Update:

The whine is still present more or less. It occurs in all gears and at just below 2000 rpms to about 2300 rpms. Then "disappears" in the higher revs. Does this provide any clues? The trans seems to shift as well as before. No deterioration that I can tell but the whine can be annoying and disconcerting although I know it's been a year and about 13,000 miles since I posted the original message