PHILIPPS DUCA RECORDING BOOK
Together with other - unfortunately few - original documents (including the Cäcilia music catalogues) and parts from the instrument and roll production of Philipps AG, this "DUCA Notenverzeichnis" (recording book) has been preserved - and is now in the possession of Thomas Richter. Thanks to his impressively supportive attitude, we were able to digitise this book and have begun to evaluate the data.
Apparently it is Book I of what used to be two books, as it only contains recordings up to No 1200 and No 5036. The first entry is dated 10.07.1908, the last entry is dated 13.12.1912. Nevertheless, this is certainly the more valuable of the two books, as it documents the beginnings of the recordings - and the most important phase up to the end of 1912. As there are still a large number of blank pages in the book, it can be assumed that other reasons may have led to a break in the recordings.
The book was visibly an important workbook for Philipps. All pages are clearly worn, some pages are loose and incomplete.
We have digitised and edited each page individually. At the request of the owner (T. Richter), we are making the book available as a pdf download on request, with the aim of supporting research - and initiating the open exchange of further documents in the possession of other collectors. In this sense, it would be welcome if you could make your own documents available for free download.
General note
We are grateful for voluntary donations in recognition and support of our great financial and time effort to provide such documents in our ‚resources' section - according to §60 c UrhG expressly without the intention of making a profit. If you would like to support this voluntarily, you can do so here.
DUCA - A POSITIONING
Philipps was the third company after Welte and Hupfeld and alongside Popper (Stella) to enter the rapidly rising and falling market for reproduction pianos, and thus somewhat late. This had the disadvantage that the small market for reproduction instruments was already occupied - both in terms of potential customers and pianists. The advantage, however, was that Philipps was able to avoid the shortcomings of the Welte and DEA systems with better technical solutions. There is a very close technical relationship between the Welte-Mignon and the Philipps DUCA - it has not yet been possible to clarify how this close connection came about. Existing patents actually prevented such technical proximity. This is the subject of further research.
Philipps formulated this motto in 1912: "What immortal artists offered us in their play, the DUCA recalls to us today in its full beauty."And a little further on in the text it says "... that this instrument is the best that has yet been produced in the field of reproducing instruments..." . In our view, this statement - despite its marketing relevance - is entirely justified in the sense of 'among the best', at least as far as the technical realisation (instruments and roles) is concerned.
PIANISTS RECORDING FOR DUCA
To this day, it is often claimed that the repertoire for DUCA is too small and uninteresting. In view of the impressive range of roles, we cannot agree with this. The DUCA system was obviously also interesting enough for very well-known pianists to make recordings here who also recorded for Welte or Hupfeld - as well as many promising pianists who did not record for Welte or Hupfeld. Examples of this are: Arthur Friedheim, Arthur Schnabel, Xaver Scharwenka, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Terressa Carreno, Ferruccio Busoni together with Michael von Zadora, Germaine Schnitzer, Helene Moillet-Gobat, and many more.
It is true that the number of rolls is noticeably smaller compared to Welte and Hupfeld - nevertheless, with a repertoire of well over 1500 music rolls, there seems to be no lack of choice. A unique selling point of the DUCA is undoubtedly the large and beautiful repertoire of dance and light music.
DUCA DANCE ROLLS
This page from the DUCA sheet music catalogue shows another curious detail of Philipp's reel recordings. From 10 July 1911, the recordings for dance music were listed separately. As Philipps had now reached No 783 for the classical repertoire, a decision had to be made as to which number block to start with for the dance music. Initially, No 3000 was chosen - presumably on the assumption that this would leave enough in reserve. This was then raised to 5000 numbers on 31 October 1911 - and corrected for the first 3000 numbers. In retrospect, 3000 would have been sufficient - but this could not have been foreseen at the time.
DUCA RECORDING PIANO AND BOOK
H. W. Schmitz was able to locate the Lipp recording grand piano (serial number 26087) at the time. Unfortunately, the recording equipment had been removed decades ago. However, the many signatures of the pianists who made recordings for DUCA were preserved. We have compared the data in the DUCA music catalogue with the data found in the pianists' signatures on the grand piano frame. The vast majority of dates correspond exactly to the recording date in the DUCA book. Some dates are a few days before or after the recording date according to the DUCA book. We assume that the pianists were usually in Frankfurt for several days and in some cases also accompanied the pre-/post-production of the reel recordings or took over finished mother rolls.
DUCA ROLL LENGTHS
It is striking that the roll lengths (in metres) given in the DUCA book are almost exactly twice the length of the actual DUCA playback rolls. For example the DUCA roll No 10 "Murmelndes Lüftchen". Roll length in the catalogue: 21.5m. Actual roll length of the punched section of the reel: 10.75m. As experts have already surmised, it can be assumed that the take-up reels were twice as long and could therefore record more finely. The length was halved in the transfer from the mother roll to the produced rolls.
DUCA ROLL PRICING
One of the inserts is a note on the changed prices from 1 April 1914. The demand for rolls declined noticeably with the increasing spread of the gramophone and the radio - and in view of the approaching First World War - and like other suppliers, Philipps tried to achieve more sales with lower prices. All entries in the book were therefore corrected downwards noticeably around 1 April 1914 with the two price variants (Duca and Pianella electric).
PHILIPPS PRICE STRATEGY
At the back of the book there are two pages with very interesting details about Philipps' pricing policy - not only for DUCA, but also for other systems. Titles from this repertoire were of course also used for other Philipps systems. The book also contains notes such as "not suitable for P.A." for some roll numbers.
DUCA ROLL PRODUCTION
In fact, almost all of the recordings documented chronologically in the book were later published in the same way. There are a few corrections and title changes that later appeared differently in the catalogue.
Deletions (shown in brackets in the list below) and corrections to the pianists' names are conspicuous and suggest that pseudonyms were used here to increase the number of pianists listed in the catalogue. For example, a J. Hommel played pieces - and was then corrected to S. Wilberg. There are similar anomalies with W. Rehberg / S. Wilberg and Hans Förster / S. Wilberg. However, it is also known that pseudonyms were used by the other manufacturers. Further research will be necessary here.
It seems to have been possible to record between 18 and 24 pieces in one day. This quantity is found at least with many pianists. As can be seen by comparing the signature dates on the recording piano and the dates in the DUCA book, the pianists were obviously often on site for several days.
There are numerous special details in this book. Here are a few examples:
On 15 May 1909, Oswald Philipps recorded a part himself. Another roll with August Philipps four-handed. August Philipps also recorded several rolls.
On 19 May 1911, Ella Rafelson, the famous assistant to Robert Teichmüller, recorded rolls.
On 17 June 1911, the eleven-year-old Walter Rehberg recorded a roll.
On 17 June 1911, Irene Hendorf, who later became Paul Hindemith's piano partner, recorded a roll.
On 20 June 1911, Helene Moillet-Gobat, the first woman in Germany to pass a master's examination, recorded a roll.
On 11 July 1911, Xaver Scharwenka recorded 22 rolls - more than for any other system.
On 10 October 1911, August Schmid-Lindner recorded 25 pieces in one day (if the entry is correct), the highest number in one day.
On 17 May 1912, Ferruccio Busoni and Michael von Zadora recorded four-hand pieces.
DUCA RECORDING DATES
Here is a list of all entries from the DUCA recording book, in ascending order of date:
Date Pianist (born-died) [total / recorded roll numbers]
10.07.1908 Hans Förster [1 / no 8]
22.07.1908 Hans Förster [3 / no 1-3]
08.08.1908 Hans Förster [1 / no 4]
11.08.1908 Hans Förster [1 / no 11]
24.08.1908 Ellen Pairan [4 / no 5-6; 14-16]
27.08.1908 Ellen Pairan [1 / no 7]
27.08.1908 Willy Rehberg (1863-1937) [5 / no 9-10; 12-13; 20]
30.09.1908 Prof. Alban Förster (1849-1916) [4 / no 22; 24; 28; 29]
04.10.1908 Eugene d’Albert (1864-1932) [7 / no 21; 23; 25; 30-34]
08.10.1908 Willy Rehberg (1863-1937) [3 /; no 18-19; 27]
14.10.1908 Eugene d’Albert (1864-1932) [1 / no 17]
29.11.1908 Anton Förster [7 / no 35-41]
30.11.1908 Anatol von Rössel (1877-1967) [14 / no 42-43; 61-64; 66; 68-74]
01.12.1908 Anatol von Rössel (1877-1967) [19 / no 44-60; 65; 67; 96]
02.12.1908 Norah Drewett (1882-1960) [10 / no 75-84]
09.12.1908 Willy Rehberg (1863-1937) [2 / no 34; 34a]
13.12.1908 Fritjof Backer-Gröndahl (1885-1959) [7 / no 85-91]
24.01.1909 (J. Hommel) S. Wilberg [1 / no 92]
24.01.1909 J. Hommel [1 / no 96]
26.01.1909 Willy Rehberg (1863-1937) [1 / no 95]
27.01.1909 Willy Rehberg (1863-1937) [1 / no 93]
27.01.1909 Herr und Frau Willy und Elsa Rehberg (1863-1937) [1 / no 94]
06.04.1909 Willi M. Jinkertz [14 / no 98-111]
08.05.1909 Prof. Carl Friedberg ((1872-1955) [12 / no 112-123]
15.05.1909 Oswald Philipps [1 / no 124]
15.05.1909 Willy Rehberg (1863-1937) [3 / no 125; 127-128]
15.05.1909 August Philipps [2 / no 126; 130]
15.05.1909 August und Oswald Philipps [1 / no 129]
20.05.1909 Professor Julius Röntgen (1855-1932) [3 / no 138-140]
21.05.1909 Professor Julius Röntgen (1855-1932) [7 / no 131-132; 134-136; 137; 141]
22.05.1909 Professor Julius Röntgen (1855-1932) [7 / no 133; 142-147]
20.07.1909 Frederic Lamond (1868-1948) [6 / no 148-150; 156-157]
21.07.1909 Frederic Lamond (1868-1948) [16 / no 151-155; 158-168]
nn Maria Oppenheimer [2 / no 169-170]
04.10.1909 Johann Wysmann [13 / no 171-183]
04.10.1909 Francois de la Croix [11 / no 184-194]
07.10.1909 Adolf Tandler (1875-1953) [5 / no 195-199]
09.10.1909 (J. Hommel) S. Wilberg [5 / no 200-204]
25.10.1909 Hans Förster [4 / no 205-208]
03.12.1909 Hans Förster [8 / no 209-216]
07.12.1909 Hans Förster [7 / no 217-222; 227]
07.12.1909 August Philipps [4 / no 223-226]
13.12.1909 D. Knopf (A. Knoof) [7 / no 240-246]
14.12.1909 (Willy Rehberg) S. Wilberg [12 / no 228-239]
22.12.1909 (Willy Rehberg) S. Wilberg [3 / no 247; 255-256]
22.12.1909 Willy Rehberg (1863-1937) [6 / no 248-253]
22.12.1909 Felix Baer [1 / no 254]
07.01.1910 Raoul Pugno (1852-1914) [24 / no 257-280]
12.01.1910 Hans Förster [4 / no 281-284]
10.02.1910 Hans Förster [3 / no 285-287]
16.02.1910 Frau Prof. Frida Kwast-Hodapp (1880-1949) [20 / no 288-305; 317-318]
16.02.1910 Prof. James Kwast (1852-1927) [8 / no 306-313]
16.02.1910 Herr und Frau Prof. Kwast [3 / no 314-316]
nn Hans Förster [3 / no 319-321]
nn Hans Förster und S. Wilberg [4 / no 322-325]
07.05.1910 Willy Rehberg (1863-1937) [2 / no 326-327]
07.05.1910 (Willy Rehberg) Hans Förster [1 / no 328]
23.05.1910 (Willy Rehberg) Hans Förster [6 / no 329-334]
22.07.1910 Hans Förster [5 / no 335-339]
31.07.1910 Willy Rehberg (1863-1937) [1 / no 340]
01.10.1910 B. Schröder [2 / no 341-342]
13.11.1910 Willy Rehberg (1863-1937) [7 / no 343-349]
21.11.1910 August Philipps [1 / no 350]
21.11.1910 S. Wilberg [1 / no 351]
21.11.1910 S. Wilberg und Hans Förster [3 / no 352-354]
25.11.1910 Berthe Marx-Goldschmidt (1859-1925) [18 / no 355-373]
05.12.1910 August Philipps [1 / no 374]
06.12.1910 Ignaz Friedmann (1882-1948) [22 / no 375-396]
08.12.1910 Ugo Afferni (1871-1931) [1 / no 397]
07.01.1911 Norah Drewett (1882-1960) [6 / no 398-403]
13.01.1911 Maria Careras [22 / no 404-425]
18.01.1911 Marc Meytschik (1880-1950) [10 / no 426-435]
25.01.1911 Josef Weiss (1864-1945) [24 / no 436-459]
06.02.1911 Felix Baer [5 / no 460-464]
03.05.1911 Michael von Zadora (1882-1946) [23 / no 465-487]
15.05.1911 Prof. Theodor Müller-Reuter (1858-1919) [14 / no 488-501]
16.05.1911 Alfred Grünfeld (1852-1924) [20 / no 502-521]
19.05.1911 Fräulein Ella Rafelson [24 / no 522-544]
22.05.1911 Augusta Cottlow (1878-1954) [23 / no 545-567]
01.06.1911 Paula Stebel (1885-1932) [20 / no 568-587]
02.06.1911 Johann Strauß III (1866-1939) [7 / no 588-594]
07.06.1911 Prof. Max von Pauer (1866-1945) [22 / no 595-616]
08.06.1911 Ernst Toch (1887-1964) [7 / no 617-623]
10.06.1911 Fritz von Bose (1865-1945) [20 / no 624-643]
17.06.1911 Walter Rehberg (1900-1957) [1 / no 644]
17.06.1911 Irene Hendorf [1 / no 645]
17.06.1911 Frl. Else Kallmeyer [1 / no 646]
17.06.1911 Louise Löhr (1862-1938) [3 / no 647-649]
17.06.1911 Frieda Thury [2 / no 650-651]
20.06.1911 Helene Moillet-Gobat [20 / no 652-671]
22.06.1911 Lonny Epstein (1885-1965) [19 / no 672-691]
24.06.1911 Maria Kaufmann [21 / no 692-712]
26.06.1911 Ida Feinmann [3 / no 713-715]
26.06.1911 Heinz Hanitsch [2 / no 716-717]
27.06.1911 Germaine Arnaud [22 / no 718-739]
29.06.1911 Prof. Moritz Mayer-Mahr (1869-1947) [24 / no 740-763]
05.07.1911 Conrad Ansorge (1862-1930) [20 / no 764-783]
10.07.1911 Ernst Buchhorn [12 / no 5000-5011]
11.07.1911 Xaver Scharwenka (1850-1924) [22 / no 784-805]
21.07.1911 Richard Singer [22 / no 806-827]
27.07.1911 Paul Eggert [21 / no 828-848]
29.07.1911 B. Hinze-Reinhold (1877-1964) [20 / no 849-868]
31.07.1911 Felix Baer [2 / no 869-870]
10.10.1911 August Schmid-Lindner (1870-1959) [25 / no 871-895]
12.10.1911 Willy Rehberg (1863-1937) [3 / no 896-898]
14.10.1911 Arthur Friedheim (1859-1932) [22 / no 899-920]
30.10.1911 Adolf Schmitt [10 / no 921-930]
31.10.1911 Hans Förster [1 / no 5012]
03.11.1911 Dr. Otto Neitzel (1852-1920) [18 / no 931-948]
07.11.1911 Edmund Parlow (1855-1944) [10 / no 949-958]
15.11.1911 Hans Förster [1 / no 969]
16.11.1911 Alfred Cortot (1877-1962) [10 / no 959-968]
20.11.1911 Elfriede Vogel [1 / no 970]
20.11.1911 Hans Förster [1 / no 971]
24.11.1911 Germaine Schnitzer (1888-1982) [21 / no 972-992]
25.11.1911 Wynne Pyle (1881-1980) [20 / no 993-1013]
05.12.1911 Alice Ripper (1889-1961) [11 / no 1014-1018; 1020-1025]
11.12.1911 Lucien Wurmser (1877-1967) [21 / no 1026-1046]
14.12.1911 Eduard Risler (1873-1929) [22 / no 1047-1068]
18.12.1911 Willy Rehberg (1863-1937) [1 /no 1110]
13.01.1912 Arthur Schnabel (1882-1951) [19 / no 1069-1087]
16.01.1912 Wera Schapira (1891-1930) [22 / no 1088-1109]
26.01.1912 Ernst Buchhorn [10 / no 5013-5022]
27.01.1912 Hans Förster [1 / no 1111]
30.01.1912 Ernst Buchhorn [10 / no 5023-5032]
05.02.1912 Willy Rehberg (1863-1937) [1 / no 1112]
05.02.1912 Hans Förster und Fr. Treis [3 / no 1113-1115]
05.02.1912 Hans Förster [1 / no 1116]
14.02.1912 Erich Wolfgang Korngold (1897-1957) [7 / no 1117-1123]
15.02.1912 Arthur Schnabel (1882-1951) [3 / no 1124-1126]
08.03.1912 Hans Förster [1 / no 1127]
18.03.1912 Felix Baer [4 / no 1128-1131]
13.04.1912 Alexander Pohl [1 / no 1136]
16.04.1912 Hans Förster [1 / no 1019]
16.04.1912 Hans Förster [1 / no 1132]
22.04.1912 Felix Baer [1 / no 1133]
07.05.1912 Hans Förster [2 / no 1134-1135]
17.05.1912 Prof. Ferruccio Busoni (1866-1924) [16 / no 1137-1152]
17.05.1912 Prof. Ferruccio Busoni (1866-1924)
und Michael von Zadora (1882-1946) [8 / no 1153-1160]
20.05.1912 Hans Förster [1 / no 1161]
10.06.1912 Hans Pfitzner (1869-1949) [20 / no 1162-1181]
19.06.1912 Camille Saint-Saens (1835-1921) [8 / no 1182-1189]
24.06.1912 Felix Baer [4 / no 1190-1193]
31.07.1912 Hans Förster [1 / no 1194]
27.08.1912 Hans Förster [1 / no 1195]
25.09.1912 Hans Förster [2 / no 1196-1197]
17.10.1912 Hans Förster [1 / no 1198]
25.11.1912 Willy Rehberg (1863-1937) [1 / no 1199]
13.12.1912 Josef Treis [1 / no 1200]
