Rare Recordings

Loved “A Record That Is Out of Reach” (March 28), but with two reservations. The Society of Early Recorded Music did not listen to a lecture by “Emile Berliner, grandson of the inventor of the disc record.” Emile was the inventor, his grandson who gave the lecture was the undersigned.

I can’t agree that the Five Sharps’ rendition of “Stormy Weather” is the Holy Grail of sound recordings. Rather, I like to think that my grandfather’s personal recital of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” recorded in 1889, merits that accolade. Thus while the “Stormy Weather” rendition might bring $50,000, my Berliner recording, one of no more than three existing today, would appear to be beyond price. And if a record doesn’t exist, can it be deemed the rarest?

OLIVER BERLINER

Beverly Hills