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Papers from the H. Vose Greenough Jr. Collection

Author: Karen Fishman

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/xmlcommon/lcseal.jpg

Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division, Library of Congress

Washington, D.C.

2005

Encoded by Marsha Maguire, 2008

Finding aid URL: http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mbrsrs/eadmbrs.rs005001

Latest revision: 2008


Table of Contents

Collection Summary

Key Subjects and Formats

Names

Topics

Forms of Material

Administrative Information

Acquisition of the Papers

Additions

Processing Information

Restrictions on Use of the Papers

Restrictions on Access to the Papers

Preferred Citation

Biography of H. Vose Greenough Jr.

Scope and Content of the Papers

Arrangement of the Papers

Detailed Description of the Papers

Series 1. Correspondence, 1948, 1950, 1953, 1957

Series 2. Financial Records, 1939-1955, 1972

Series 3. Technichord Records, 1937-1969

Series 4. Miscellaneous, 1951, 1958, undated


Collection Summary

Title: Papers from the H. Vose Greenough Jr. Collection
Inclusive Dates: 1937-1972
Bulk Dates: 1948-1955
Creator: Greenough, H. V. (H. Vose)
Extent: .5 linear feet (2 boxes)
Language: Collection materials are in English
Repository: Recorded Sound Reference Center, Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Abstract: Personal papers of H. Vose Greenough Jr., founder and owner of Technichord Records, a small recording company in Brookline, Massachusetts, as well as materials from Technichord Records.
Location: Recorded Sound Reference Center

Key Subjects and Formats

The following headings represent names, topics, places, and formats of major significance in the collection.

Names

Greenough, H. V. (H. Vose)--Archives
Biggs, E. Power (Edward Power), 1906-1977
Technichord Records--Archives
Harvard Glee Club
Juilliard School of Music
Berkshire Music Center
H.V. Greenough Collection (Library of Congress)

Topics

Sound recording executives and producers--Massachusetts--Archives
Sound engineers--Massachusetts--Archives
Sound recording industry--Massachusetts
Sound--Recording and reproducing

Forms of Material

Contracts
Financial records
Invoices
Letters (Correspondence)
Notebooks
Pamphlets
Programs

Administrative Information

Acquisition of the Papers

Bequest, 1976.

Additions

No further additions to the papers are expected.

Processing Information

The papers were processed by Karen Fishman in 2005.

Restrictions on Use of the Papers

Restrictions may exist on copying, quoting, or publishing materials included in the papers. For additional information, contact a reference librarian in the Recorded Sound Reference Center, Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division, Library of Congress, Washington, DC, 20540-4690; (202) 707-7833.

Restrictions on Access to the Papers

The Papers from the H. Vose Greenough Jr. Collection are open for research.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [Container number, eg., Box 3], Papers from the H. Vose Greenough Jr. Collection, Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division, Library of Congress.

Biography of H. Vose Greenough Jr.

H. Vose Greenough Jr. (1912-1976) was the founder and owner of Technichord Records, a small recording company in Brookline, Massachusetts. He grew up in Massachusetts, attended the Taft School in Watertown, Connecticut, and graduated in 1935 from Harvard University with a BS degree. During World War II, he was a lieutenant commander in the Navy and was stationed for a time at the David Taylor Model Basin in Maryland, specializing in mine warfare. In 1950 he moved to Vienna, Austria, working for the Haydn Society as chief recording engineer. After three years, he returned to the United States to teach acoustics at the Juilliard School of Music in New York City. He later returned to Cambridge, Massachusetts, to work as a consultant.

Greenough died in1976 at the age of 64, leaving his father, Henry V. Greenough, a sister, Mrs. Barbara Bradley, and a brother, Peter Greenough.

Scope and Content of the Papers

The Papers from the H. Vose Greenough Jr. Collection is a small part of a larger gift of more than 700 acetate records and tapes Greenough recorded and left to the Library of Congress upon his death. The Greenough Collection includes materials from Technichord Records, a recording company he founded located in Brookline, Massachusetts, as well as his personal papers.

Though modest in size, Technichord Records was known for recording performers and music that other companies might not recognize and for the quality of the performers and their music. For example, Technichord was the first to record E. Power Biggs, the noted American organist and broadcaster, who did much to popularize the concert organ and organ music to the American public. Other recordings include harpsichordist Claude Jean Chiasson, tenor Hughes Cuenod, soprano Isabel French, and the Harvard Glee Club and Radcliffe Choral Society performing with harpsichordist Putnam Aldrich.

Greenough recorded radio broadcasts and local concerts as well, and his record and tape collection holds some unique recordings. These include the 1937 NBC Symphony Orchestra premier broadcast; the 1940 NBC special broadcast of the draft lottery, marking the official opening of the national lottery for military service with remarks by President Franklin D. Roosevelt; the 1940 opening ceremonies of the Berkshire Music Center (Tanglewood); the very first recording of Peter Schickele's Concerto for Horn and Hardart performed at a Juilliard School concert; a recording of the 1939 Lili Boulanger Memorial Concert which includes Psalm 119, a piece thought to be lost; and two 1969 radio broadcasts from station WHRB (Harvard Radio Broadcasting) reporting on student demonstrations at Harvard University, including the student occupation of University Hall and subsequent police confrontations.

The Papers from the H. Vose Greenough Jr. Collection date from 1937 to 1972, with the bulk of the materials dating from 1948 to 1955. The collection contains correspondence, business and financial records, music programs, pamphlets, recording notes, and one photograph.

Arrangement of the Papers

The papers are arranged in 4 series:


Detailed Description of the Papers

CONTAINERCONTENTS

Series 1. Correspondence, 1948, 1950, 1953, 1957

3 folders
Series 1 consists of 1948 correspondence by Greenough with the law firm, Goodwin, Rosenbaum, Meacham and Bailen; personal correspondence in 1950 while he was living in Austria; and correspondence relating to job hunting efforts in 1953 and 1957.
BOX 1
FOLDER 1
June-October, 1948
BOX 1
FOLDER 2
June-May, 1950
BOX 1
FOLDER 3
1953, 1957

Series 2. Financial Records, 1939-1955, 1972

7 folders
Series 2 contains financial records, including the business records of Technichord. These include contracts, billing records, invoices, and other items. Musicians contracted with Technichord Records included harpsichordist Claude Jean Chiasson, tenor Hughes Cuenod, soprano Isabel French, organist Ernest White, violist George Humphrey, composer and cellist Jacobus C. Langendoen, and harpsichordist Putnam Aldrich. Also in this series are Greenough's personal financial records including tax returns, a property appraisal, and trust fund accounts.
BOX 1
FOLDER 4
Technichord Records: Balance sheet, 1948
BOX 1
FOLDER 5
Technichord Records: Contracts, 1939-1947
BOX 1
FOLDER 6
Technichord Records: Invoices, 1951-1953
BOX 1
FOLDER 7
Technichord Records: Miscellaneous
BOX 1
FOLDER 8
Personal, 1951-1953
BOX 1
FOLDER 9
Personal: Federal tax returns, 1953-1955
BOX 1
FOLDER 10
Personal: Property appraisal, 1972

Series 3. Technichord Records, 1937-1969

8 folders
Series 3 contains the recording activities of Technichord Records. This includes a notebook kept by Greenough of acetate discs recorded for Dr. Harold Spivacke of the Library of Congress. Dating from 1937, this notebook contains meticulous notations of speeds, styli, pre-amplifier settings, main amplifier settings, and degrees of equalization used by Greenough to make his recordings. This series also contains worksheets of performance recordings. The programs Greenough kept of the performances he recorded are one of the highlights in this series. Spanning the years from 1938 to 1969, these programs are from the Harvard Glee Club, including one with Nadia Boulanger as guest conductor, organ recitals of E. Power Biggs at Harvard University, a 1949 dinner honoring Serge Koussevitzky, Berkshire Music Center programs, and The Juilliard School of Music programs.
BOX 1
FOLDER 11
Recording notes, 1937-1949
BOX 1
FOLDER 12
Recording worksheets, 1937-1964, undated
BOX 1
FOLDER 13
Recording worksheets, Music Guild, 1962
BOX 1
FOLDER 14
Programs, 1938-1939
BOX 1
FOLDER 15
Programs, 1940-1949
BOX 2
FOLDER 1
Programs, 1950-1959
BOX 2
FOLDER 2
Programs, 1960-1969, undated
BOX 2
FOLDER 3
Pamphlets and price list

Series 4. Miscellaneous, 1951, 1958, undated

2 folders
Series 4 contains miscellaneous items such as a 1958 catalogue from Cambridge Records, a menu from the Green Mountain Inn at Stowe, Vermont, invoices of purchases, and a copy of a technical talk written for American Record Guide in 1951.
BOX 2
FOLDER 4
Miscellaneous
BOX 2
FOLDER 5
Unidentified photograph, 1977


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