In the website of the Department of Musicology of the Pavia University,
located in Cremona, Italy, there is a first attempt to collect and
publish information about the Italian piano roll company F.I.R.S.T.
(Fabbrica Italiana Rulli Sonori Traforati), along with information
about the local piano roll collection (about 6000 items to date); see
http://mbc.unipv.it/pagina-iniziale-first 

Very recently, under "Storia della F.I.R.S.T.", the guestbook of the
company has been published, with pictures, transcription, and English
translation of each item; see http://mbc.unipv.it/storia-della-f-i-r-s-t 
The guestbook collects the impressions of visitors, buyers and musicians
who had contact with the company's operative office in Cremona or with
the administrative office in Milan.

Their testimonies are expressed in the form of letters or cards received
by the company or even in the form of subscriptions entered directly
into the volume. They attest to their appreciation of the rolls, both
in terms of the choice of repertoire and the quality of the musical
arrangements made by the director of F.I.R.S.T., Michele D'Alessandro.

Particularly relevant are the statements of the composers (among which
are also Puccini, Respighi, Cilea, Zandonai and many others) concerning
their interest in having their music included in the company catalogue
and the attestation of the fidelity of the rolls in the sound rendering
of the original music.

Pietro Zappalà
Dipartimento di Musicologia e Beni Culturali
Università di Pavia
pietro.zappala@unipv.it.geentroep [delete ".geentroep" to reply]