...razor sharp, precise pressing you usually find with Philips records, and a meaty piece of vinyl.
X-factor, or X-tractor fans among you will be wondering, no doubt, which part of this work is the theme to that ominous judge-me jury, self esteem annihilation based (for the contestants, at least... more of a an ego stroking exercise for the judges, I think) freak show on telly, and for that, I might gently point you in the direction of: "O Fortuna" (both the opening and closing pieces here)...
...As for the rest of the work, there is actually something quite festive about the whole thing, I could actually imagine getting nicely minced with pies, mulled wine and a novelty jumper at Christmas with this jauntily playing in the background.
(Probably not it's intent)
The recording (and pressing) doesn't try to ramp everything up to 11 and attempt to blow your socks off with loudness and awe alone, but is actually quite quiet compared to some (but not overly so), but this allows all the detail to be present, and you can then turn up the volume to your taste without losing anything through distortion, which a louder recording might do, when it crowds out all else that's going on around the chorus.
So I will be looking out for more of these Philips Hi-Fi Stereos, now that I've finally succeeded in getting this one.
Early stereo records are in facto hardly to find. 12" the most, of coarse. 10" records you see them now and then, hidden between the massive 12 inches, but in stereo.....The change you win a super prize is greater than to find a stereo 10" record :) But it happens, and no, I haven't win a price... (yes, my wife....:)
More commonly are the 7" stereo records (Living stereo.......RCA) and Philips too, also in the budget series like "Klassiek Verzoek Programma" or "Klassieke Klankjuwelen - Classical Favourites - Musikalische Edelsteinen" series, although scare.
Philips used this HiFi-Stereo logo too on his radios....see the Swedish B5S12A and look at the right hand side of the tuning knob. It lights up (with the Philips logo) when you turn the radio on...
These plum labels are very aggressive....you see plum through the sleeve on the outside: Philips 409 082 AE
This is another one of those "Big" labels, that are quite sought after... being early stereos.
And while those others (Decca SXLs, HMV ASDs, Columbia SAXs etc.) more often have huge values attached to them, these go for a little less, except in one or two cases (this is not one of those - yet :), what I will say is that these are much harder to find!
....This is the only one of the Philips Hi-Fi Stereos that I've found in two years+ looking.
(And I've been checking every Philips record I could find!)
So while an assortment of Decca, Columbia, and HMV labels regularly turn up ; Often Decca Widebands even, and Gold / White HMVs... although Columbia Blue / Silvers hardly ever make an appearance, but red labels can be found; These are more difficult to locate than any.
I shall be giving it a whizz on the doin's later, so a review may well appear here soon.