Papers from the John Secrist Jr. Collection
Catalog Record: http://lccn.loc.gov/2008647465
General International Standard for Archival Description
Recorded Sound Section, Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division Library of Congress Washington, D.C.
Encoded Archival Description
Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
Papers from the John Secrist Jr. Collection, 1919-1973 1949-1958
Secrist, John, 1918-1958
Biographical History for: Papers from the John Secrist Jr. Collection, 1919-1973 1949-1958
Biographical Note Record 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.
Scope and Content Note These 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.
series
Series 1. Correspondence, 1949 December 3 - 1958 September 9, and undated
Series 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.
file
Index to correspondence, undated
The index is ordered by name; entries include date and summary.
Alda, F. - Drummond, Harold John, 1949 December 3 - 1958 August
Farrar, Geraldine - O'Harra, R., 1950 February 2 - 1958 July 14
Park, B. - Zussman, H., 1950 June 24 - 1958 September
Series 2. Discographic Materials and Collection Notes, circa 1941-1958, and undated
Series 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.
Caruso, Enrico: biography and record lists, circa 1950
Caruso Discography, by John Secrist, circa 1951
Typescript and photocopy.
Caruso Discography, by John Secrist, circa 1957
Printers proofs with introductory page to Caruso: His Life in Pictures by Francis Robinson.
Catalog lists, circa 1951-1958
Collection inventory notebook, indexed by artist, circa 1941-1958
With one set of photocopies of the notebook.
The Finest Voices on Record, Bulletins 1-3, circa 1953-1958
From the Connoisseurs Record Club.
Collector's Guide to American Recordings, 1895-1925, by Julian Morton Moses, 1949
Includes Secrist's handwritten collection notes.
McCormack, John: John McCormack: The Complete Discography, by L.F.X. McDermott Roe, 1956
Signed by the author. Includes Secrist's handwritten collection notes.
McCormack, John: recording lists, undated
Ponselle, Rosa, circa 1953-1958
Song and aria lyrics, miscellaneous, undated
Thomas, John: recording list and notes, circa 1948-1958
Miscellaneous and unidentified writings and recording lists, undated
Series 3. Photographs, 1919-1932, and undated
Photographs 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.
L'Africaine, circa 1922, and undated
Three of the photos are copies of 1922-1923 originals.
L'Amore dei Tre Re, 1928, and undated
Most are copies of 1928-1930 originals.
Andrea Chénier, undated
Copies of 1923-1925 originals.
Carmen, undated
Copies of 1935-1936 originals.
Cavalleria Rusticana, undated
Copies of 1934,1937 originals.
Don Carlos, undated
Copies of 1921-1924 originals.
Ernani, undated
Copies of 1921-circa 1929 originals.
La Forza del Destino, 1927, and undated
Most are copies of circa 1927 originals.
Luisa Miller, undated
Copies from 1929-1930 originals.
Oberon, 1919, and undated
Three of the photographs are copies of 1919-1920 originals.
Le Roi d'Ys, 1922
La Traviata, undated
Copies from 1930-1931 and 1934 originals.
Il Trovatore, undated
Copies from circa 1933 originals.
La Vestale, 1925-1926, 1933
Some are copies from 1925-1926 and 1933.
William Tell (Guillaume Tell), 1923, and undated
Some are copies of 1923 originals.
Miscellaneous and unidentified, 1925, and undated
Most are copies from 1917-1927 originals.
Group photographs, undated
Most are copies of 1925-1952 originals.
Negatives, undated
Series 4. Scrapbooks, circa 1955-1973
This 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
This 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.
Abendroth, Irene - Caruso, Enrico, undated
Caruso, Enrico, undated
Caruso, Enrico - Chamlee, Mario, undated
Clemént, Edmond - Fabbri, Guerrina, undated
Farrar, Geraldine - Koshetz, Nina, undated
Kruszelnicka, Salomeja - McCormack, John, undated
McCormack, John, undated
McCormack, John - Muzio, Claudia, undated
Muzio, Claudia - Ponselle, Rosa, undated
Ponselle, Rosa - Ruffo, Titta, undated
Ruffo, Titta - Sembrich, Marcella, undated
Slezak, Leo - Tauber, Richard, undated
Tetrazzini, Luisa - Zenatello, Giovanni, undated
Duplicates, undated
Duplicates and microfilm, undated