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Data as of Oct 18, 2026
Georg Friedrich Händel – Royal Fireworks Music / The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra
1949 · US · Columbia Masterworks · Vinyl LP Mono
Price guide
Estimated market value via Discogs · as of Oct 18, 2026
- MMint
- $10.28
- NMNear Mint
- $9.20
- VG+Very Good Plus
- $7.04
- VGVery Good
- $4.87
- G+Good Plus
- $2.71
- GGood
- $1.62
- FFair
- $1.08
- PPoor
- $0.54
6 copies listed on Discogs from $4.44.
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 · 1
- $7.50ref VA-BM37XMedia VG · Very GoodSleeve VG🇺🇸 Ships from United States
The Discogs price estimate is a separate reference; offer prices above are sellers’ own.
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.
- Matrix / runout
- XLP 1281 1AXLP 2182 1A
Specifications
- Artist
- Georg Friedrich Händel
- Genre
- Classical
- Style
- Baroque, Modern
- Year
- 1949
- Label
- Columbia Masterworks
- Catalog number
- ML 4197
- Country
- US
Tracklist
- Royal Fireworks Music
- BThe Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra, Op.34
- Conductor
- Sir Malcolm Sargent
About this record
The runout matrix XLP 1281 1A on side A identifies this as a Columbia Masterworks pressing from 1949, paired with XLP 2182 1A on the reverse. Sir Malcolm Sargent's pairing of Händel's Royal Fireworks Music with Britten's Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra (Op. 34) arrived on a single LP catalogue ML 4197, marked "Nonbreakable" microgroove vinyl for the US market.
Only 6 copies are listed for sale across the secondary market, despite 62 collectors owning one.
What drives its value
This 1949 Columbia Masterworks pressing trades on condition more than rarity: a Mint copy reaches 10.28 USD, while a VG+ example settles at 7.04 USD and a VG copy at 4.87 USD. The current lowest asking price sits at 4.44 USD.
The gap between Mint and VG+ reflects the age of the pressing and the fragility of early microgroove vinyl; few copies survive without groove wear or surface noise. Demand is modest—only 5 collectors want it against 62 who own one—suggesting this is a steady catalog title rather than a chase pressing.
Its value lies in the pairing itself: Sargent's orchestral interpretations and the educational weight of Britten's variations make it a reference recording for mid-century classical collectors, not a speculative buy.
How to appraise this pressing
Confirm this pressing by the catalogue number ML 4197 printed on both sleeve and label. The dead-wax runouts are the key identifier: side A reads XLP 1281 1A and side B reads XLP 2182 1A.
The label will state "Nonbreakable" and reference US patents pending, along with microgroove notation. The sleeve credits Sir Malcolm Sargent conducting the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and lists the Händel suite as transcribed by Sir Hamilton Harty, with Britten's Op. 34 on the reverse.
Grading this pressing requires close attention to the vinyl surface under light: early Columbia microgroove pressings are prone to light surface noise even when played gently. Check for groove wear by listening to the quieter passages in the Alla Siciliana and the fugue section; these reveal wear that visual inspection alone may miss.
Label condition is secondary to vinyl condition on this title.
Further reading: grading a record, how to sell vinyl.
Release notes
cat # on sleeve : ML 4197 cat # on disc : ML 4197 Nonbreakable (XLP 1281 (A side) -- XLP 1282 (B side)) Disc A side notifications : Handel : Suite From "Royal Fireworks Music" (Transcribed by Sir Hamilton Harty) Sir Malcolm Sargent conducting the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Band No. 1 : Overture -- Band No. 2 : Alla Siciliana -- Band No. 3 : Bourée -- Band No. 4 : Minuetto Long Playing LP Microgroove -- Trade Marks Reg. U.S. Pat Off Marcas Registradas Made in USA Pats Pending Trade Mark Disc B side notifications : Benjamin Britten : The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra, Op. 34 (Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell) Sir Malcolm Sargent conducting the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Long Playing LP Microgroove -- Trade Marks Reg. U.S. Pat Off Marcas Registradas Made in USA Pats Pending Trade Mark
Notes sourced from the Discogs database.
Frequently asked
What is the catalogue number and how do I find it?
The catalogue number is ML 4197, printed on the sleeve front and repeated on the label center. The dead-wax matrix codes—XLP 1281 1A on side A and XLP 2182 1A on side B—confirm this is the original 1949 Columbia pressing rather than a later reissue.
How much is a VG+ copy worth?
According to the price guide, a VG+ copy is valued at 7.04 USD. This represents a record that shows light surface noise and minor groove wear but plays without skipping or significant distortion. The current lowest asking price across all listings is 4.44 USD.
What is the difference between a Mint and a VG copy on this record?
A Mint copy is priced at 10.28 USD, while a VG copy is valued at 4.87 USD. The Mint grade assumes the vinyl is unplayed or nearly so, with no audible surface noise. A VG copy will have noticeable groove wear and surface noise during quiet passages, particularly in the Britten variations.
Why is demand so low if this is a Sargent/Britten recording?
Only 5 collectors want this pressing against 62 who own one, suggesting it is well-distributed and not scarce. The pairing is educational rather than rare; Britten's Young Person's Guide was recorded many times, and Sargent's Fireworks Music is available on multiple labels and pressings. It holds steady value as a reference recording but does not command collector premium.
Is this the original 1949 pressing or a reissue?
This is the original 1949 US pressing on Columbia Masterworks. The matrix codes XLP 1281 1A and XLP 2182 1A, the "Nonbreakable" microgroove designation, and the patent pending notices all confirm first-issue status. Later Columbia reissues used different matrix codes and label designs.