WHAT WERE THE ARTIST CONTRACTS WITH AMPICO?

In 2020 Stanford University / Stanford Libraries digitized the actually still preserved AMPICO ARTIST RECORD book (308 pages) from the late 1920s, which Alan H. Mueller has received over the years. Together with the book many letters and documents (about 40) have been preserved.

Many of the composers and pianists who have recorded with Ampico are listed here with their titles. In addition, details of the respective contract arrangements are included, especially exclusivity rights and royalties are regulated here. Various payment models are listed, always depending on the fame of the respective pianist. Sergei Rachmaninoff, for example, received an annual advance payment of $10,000.00 (today this would correspond to approx. $150,000.00) against which the actual sales were then settled. He received 50 cents per roll - which was a lot at a roll sales price of $2. Other pianists received 5 cents per roll. S. Rachmaninoff was and is probably one of the most important sales arguments for Ampico, as he only recorded exclusively for Ampico.

(Photo: Stanford University, Stanford Libraries, ARS0205 Alan Mueller Collection)

Very interesting also the pages showing the contractual relationship and the titles with Hupfeld. Since Ampico started with the reproduction system a little later, famous European pianists were missing in Ampico's role repertoire. Under license, Ampico was allowed to publish certain titles by Hupfeld. So even then, reproduction roles were transferred from one system to the other by adapting to the other emphasis system.

(Photo: Stanford University, Stanford Libraries, ARS0205 Alan Mueller Collection)

Here are two examples of Ampico reels with an S. Rachmaninoff title - and a Liszt title recorded by Alfred Cortot, which was offered by Ampico under Hupfeld license.

After all, the Philipps DUCA recording book and the Ampico recording book have already appeared in the original and are now available in digital form. The wish of all collectors is now still to find the Welte and Hupfeld recording books. Even though the chaos of the war probably destroyed these records, it could well be that the Hupfeld records are slumbering somewhere in Russia - and the Welte records somewhere in the USA - just like the Welte Guestbook from 1847, which reappeared in the USA years ago slightly burnt.

 

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