Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Cathedral - Brooklyn, New York (Brooklyn Eagle photo, 1954)
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Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Cathedral

113 Remsen Street at Henry Street
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11201

Organ Specifications:
• III/23 Austin Organ Company, Op. 259 (1909)
• III/46 E. & G.G. Hook, Op. 519 (1870)
• III/45 Thomas Appleton (1845)

Chapel:
• II/ Estey Organ Company, Op. 547 (1908)
• II/18 E. & G.G. Hook & Hastings, Op. 915 (1878)


Church of the Pilgrims (Congregational) - Brooklyn, New York (1844)  
Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Cathedral, an Eastern Rite Catholic Church, has occupied the present edifice since 1944, moving from 295 Hicks Street. The church was originally built in 1844 for the Church of the Pilgrims, a Congregational society organized in 1844, and the first worship services were held here on May 12, 1846. In 1934, the Church of the Pilgrims merged with Plymouth Congregational Church, located nearby on Hicks Street.

After being vacant for ten years, the building was purchased by the Syrian congregation in 1944. Over the years, the present congregation has embellished the building with new windows and furnishings, including a pair of doors salvaged from the SS Normandie.
               

Austin Organ Company
Hartford, Conn. – Opus 259 (1909)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 23 ranks, 1,525 pipes


Notes from The Very Rev. Francis J. Marini, Chancellor of the diocese of which this church is now the Cathedral:

I resided in Cathedral Rectory for seven years, and was Archivist of the diocese. This [E. & G.G. Hook] instrument was extensively rebuilt and electrified by Austin in 1909 as their Opus # 259, (III Manuals, 23 ranks and 1,525 pipes). Most of the pipework is from the Hook # 519, but with the pressure raised to 5" and a new pipe added at the bottom of most ranks to rescale and repitch the pipes to A435. The 23 Hook ranks which were discarded were all the mixtures and ranks above 4', and a few new ranks, including the signature Austin Cornopean 8' in the Swell were added.

In 1944, when the Church was purchased by the Maronite Catholics of Brooklyn, the original 1909 Austin detached electric console, located in the front gallery near the organ, was discarded and replaced with a Tellers standard AGO console relocated to the rear gallery of the Church, where it was slow in controlling the organ from which it was now distant 80' to 100'. Still, the instrument was playing until about 1987 (still using the original 1909 Kinetic blower), when a misguided attempt to relocate the console nearer the organ resulted in a severing of the main cable, and this has never been repaired. However, the 1909 Austin remains intact and is contained entirely within the 1870 Hook Case, complete with stenciled metal and stenciled wooden façade pipes on two façades, all of which are speaking. In fact, the reason the 1909 Austin is only half the size of the 1870 Hook is that the 1909 Austin contract contained a clause insisted upon by the Church of the Pilgrims that the new instrument must fit within the 1870 Hook case. Of course, the size of the Austin Universal Chests required reduction of the pipework (!).
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes (5" wind pressure)
16
  Open Diapason [wood]
61
8
   Gamba
61
8
  Open Diapason
61
4
   Octave
61
8
  Gross Flute [wood]
61
  Chimes
 
   
 
   
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed (5" wind pressure)
16
  Lieblich Gedeckt
73
4
  Flauto Traverso [wood]
73
8
  Open Diapason
73
2
  Flautino
61
8
  Doppel Flute [wood]
73
8
  Cornopean
73
8
  Viole d'Orchestre [tin]
73
8
  Oboe
73
8
  Viole d'Amour
73
8
   Vox Humana
73
8
   Vox Celeste [TC]
61
  Tremolo
 
   
 
   
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed (5" wind pressure)
8
   Melodia [wood]
73
4
   Flute d'Amour [wood & metal]
73
8
  Dulciana
73
8
   Clarinet
73
8
   Quintadena
73
  Tremolo
 
   
 
   
Pedal Organ – 32 notes (5" wind pressure)
16
   Open Diapason [wood]
32
16
   Lieblich Gedeckt
SW
16
   Bourdon [wood]
32
8
   Gross Flute [ext. Bourdon]
12

               

Previous organ built for the Church of the Pilgrims at this location:

E. & G.G. Hook
Boston, Mass. – Opus 519 (1870)
Mechanical action
3 manuals, 46 registers


Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.

               

Previous organ built for the Church of the Pilgrims at this location:

Thomas Appleton
Boston, Mass. (1845)
Mechanical action
3 manuals, 45 stops


This organ was moved in 1869 by Johnson (Op. 295) to South Congregational Church, Chicago . Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.

               

Organ installed in Pilgrim Chapel of Church of the Pilgrims:
:
Estey Organ Company
Brattleboro, Vt. – Opus 547 (1908)
Unknown action
2 manuals


Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.

               

Organ installed in Pilgrim Chapel of Church of the Pilgrims:
:
E. & G.G. Hook & Hastings
Boston, Mass. – Opus 915 (1878)
Mechanical action
2 manuals, 18 registers


Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.

               
Sources:
     The Estey Pipe Organ website: http://www.esteyorgan.com
     Marini, The Very Rev. Francis J. Notes on the organs.
     Nelson, George. Organs in the United States and Canada Database. Seattle, Wash.
     Ochse, Orpha. Austin Organs. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 2001.
     Organ Historical Society Database: http://organsociety.bsc.edu/
     Stiles, Henry Reed. History of the City of Brooklyn: Including the Old Town and Village of Brooklyn, the Town of Bushwick, and the Village and City of Williamsburgh. Brooklyn: pub. by subscription, 1863.
     Van Pelt, William T., comp. The Hook Opus List, 1829-1916 in Facsimile. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1991. 

Photos:
     Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Brooklyn Collection, Brooklyn Public Library: 1954 photo of exterior.
     Stiles, Henry Reed. History of the City of Brooklyn: Including the Old Town and Village of Brooklyn, the Town of Bushwick, and the Village and City of Williamsburgh. Brooklyn: pub. by subscription, 1863: drawing of Church of the Pilgrims, 1844.