Player Instruments
The digitization including AI surely offers an amazing future to piano rolls. Still, inspired by Jean Jaurès, we need to consider, that 'Preserving achievements of previous generations does not mean just archiving the ashes, but keeping the fires burning.' We need to maintain the expertise and passion on original instruments and how to keep them playing perfect - esp. in order to use them as what they are: instruments, to make music. Rex Lawson is a true advocate of the art and joy of the pianola playing. At every performance he promotes the curiosity and desire to make music using piano rolls, including arranged rolls, with a pianola as an important way to enjoy music, but also to really understand pianola rolls and instruments.
This is one reason why we do include many performances and lecture recitals in our GPRM meetings. It's all about music. Based on artist rolls, many pianists get inspired by golden era performances. Neal Peres Da Costa, and many others do marvelous work here to inspire current and future students.
Many institutions and museums, but also private individuals do invest a lot into acquiring, maintaining and presenting original instruments, like the Seewen museum (CH). Marc Widuch (Faszinationpianola) systematically searches for rare golden era instruments of major manufacturers, not just player pianos, but also concert grand pianos and typical golden era pianos having been used with Pianola at that time - resulting in one of the largest collections of such special pianos. These instruments get examined and documented for research purposes, but also restored and sold to institutions, individuals and families in order to make them available again for what they were meant for: be played.

An important aspect of the GPRM activities is, to work with original instruments. Welte stated in an early catalogue ‘A twofold task awaited us: to construct a recording device that records and captures the pianist’s playing with all its subtleties, and to construct a second device, the playback device, which transfers this recorded touch back to the piano.’, which is one reason, why it is key, to best-possible understand those instruments. More and more instruments are discovered, having special technical features (e.g. early Welte-Mignon T100 red instruments with hand-nuancing, Welte-Mignon / Pianon T100 red combined instrument, etc), that help to better understand the bigger picture.
We are working on a database, that offers technical details on specific instruments to showcase the technical and social evolution of player instruments – and rolls. In doing so we also try to compile best-practices on historic informed restorations and pianola performance practices. We are trying to connect the few remaining experts around the world, to inspire them to work more closely together, and to document their valuable knowledge.
If you have resources to share, or if you are interested in contributing to this task, please contact us.