VinylAI 
Data as of Sep 20, 2026
George Gershwin – Rhapsody In Blue • Second Rhapsody For Orchestra With Piano • Preludes • Unpublished Piano Works
1985 · US · CBS Masterworks · Vinyl LP Album Stereo
Price guide
Estimated market value via Discogs · as of Sep 26, 2026
- MMint
- $32.78
- NMNear Mint
- $29.33
- VG+Very Good Plus
- $22.43
- VGVery Good
- $15.53
- G+Good Plus
- $8.63
- GGood
- $5.18
- FFair
- $3.45
- PPoor
- $1.73
29 copies listed on Discogs from $1.37.
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
- $30ref VA-TF2NKMedia M · MintSleeve M🇺🇸 Ships from United States — Open to offers. Will send more pics upon request.
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.
- Runout — side A
- DAL 39699(HXAP) DAL-39699-G1H G1 A6(HXAP) DAL-39699 G1E G1 A8DBL 39698(HXMP) DAL-39699 G1E G1 B7
- Runout — side B
- DBL 39699(JXMP) DBL 39699 G1A G1 C5DBL 39699-1B D D1 F1DBL-39699-1B G B3
- Matrix / runout
- IM 39699
- Barcode (Printed)
- 0 7464-39699-1
- Barcode (Scanned)
- 074643969918
- Recorded At
- Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
- Recorded At
- RCA Studios, New York
- Pressed By
- Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Carrollton, GA
Specifications
- Artist
- George Gershwin
- Genre
- Classical
- Style
- Modern
- Year
- 1985
- Label
- CBS Masterworks
- Catalog number
- IM 39699
- Country
- US
- Barcode
- 0 7464-39699-1
Tracklist
- The 1920s
- A1Rhapsody In Blue (1924)15:45
- Preludes For Piano (1926)
- A3Short Story (1925, Reconstructed By Michael Tilson Thomas)2:53
- A4Violin Piece (Gershwin Melody No. 40)3:44
- The 1930s
- B1Second Rhapsody, For Piano And Orchestra (1932)14:12
- B2For Lily Pons (1933, Gershwin Melody No. 79, Realized By Michael Tilson Thomas)1:59
- B3Sleepless Night (1936, Gershwin Melody No. 17)4:28
- B4"Walking The Dog," Promenade For Piano Or Orchestra (1936)3:00
- Producer
- Steve Epstein
- Engineer
- Bud Graham
- Engineer
- Tim Geelan
- Composed By
- George Gershwin
- Conductor
- Michael Tilson Thomas
- Design
- Joel Zimmerman
About this record
The runout matrix (HXAP) DAL-39699-G1H on side A and (JXMP) DBL 39699 G1A on side B identifies this as a Columbia Records Carrollton, Georgia pressing, not an earlier domestic or foreign variant. Tilson Thomas's 1985 digital recording of Gershwin's piano works includes four premiere recordings—three on the B side and a restored edition premiere on B1—making this pressing historically significant beyond its catalog number IM 39699.
What drives its value
This CBS Masterworks pressing commands a wide condition-based spread: a Mint copy reaches 32.78 USD, while a VG+ sits at 22.43 USD and a VG at 15.53 USD. The lowest asking price in the current market is 1.37 USD across 29 copies for sale, indicating heavy supply relative to active demand.
The community holds 438 copies against only 35 want-list entries, a ratio that suppresses value despite the album's premiere recordings and Tilson Thomas's conducting credentials. The US domestic pressing (catalogue IM 39699) differs in market position from the same-year releases in other countries (referenced as variants 3833878 and 7149375), though all share identical matrix codes and recording sessions.
How to appraise this pressing
Verify the Carrollton pressing plant attribution via the runout matrix: side A reads (HXAP) DAL-39699-G1H G1 A6, and side B reads (JXMP) DBL 39699 G1A G1 C5. The catalogue number IM 39699 appears on the spine and label.
Navy blue and red CBS Masterworks labels with the logo and 1985 copyright mark (℗ CBS Inc.) confirm the release. Some copies carry a gold foil "For Promotion Only" stamp on the sleeve back; this does not affect the vinyl's grade but signals a promotional copy.
The factory-sealed outer plastic sleeve with adhesive strip stating "CBS Masterworks - Factory Sealed" is original to 1985 stock. Grade by examining the vinyl surface under light for hairline scratches and the label for wear; the Soundstream/Sony digital recording process leaves minimal surface noise on well-preserved copies.
Further reading: grading a record, how to sell vinyl.
Release notes
——Center labels info—— Digitally recorded Navy blue and red labels with "CBS Masterworks" logo ℗ 1985 CBS Inc.
——Sleeve info—— Some copies are marked with a "For Promotion Only" gold foil stamp over barcode on sleeve back Includes factory printed Masterworks cardboard inner sleeve Tracks A3, B2 to B4 are premiere recordings Track B1 is a premiere recording of the restored edition Recorded at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles, California, and RCA Studio A, New York City Digitally recorded using the Soundstream and Sony systems Uncredited sleeve notes in English. This album is dedicated to Ira Gershwin whose faith and guidance made it all possible
Outer Plastic Sleeve sealed with adhesive strip stating "CBS Masterworks - Factory Sealed"
Differs from 3833878 & 7149375 - countries of release.
Notes sourced from the Discogs database.
Frequently asked
How do I confirm this is the US Carrollton pressing and not a different country variant?
Check the dead-wax runout on both sides. Side A must show (HXAP) DAL-39699-G1H G1 A6, and side B must show (JXMP) DBL 39699 G1A G1 C5. These matrix codes are specific to the Columbia Records Pressing Plant in Carrollton, Georgia. The catalogue number IM 39699 on the label and spine also confirms the US release; other countries used different catalogue numbers (3833878 and 7149375 are documented variants).
What is a VG+ copy worth in today's market?
According to the price guide, a VG+ graded copy is valued at 22.43 USD. This represents an estimate as of the guide's most recent update. The actual selling price depends on market conditions; the lowest current asking price across 29 copies for sale is 1.37 USD, reflecting oversupply at the budget end.
Which tracks on this album are premiere recordings?
Tracks A3 and B2 through B4 are premiere recordings—compositions never commercially recorded before this 1985 session. Track B1 is also a premiere recording, but specifically of a restored edition of the work. These premiere status tracks are the primary historical value driver for collectors, as they capture Tilson Thomas's interpretations of previously unrecorded Gershwin material.
What is the condition spread between Mint and VG on this pressing?
A Mint copy is priced at 32.78 USD, while a VG copy is valued at 15.53 USD. The gap reflects the sensitivity of 1985 digital pressings to surface wear; the Soundstream and Sony digital recording systems capture every microscopic imperfection, so condition grading is strict.
Why is demand so low if this contains premiere recordings?
The community data shows 438 collectors own this pressing against only 35 on want lists, a 12-to-1 have-to-want ratio. The low demand likely stems from the album's narrow appeal: it targets Gershwin specialists and Tilson Thomas conductors rather than general classical buyers. The oversupply (29 copies currently for sale) and the promotional stamp on many copies suggest CBS Masterworks distributed it widely, flooding the secondary market.