In respect of the Teresa Carreno commemorative CD project mentioned
by Juan Francisco Sans, I don't know of any Friends of the Pianola
Institute who have the right resources to help.  These would evidently
be an original Welte-Mignon Vorsetzer in good condition, a grand piano
of recordable quality and all or most of the Carreno "red Welte" rolls.

Someone will need to acquaint Sr. Sans with the usual musical
precautions and diplomatic ground rules for launching a reproducing
piano recording project.  To judge from past LPs of Welte performances,
the project would need a strong-minded and musically literate director
to achieve the best result.

It is very easy, if you don't know better, to be fooled by a collector
who has set himself up as an expert [into believing] that an
indifferent Welte performance is the best the instrument can do.
(This can, of course, be said of any reproducing piano, but Welte has
had less exposure from which newcomers to the field can judge.)  A good
"Red" Welte-Mignon can be very good indeed, but getting one into a
recording studio without upsetting helpful owners of less good ones
will require diplomacy and guile.

I almost get the impression that record companies only ever make good
records of reproducing pianos by a chain of lucky circumstances rather
than good preparation and determination.

While I would expect the right resources to exist in Germany or the
USA, there are a couple of members of the (London) Player Piano Group
who at least possess adequate instruments, if not the rolls.  London is
also a major centre for small professional studios.  To explore the
possibilities here, I would recommend contacting Julian Dyer, the
editor of the PPG's Bulletin, if he were not already a subscriber to
this Digest and probably reading this right now !

Dan Wilson, London