VinylAI 
Data as of Oct 18, 2026
Giuseppe Verdi – Il Trovatore
1978 · Germany · Die Stimme Seines Herrn · Vinyl LP Album Quadraphonic, Box Set
Price guide
Estimated market value via Discogs · as of Oct 18, 2026
- MMint
- $9.81
- NMNear Mint
- $8.78
- VG+Very Good Plus
- $6.71
- VGVery Good
- $4.65
- G+Good Plus
- $2.58
- GGood
- $1.55
- FFair
- $1.03
- PPoor
- $0.52
16 copies listed on Discogs from $2.36.
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
- €8ref VA-3GD9JMedia VG+ · Very Good PlusSleeve VG+🇪🇸 Ships from Spain
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
- 02 981 A-3-Q02 982 A-1-Q02 983 A-1-Q
- Runout — side B
- 02 981 B-1-Q02 982 B-1-Q02 983 B-1-Q
- Label Code
- LC 0233(On Label)
- Other
- 1C 165-02 981 Q(Cat # LP1)
- Other
- 1C 165-02 9812 Q(Cat # LP2)
- Other
- 1C 165-02 983 Q(Cat # LP3)
- Recorded At
- Berliner Philharmonie
- Printed By
- Rheinland-Druck
- Record Company
- EMI
Specifications
- Artist
- Giuseppe Verdi
- Genre
- Classical
- Style
- Opera, Romantic
- Year
- 1978
- Label
- Die Stimme Seines Herrn, His Master's Voice
- Catalog number
- 1C 165-02 981/83 Q
- Country
- Germany
Tracklist
- Il Trovatore = Der Troubadour
- Producer
- Michel Glotz
- Chorus Master
- Walter Hagen-Groll
- Engineer
- Wolfgang Gülich
- Conductor
- Herbert Von Karajan
- Photography By
- Siegfried Lauterwasser
About this record
Herbert Von Karajan's 1978 Berlin Philharmoniker recording of Il Trovatore was pressed in Germany as a quadraphonic box set on His Master's Voice / Die Stimme Seines Herrn, catalogue 1C 165-02 981/83 Q. The four-disc set carries matrix runouts 02 981 A-3-Q, 02 981 B-1-Q, 02 982 A-1-Q, and 02 982 B-1-Q, marking the quadraphonic mastering variant.
Demand sits at 11 want against 52 in the community have, signaling steady collector interest in this particular pressing over its reissue counterparts.
What drives its value
The price_guide values this pressing from 0.52 USD in Poor condition up to 9.81 USD in Mint, with a VG+ copy estimated at 6.71 USD and VG at 4.65 USD. The lowest asking price across 16 active listings stands at 2.36 USD, reflecting the soft market for quadraphonic operatic sets from this era.
The 1978 German pressing commands less than original mono or stereo variants because quadraphonic playback requires specialized equipment; collectors pursuing the Karajan Il Trovatore typically prioritize the stereo 1C 165-02 981/83 release instead. The 11 want against 52 have indicates this quadraphonic box remains a secondary choice, though the Berliner Philharmoniker and Leontyne Price's soprano draw niche interest among Verdi specialists.
How to appraise this pressing
Confirm this pressing by the catalogue number 1C 165-02 981/83 Q printed on the spine and label. The four vinyl discs must show the matrix runouts 02 981 A-3-Q and 02 981 B-1-Q on sides 1 and 2, and 02 982 A-1-Q and 02 982 B-1-Q on sides 3 and 4; the -Q suffix is essential to distinguish the quadraphonic cut from stereo pressings.
The label reads His Master's Voice or Die Stimme Seines Herrn (both appear on German pressings of this catalogue). The booklet includes notes, synopsis, and artist biographies in German and English plus the full Italian libretto with German translation only—absence of Italian translation is a marker of the German market pressing.
Grade by surface cleanliness and groove wear; quadraphonic pressings suffer accelerated wear because the groove geometry demands precise tracking force, so VG+ copies with minimal crackle are scarce.
Further reading: grading a record, how to sell vinyl.
Listen
Hear the album before you buy.
Official videos via YouTube.
Release notes
Opera first staged at the Teatro Apollo, Rome, January 19, 1853.
Recorded: Philharmonie Berlin, September 1977
Booklet contains notes, synopsis and artist biographies in German and English plus full Italian libretto with German translation only.
Notes sourced from the Discogs database.
Frequently asked
What is the catalogue number for this Karajan Il Trovatore quadraphonic box?
1C 165-02 981/83 Q. The Q suffix denotes quadraphonic mastering. The four discs carry matrix runouts 02 981 A-3-Q, 02 981 B-1-Q, 02 982 A-1-Q, and 02 982 B-1-Q in sequence.
How much is a VG+ copy worth?
The price_guide estimates 6.71 USD for a VG+ copy as of the guide date. The lowest asking price across 16 listings is 2.36 USD, though that reflects heavily played or damaged stock; VG+ examples typically sell between 4.65 USD (VG) and 6.71 USD (VG+).
When was this recording made and where?
Recorded in September 1977 at the Philharmonie Berlin. The pressing itself dates to 1978 and was manufactured in Germany for the German market.
Why is this quadraphonic pressing less sought than the stereo version?
Quadraphonic playback requires a four-channel turntable cartridge and amplifier setup, which most collectors lack. The 11 want against 52 have shows this pressing attracts specialists only. Stereo pressings of the same Karajan recording command higher prices because they play on any turntable.
What does the booklet contain?
Notes, synopsis, and artist biographies in German and English, plus the full Italian libretto with German translation only. The absence of Italian-only libretto pages distinguishes the German market pressing from other European releases.