In 2020, Stanford University / Stanford Libraries digitized the AMPICO ARTIST RECORD book (308 pages) from the late 1920s, which has actually survived and was preserved over the years by Alan H. Mueller. Many letters and documents (approx. 40) have survived together with the book.
Many of the composers and pianists who recorded for Ampico are listed here with their titles. It also contains details of the respective contract terms, above all exclusivity rights and royalties. Various payment models are listed, always depending on the fame of the respective pianist. Sergei Rachmaninoff, for example, accordingly received an annual advance of $10,000.00 (equivalent to about $150,000.00 today), against which actual sales were then settled. He received 50 cents per roll – a great deal at a roll sale price of $2. Other pianists received 5 cents per roll. S. Rachmaninoff was, and probably still is, one of the most important selling points for Ampico, since he recorded exclusively for Ampico.
(Photo: Stanford University, Stanford Libraries, ARS0205 Alan Mueller Collection)
Also very interesting are the pages showing the contractual relationship and the titles with Hupfeld. Since Ampico started a little later with its reproducing system, famous European pianists were missing from Ampico’s roll repertoire. Under license, Ampico was allowed to publish certain Hupfeld titles. So even then, reproducing rolls were transferred from one system to another by adapting them to the other expression system.
(Photo: Stanford University, Stanford Libraries, ARS0205 Alan Mueller Collection)
Here are two examples of Ampico rolls: one with an S. Rachmaninoff title – and one with a Liszt title recorded by Alfred Cortot, offered by Ampico under Hupfeld license.
At least the Philipps DUCA recording book and the Ampico recording book have now surfaced in the original and are available digitally. Every collector’s wish now is to find the Welte and Hupfeld recording books as well. Even though the turmoil of war probably destroyed these documents, it may well be that the Hupfeld documents are slumbering somewhere in Russia – and the Welte documents somewhere in the USA – just like the Welte guest book from 1847, which resurfaced in the USA years ago, slightly charred.