of Welte recordings only historical. They also provide a very real and present pleasure in
enlarging the scope of every music lover’s experience.’ (Albert Goldberg, Critic
Emeritus, Los Angeles Times, 1970) This quotation and the previous one come from the
frontispiece to Smith and Howe. The reference to Welte-Mignon may, of course, be
extended to the other makes of reproducing pianos and rolls.
‘From January of 1905 into 1914, a total of some 1,950 titles were recorded [byWelte-
Mignon]. The most fruitful and noteworthy period, at least in the number and prestige of
the classical artists, came in the first year, 1905, and in the first four months of 1906
before Edwin [Welte] left for the States. Partial credit for the initial success belongs to
Hugo Popper. He met with Karl Bockisch and Edwin Welte of the famous firm of M.
Welte & Sons of Freiburg. These three men agreed to work together on a certain project.
They envisioned a wonderful thing: a self-contained reproducing piano which would
record and then play again all the compositions of the great masters; an instrument which
could record and reproduce the temperament and characteristics of the world’s foremost
pianists. Truly this was an admirable idea, but it was very hard to see how this would be
carried out in actual practice. If such a device could be made it would mean that the
playing of artists – something which would normally vanish in the air – would be
preserved so as to be available to the most distant people in future centuries. The
inventors achieved a wonderful cultural success through the creation of the incomparable
Mignon instrument – truly a work of magic – which reproduced the musical geniuses for
all generations to enjoy.
Now arose another problem which could only be solved in a very delicate way: how
would the most prominent musicians and musical masters receive the Welte-Mignon?
The inventors’ minds had done something wonderful. Good! Wouldn’t the prominent
composers and the famous pianists be distrustful of a competitor? Would they look with
interest on the Mignon, or would they turn away from it so that it would be unsuccessful
and soon forgotten? Hugo Popper was a man of charm and courtesy. He was the right
one to interest the artists in the new invention and present the Mignon from its most
favorable viewpoint.
The greatest pianists followed Hugo Popper’s invitation to come to Leipzig. They all
heard and liked the Mignon – and they became eager to give a part of their own
performance to this instrument. In the recording salon of Popper & Company in Leipzig
many of the foremost pianists of the world met. Their recommendations, thoughts and
emotions about the Mignon were all inscribed in a book which stands as a document of
honor to the inventors.’ (Source: Smith & Howe)
The more common, and much less expensive, player pianos and their rolls were unable to
reproduce the recording artist’s own dynamics or pedalling. The ‘pianist’ could, however,
provide his or her own pedalling and use devices to vary the tempo and dynamics. The
first player piano, called a ‘pianola’ was put out in the late 1890s by the same Aeolian
company which later put out the Duo-Art reproducing piano and rolls. Not long before
that Aeolian had put out a ‘push-up’ device (robot pianist). The player piano could also
be played ‘normally’, was more convenient and soon superseded the ‘push-up’ device.