ContentsContainer List Series 1. Correspondence, 1949 December 3 - 1958 September 9, and undated Series 2. Discographic Materials and Collection Notes, circa 1941-1958, and undated Series 3. Photographs, 1919-1932, and undated Series 4. Scrapbooks, circa 1955-1973 |
Papers from the John Secrist Jr. CollectionAuthors: Jennifer Lewis and Karen Fishman2006
Biographical NoteRecord collector and mathematician John Bert Secrist, Jr., was born in Kansas City, Kansas, on August 14, 1918, to Florence and John B. Secrist. Secrist received a bachelor of arts degree in mathematics (Phi Beta Kappa) from the University of Richmond in 1939 and a master of arts in mathematics from the University of Virginia in 1941. He taught math for several years at the United States Naval Academy, Emory University, and Columbia University, where he continued his graduate course work. In 1953 he joined the staff of IBM in New York, working as a mathematician. His projects included computer technology, satellite communications, and missile defense. Secrist began acquiring records as a high school student and continued to have an interest in collecting vocal recordings throughout his college career. After moving to New York in 1945 and meeting others who shared his interests, he became a more avid collector and was a founder and member of the Vocal Record Collectors' Society, a non-profit organization for those interested in collecting classical vocal recordings of all eras. Secrist collected early record catalogs and began compiling more detailed discographies for his favorite artists. The first, of Rosa Ponselle, was published in the 1950 issue of The Record Collector. While compiling the Ponselle discography, Secrist was granted an interview with Miss Ponselle, and they became friends for many years. In 1951 he published a discography of Enrico Caruso in the same journal and later published it in conjunction with Francis Robinson's Caruso, His Life in Pictures. As a prominent record collector, Secrist was known for his exacting standards. Although he kept much of his collection in his parents' home in Atlanta, a large portion was held in New York as well, especially items he kept for trade. Secrist was meticulous in his efforts to find not just copies of particular recordings, but those as close to perfect as possible. Discographer Aida Favia-Artsay referred to his methods in the following way: "His was the selective, purposeful way: only classical vocal recordings, related material, and mainly quality above quantity!" Secrist died in New York City at the age of 40 on October 11, 1958. In January of 1963, his parents transferred the majority of his collection (1,700 opera recordings) to the Library of Congress. Return to the Table of Contents Scope and Content NoteThese papers comprise a small part of the major collection of nearly 1,700 operatic recordings acquired by John Secrist. Strengths of the recorded sound collection include large runs of Enrico Caruso and Rosa Ponselle recordings; the collection is further distinguished by being in near-mint condition due to Secrist's exacting standards. The papers explain and index the Secrist recordings, while discographic and photographic materials provide information on the artists whose work he collected. Return to the Table of Contents Selected Search TermsPeople
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Return to the Table of Contents Collection ArrangementThe papers are arranged in 5 series:
Return to the Table of Contents Container ListSeries 1. Correspondence, 1949 December 3 - 1958 September 9, and undated .1 linear feetSeries 1 consists of correspondence to John Secrist from collectors and performers. An index to correspondence with dates and summaries is available in Folder 1. The most frequent subjects addressed include Secrist's discographies, requests for information on recordings and artists, and recordings or catalogs offered for sale or trade. Prominent or frequent correspondents include Rosa Ponselle, Harold John Drummond, Geraldine Farrar, Lloyd Garrison, and George Keating. Materials are arranged alphabetically by last name of correspondent. Index to correspondence, undatedThe index is ordered by name; entries include date and summary. Alda, F. - Drummond, Harold John, 1949 December 3 - 1958 AugustFarrar, Geraldine - O'Harra, R., 1950 February 2 - 1958 July 14Park, B. - Zussman, H., 1950 June 24 - 1958 SeptemberSeries 2. Discographic Materials and Collection Notes, circa 1941-1958, and undated .32 linear feetSeries 2 consists of notes on Secrist's record and catalog collections as well as discographies and other biographical information regarding opera singers such as Enrico Caruso, Rosa Ponselle, John McCormack, and John Charles Thomas. A notebook containing an inventory of Secrist's collection arranged by artist is included here as are a variety of lists of recordings and catalogs. Also available in this series are various publications, many of which have been annotated by Secrist, including Julian Morton Moses's Collectors' Guide to American Recordings, 1895-1925 (1949). One folder of song and aria lyrics can also be found here. Materials in this series are arranged alphabetically by description. Caruso, Enrico: biography and record lists, circa 1950Caruso Discography, by John Secrist, circa 1951Typescript and photocopy. Caruso Discography, by John Secrist, circa 1957Printers proofs with introductory page to Caruso: His Life in Pictures by Francis Robinson. Catalog lists, circa 1951-1958Collection inventory notebook, indexed by artist, circa 1941-1958With one set of photocopies of the notebook. The Finest Voices on Record, Bulletins 1-3, circa 1953-1958Collector's Guide to American Recordings, 1895-1925, by Julian Morton Moses, 1949Includes Secrist's handwritten collection notes. McCormack, John: John McCormack: The Complete Discography, by L.F.X. McDermott Roe, 1956Signed by the author. Includes Secrist's handwritten collection notes. McCormack, John: recording lists, undatedPonselle, Rosa, circa 1953-1958Song and aria lyrics, miscellaneous, undatedThomas, John: recording list and notes, circa 1948-1958Miscellaneous and unidentified writings and recording lists, undatedSeries 3. Photographs, 1919-1932, and undated .42 linear feetPhotographs of Rosa Ponselle are primarily publicity portraits for operas in which she performed. Secrist has labeled the verso of the majority of these photographs with the title of each opera as well as where and when the photograph was published, if known. Two folders of group photographs are filed at the end of the series. Most of the photographs are later copy prints (probably dating from the 1950s), but some originals are included. The individual publicity portraits of Rosa Ponselle in costume are arranged alphabetically by opera name. L'Africaine, circa 1922, and undated 3 photographsL'Amore dei Tre Re, 1928, and undated 14 photographsAndrea Chénier, undated 5 photographsCarmen, undated 34 photographsCavalleria Rusticana, undated 7 photographsDon Carlos, undated 8 photographsErnani, undated 9 photographsLa Forza del Destino, 1927, and undated 4 photographsLuisa Miller, undated 3 photographsOberon, 1919, and undated 3 photographsLe Roi d'Ys, 1922 3 photographsLa Traviata, undated 10 photographsIl Trovatore, undated 4 photographsLa Vestale, 1925-1926, 1933 10 photographsWilliam Tell (Guillaume Tell), 1923, and undated 11 photographsMiscellaneous and unidentified, 1925, and undated 12 photographsGroup photographs, undated 57 photographsNegatives, undated 4 photographsSeries 4. Scrapbooks, circa 1955-1973 .42 linear feetThis series consists of three leather-bound scrapbooks compiled by John Secrist's parents, Florence and John B. Secrist, Sr., after his death. The scrapbooks include clippings, correspondence, photographs, and other miscellaneous items relating to John Secrist, Jr., and his collection. Many of the letters and clippings concern the donation of the John Secrist Jr. Collection to the Library of Congress and the resulting publicity. Series 5. Record Label Photographs, undated 4.25 linear feetThis series consists of over 3,000 black-and-white, 4 x 6-inch photographs of record labels displaying the title, composer, performers, record company, and catalog number of each record in Secrist's collection. Matrix numbers for each recording are indicated also. Record labels include Victor, Victrola, Columbia, Gramophone, Pathé, Brunswick, Odeon, and HMV, among others. The label photographs are arranged in alphabetical order by the performer's last name. Abendroth, Irene - Caruso, Enrico, undatedCaruso, Enrico, undatedCaruso, Enrico - Chamlee, Mario, undatedClemént, Edmond - Fabbri, Guerrina, undatedFarrar, Geraldine - Koshetz, Nina, undatedKruszelnicka, Salomeja - McCormack, John, undatedMcCormack, John, undatedMcCormack, John - Muzio, Claudia, undatedMuzio, Claudia - Ponselle, Rosa, undatedPonselle, Rosa - Ruffo, Titta, undatedRuffo, Titta - Sembrich, Marcella, undatedSlezak, Leo - Tauber, Richard, undatedTetrazzini, Luisa - Zenatello, Giovanni, undatedDuplicates, undatedDuplicates and microfilm, undatedReturn to the Table of Contents |
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