The world's finest player pianos, or "reproducing pianos," were manufactured by Welte-Mignon from 1904 to 1932. More than merely copying the notes played, these complex instruments also captured a performer's dynamics, tempi, and pedaling all encoded in ink on paper rolls that were then punched and prepared as masters for copying. Whether the reproduction accurately conveys the subtleties of the original performances is open to some speculation, since both the rolls and the pianos have suffered from time and lost trade secrets. But at the time of their sessions, the performers gave testimonials to Welte-Mignon's accuracy, and these digital recordings of the rolls give the listener a clear idea of how well they sounded. The flashy playing of
Paderewski,
Lhevinne,
Petri, and a young
Horowitz are represented, and the sound is stunningly lifelike. The standout track may well be
Walter Gieseking's breathtaking rendition of
Ravel's Gaspard de la nuit since its delicate lines and sweeping runs exceed expectations of what a player piano can reproduce. Also of interest is
Saint-Saëns' own performance of his Rapsodie d'Auvergne, a rarity from 1905. The Steinway-Welte used in this recording was spared damage in World War II and is one of the few remaining pianos that can play the preserved rolls with fidelity.