Re: 1962 - 3 vinyl records made from Welte Recording Piano rolls

Gentlemen:

In 1963, through the Book-of-the-Month Club, we obtained a 3-record boxed
set of LP records, containing a representative sampling of circa-1905
recordings by classical composers and well-known piano virtuosi of the day.

Accompanying the records was a nicely-done 14-page brochure describing the
extraordinary Welte process and the contributing artists.  The package was
called "The Classics Record Library's Legendary Masters of the Piano".  It
was produced by Walter S. Heebner, recorded in L.A. in 1962-3, and
"manufactured" by (Welte's good buddy) Richard C. Simonton for the Classics
Record Library.

I continue to be fascinated by the recordings, and have played them
hundreds of times, to the point where they are worn and scratchy.  I
wondered if by any chance the masters used for these recordings still
exist, and if they might have been reproduced again in a modern format
like CD.

Can you help?  Even if these masters are long-lost, I'd like to satisfy
my curiosity about them.  I notice that there is frequent mention of
the Welte phenomenon in Mechanical Music Digest's web listings.  The
current Book-of-the-Month Club organization, incidentally, has no idea
what I'm talking about, as they're no longer in the music business.

                        Thank you!

                                      Lou Raichle
                                      59 Georgetown Dr.
                                      Center Barnstead, NH 03225

                                      (603) 776-5064
                                      E-Mail:   WindyNH@worldpath.net

 [ Editor's Note
 [
 [ Lou is not a subscriber, so please send comments in duplicate to
 [ him and to us.  I've sent him a private message indicating that I've
 [ personally had good luck finding used LPs through the larger used
 [ record dealers that advertise in the back of the audio magazines.
 [
 [ I think the issue here is more general.  How does a person who's had
 [ a taste of recorded reproducing piano music and liked it proceed ?
 [
 [ Thanks
 [
 [ Jody