reissue, Stereo · Colored vinyl
1966GermanyDeutsche Grammophon SLPM 138 025LP, Album, Reissue, StereoLP, Album, Reissue, Stereo
1966GermanyDeutsche Grammophon 138 025 SLPM / Deutsche Grammophon SLPM 138 025LP, Reissue, StereoLP, Reissue, Stereo
1966GermanyDeutsche Grammophon 138 025 SLPM / Deutsche Grammophon SLPM 138 025LP, Reissue, StereoLP, Reissue, Stereo
1966GermanyDeutsche Grammophon 138 025 SLPMLP, Reissue, StereoLP, Reissue, Stereo
1966GermanyDeutsche Grammophon 138 025 SLPM / Deutsche Grammophon SLPM 138 025LP, Reissue, StereoLP, Reissue, Stereo
1969SpainDeutsche Grammophon LPM 18 550LP, Reissue, Mono · MonoLP, Reissue, Mono · Mono
1969SpainDeutsche Grammophon 138 025 SLPMLP, Album, ReissueLP, Album, Reissue
1970s4 pressings
YearCountryLabel and catalog numberFormat
1975GermanyDeutsche Grammophon 138 025LP, Reissue, StereoLP, Reissue, Stereo
1976CanadaDeutsche Grammophon 2535 194LP, Reissue, StereoLP, Reissue, Stereo
1976UKDeutsche Grammophon 2535 194LP, Album, Reissue, StereoLP, Album, Reissue, Stereo
1978GermanyDeutsche Grammophon 2535 194LP, Reissue, StereoLP, Reissue, Stereo
1990s1 pressing
YearCountryLabel and catalog numberFormat
1998GermanyDeutsche Grammophon 138 025 SLPMLP, Album, Reissue, Test Pressing, Stereo · Test pressingLP, Album, Reissue, Test Pressing, Stereo · Test pressing
2000s1 pressing
YearCountryLabel and catalog numberFormat
2009JapanDeutsche Grammophon UCJG-9030LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Stereo · LimitedLP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Stereo · Limited
2010s1 pressing
YearCountryLabel and catalog numberFormat
2017EuropeDeutsche Grammophon 479 7219LP, Album, Reissue, StereoLP, Album, Reissue, Stereo
Year unknown14 pressings
YearCountryLabel and catalog numberFormat
?FranceDeutsche Grammophon 2535 194LP, AlbumLP, Album
?GermanyDeutsche Grammophon 138 025 SLPMLP, Album, Reissue, StereoLP, Album, Reissue, Stereo
?GermanyDeutsche Grammophon 138 025 / Deutsche Grammophon 138 025 SLPMLP, Album, Reissue, StereoLP, Album, Reissue, Stereo
?GermanyDeutsche Grammophon 2535 194LP, Album, ReissueLP, Album, Reissue
?GermanyDeutsche Grammophon DGM 12022LP, Promo, Mono · Promo, MonoLP, Promo, Mono · Promo, Mono
?GermanyDeutsche Grammophon SLPM 138 025LP, StereoLP, Stereo
?GermanyDeutsche Grammophon 138 025 / Deutsche Grammophon 138 025 SLPMLP, Album, Reissue, StereoLP, Album, Reissue, Stereo
?ItalyDeutsche Grammophon 138 025LP, Album, ReissueLP, Album, Reissue
?JapanDeutsche Grammophon MGX7003LP, Mono · MonoLP, Mono · Mono
?JapanDeutsche Grammophon MGX 7003 (2535 194)LP, StereoLP, Stereo
?JapanDeutsche Grammophon SLGM-1181LP, Reissue, StereoLP, Reissue, Stereo
?NetherlandsDeutsche Grammophon 138 025LP, Album, ReissueLP, Album, Reissue
?UKDeutsche Grammophon 138 025 SLPM / Deutsche Grammophon 138025LP, Album, StereoLP, Album, Stereo
?UKDeutsche Grammophon 2535 194 / Deutsche Grammophon 2535-194LP, Album, Reissue, StereoLP, Album, Reissue, Stereo

Tracklist

  1. Ein Heldenleben

Questions

How many vinyl pressings of Ein Heldenleben Op. 40 are there?

40 vinyl pressings of Ein Heldenleben Op. 40 are listed here, from 10 countries, released between 1959 and 2017.

When was Ein Heldenleben Op. 40 first released on vinyl?

The earliest pressings are from 1959, in Germany, US. One of them is Deutsche Grammophon SLPM 138 025, released May 1959.

How do I tell if my copy of Ein Heldenleben Op. 40 is a first pressing?

Check the catalog number on the label (first-year pressings use SLPM 138 025, LPM 18 550, DGM 12022) and the codes etched in the runout groove, then compare them with the pressings listed above. Later reissues often keep the catalog number but change the label design or the runout codes.

How much is Ein Heldenleben Op. 40 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.

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