Guide to the William R. Moran Sound Recording Collection
ARS.0075
Finding aid prepared by Franz Kunst
Archive of Recorded Sound
Braun Music Center
541 Lasuen Mall
Stanford University
Stanford, California, 94305-3076
650-723-9312
soundarchive@stanford.edu
© 2011
The Board of Trustees of Stanford University. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: William R. Moran Sound Recording Collection
Dates: 1902-1984
Collection number: ARS.0075
Creator:
Moran, William R.
Collection size:
18 boxes:
approx. 700 discs (about 280 10" discs and 410 12" discs) ; six open reel tapes ; ten metal parts ; approx. twelve folders
of papers
Repository:
Archive of Recorded Sound
Abstract: Rare recordings on custom vinyl pressings of opera and Western art music, donated by collector and researcher William Moran.
Access
Open for research; material must be requested at least two business days in advance of intended use. Contact the Archive for
assistance.
Publication Rights
Property rights reside with repository. Publication and reproduction rights reside with the creators or their heirs. To obtain
permission to publish or reproduce, please contact the Head Librarian of the Archive of Recorded Sound.
Preferred Citation
William R. Moran Sound Recording Collection, ARS-0075, Courtesy of the Stanford Archive of Recorded Sound, Stanford University
Libraries, Stanford, Calif.
Source
The William R. Moran Sound Recording Collection was donated to the Stanford Archive of Recorded Sound by William Moran from
1987 to 1993.
Sponsor
This finding aid was produced with generous financial support from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.
Biography
William Rodes Moran (1919-2004) was a collector, researcher, writer, and discographer, particularly in the field of early
sound recordings and vocal art music. His monumental Victor discography with Ted Fagan formed the basis for the on-line Encyclopedic
Discography of Victor Recordings (http://victor.library.ucsb.edu/), but he authored or contributed to countless books. Moran
was a singular presence at the Archive of Recorded Sound, and this collection reflects only a fraction of the material he
donated.
Scope and Contents
The William R. Moran Sound Recording Collection consists largely of custom vinyl pressings of rare or unreleased early 20th
century vocal art music, donated to the Archive by collector William Moran. There are also some shellac pressings and metal
parts (mothers and stampers). The collection numbers approximately 700 discs, many of which are cancelled releases, alternate
takes, or otherwise commercially unavailable records. Most recording sessions originally produced by the Victor company, although
there are some H.M.V. and Columbia recordings. Many are releases from the International Record Collectors' Club series of
limited reissues. A detailed contents list is available.
Related Collections
Stanford University Archives holds the William R. Moran Collection, BRN-003, which chronicles Moran's occupation as an oil
field surveyor. Moran graduated from Stanford with a degree in geology. University of California, Santa Barbara Libraries
holds a William R. Moran Collection, PA Mss 57, which contains his writing, music research, and sound recordings.
Indexing Terms
Operas
Vocal music.
Box 1, Box 2, Box 3, Box 4, Box 5, Box 6, Box 7, Box 8, Box 9, Box 10, Box 11, Box 12, Box 13, Box 14, Box 15, Box 17
Custom vinyl and shellac pressings (and a few lacquers). Refer to ARS for contents list.
Physical Description:
700 78 rpm discs (approx.)
Box 15, Box 17
Metal mothers, masters, and stampers
Physical Description:
10 metal parts
Box 16
Jean De Reszke, Faust-Salve Dimora, Bettini Cylinder
Physical Description:
1 5" open reel tape
Box 16
Dame Nellie in America (Copies of Australian Radio Broadcasts)
1982
Physical Description:
1 7" open reel tape
Box 16
Walkure, Exxon - N.Y.Philharmonic Broadcasts, Originally from KDFC, San Francisco - Program No. N801-19C
Physical Description:
1 10.5" open reel tape
Box 16
Mary Shastid Martin, piano compositions, recorded in Northridge, California
1955
Physical Description:
3 10.5" open reel tapes
Box 18
Schumann-Heink Correspondence
1966-1984
Physical Description:
8 folders
Scope and Contents
William Moran and James McPherson were contributors and consulting editors for the Opera Quarterly. These letters were McPherson's
correspondence with members of Ernestine Schumann-Heink's family from 1966 to 1984. McPherson was the author of an unpublished
book on Schumann-Heink.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Schumann-Heink, Ernestine, 1861-1936.
Box 18
Donation Lists, Recording notebooks, Spoken Word Card File copies, Stroboscope copies
Physical Description:
8 folders
