VinylAI 
Data as of Jul 19, 2026
Edgard Varèse – Arcana / Intégrales / Ionisation
1972 · UK · Decca · Vinyl LP Stereo
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Price guide
Estimated market value via Discogs · as of Jul 8, 2026
- MMint
- $77.83
- NMNear Mint
- $69.63
- VG+Very Good Plus
- $53.25
- VGVery Good
- $36.87
- G+Good Plus
- $20.48
- GGood
- $12.29
- FFair
- $8.19
- PPoor
- $4.10
13 copies listed on Discogs from $20.38.
These are reference estimates from Discogs sold/asking data for this exact pressing, not offers and not a guaranteed price. Actual value depends on condition, completeness and current demand. Any active seller offers on this page are listed separately above.
Offers
New to condition grades like NM or VG? Read our vinyl grading guide →
Pressing identification
Match these against your copy to confirm the exact pressing.
- Runout — side A
- ZAL-11125-1W UK 1
- Runout — side B
- ZAL-11126-1W UC 1
- Rights society
- Britico
- Lacquer Cut At
- Decca Studios
- Pressed By
- Decca Record Co. Ltd., Pressing Plant, UK.
Specifications
- Artist
- Edgard Varèse
- Genre
- Classical
- Style
- Contemporary
- Year
- 1972
- Label
- Decca
- Catalog number
- SXL 6550
- Country
- UK
Tracklist
- AArcana18:40
- B1Intégrales10:36
- B2Ionisation5:05
- Producer
- John Mordler
- Mastered By
- W
- Engineer
- James Lock
- Composed By
- Edgard Varèse
- Conductor
- William Kraft
- Conductor
- Zubin Mehta
About this record
The 1972 UK Decca pressing of Varèse's three masterworks carries matrix runouts ZAL-11125-1W and ZAL-11126-1W, stamped at the Decca Record Co. Ltd. pressing plant and identifiable by black narrow-band labels with silver print and matrix numbers in curly brackets. This first UK issue in catalogue SXL 6550 commands a steep condition gradient: Mint copies fetch 77.83 USD while Good+ examples trade at 20.48 USD, a spread that reflects the rarity of finding this avant-garde pressing in unplayed state.
What drives its value
Varèse's three-movement contemporary classical work on this UK Decca pressing sits at a critical juncture between collector enthusiasm and scarcity. The price guide shows M copies valued at 77.83 USD, NM at 69.63 USD, VG+ at 53.25 USD, and VG at 36.87 USD—a steep descent that underscores how few copies survive in higher grades.
Currently 13 copies are listed for sale, with the lowest asking 20.38 USD, suggesting most available stock grades below VG. Community data shows 288 collectors own it against 228 who want one, indicating steady but not frenzied demand.
The 1972 UK pressing stands apart from concurrent Spanish and later 1974 UK reissues of the same catalogue number; its first-issue status and original Decca pressing plant attribution support its premium positioning among the variants.
How to appraise this pressing
Confirm this pressing by the catalogue number SXL 6550 (shown as SXL.6550 on the labels themselves) and the Decca label imprint. The dead-wax runouts are the definitive identifier: side one reads ZAL-11125-1W UK 1, side two ZAL-11126-1W UC 1, both pressed at the Decca Record Co. Ltd. plant in the UK.
The labels are black with silver print, narrow-band format, and display matrix numbers enclosed in curly brackets; copyright notice ℗ 1972 appears at 9 o'clock on side 1 and 6 o'clock on side 2. The sleeve is front-laminated with boxed Decca logos, stereo symbol on spine, and back credits Senol Printing Limited and British Celanese Limited for the Clarifoil lamination.
Grading hinges on groove wear and surface noise: M means unplayed; NM shows minimal signs of play; VG+ permits light surface marks but no audible distortion; VG allows noticeable wear and light crackle during quiet passages.
Further reading: grading a record, what makes a pressing valuable.
Listen
Hear the album before you buy.
Official videos via YouTube.
Release notes
First UK issue with this cat. #
LABELS: - Black 'narrow band' labels with silver print - Matrix numbers in {curly brackets} - ℗ 1972 (at 9 o'clock) on side 1 - ℗ 1972 (at 6 o'clock) on side 2 - Made in England
SLEEVE: - Front laminated - Boxed Decca logo on front and back - Negative stereo Ⓢ on spine - "Printed in England by Senol Printing Limited." on back - "Laminated with 'Clarifoil' made by British Celanese Limited" on back - "© 1972, The Decca Record Company Limited, London." on back - Liner notes in English, German and French on back
CATALOG NUMBERS: - SXL 6550 on sleeve - SXL.6550 on labels
Notes sourced from the Discogs database.
Other pressings of this release
Different editions of the same album — pressing decides value.
Frequently asked
How do I distinguish this 1972 UK pressing from the Spanish 1972 pressing or the 1974 UK reissue?
All three share the catalogue number SXL 6550, but only the 1972 UK pressing carries the matrix runouts ZAL-11125-1W and ZAL-11126-1W from the Decca Record Co. Ltd. pressing plant. Inspect the dead-wax etchings on both sides; if they match those codes and include the UK plant attribution, you have the first UK issue. The Spanish 1972 variant will show different matrix codes or a Spanish pressing plant credit.
What is a VG+ copy worth, and how does that compare to lower grades?
The price guide values VG+ at 53.25 USD. A VG copy drops to 36.87 USD, and a G+ further to 20.48 USD. These are estimates as of the guide's survey date and reflect the steep premium for copies that have survived with minimal play wear—a critical factor for this avant-garde work, which attracts collectors seeking pristine audio fidelity.
Why is the condition spread so wide on this record?
Contemporary classical pressings from the 1970s were often purchased by serious collectors and played infrequently, but many copies were also subjected to heavy institutional or radio use. The gap between M (77.83 USD) and VG (36.87 USD) reflects the rarity of unplayed stock; most copies in circulation show audible surface noise or groove wear that significantly erodes value.
What do the label details tell me about authenticity?
Authentic 1972 UK Decca pressings display black narrow-band labels with silver print, matrix numbers in curly brackets, and the ℗ 1972 copyright symbol positioned at 9 o'clock on side 1 and 6 o'clock on side 2. The catalogue number appears as SXL.6550 on the labels (note the period). The sleeve credits Senol Printing Limited and British Celanese Limited's Clarifoil lamination on the back, details absent from reissues.
Is this pressing in high demand?
Community data shows 228 collectors want this record against 288 who own one, suggesting moderate but steady interest. The 13 copies currently for sale indicate limited inventory relative to demand, and the lowest asking price of 20.38 USD sits well below the VG estimate of 36.87 USD, suggesting most available stock is graded lower than VG.