St. Mark United Methodist Church - Brooklyn, N.Y. (photo: Matthew X. Kiernan)
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St. Mark United Methodist Church

2017 Beverly Road at Ocean Avenue
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11226
http://stmarksumcbklyn.com/


Organ Specifications:
• III/24 Austin Organs Inc., Op. 2252 (1955)
► II/15 Aeolian Company, Op. 1586 (1925) – Parish House
• III/19 Austin Organ Company, Op. 148 (1906)


St. Mark United Methodist Church was organized in 1903 by a group of Methodists who had moved from downtown Brooklyn to new homes on Ocean, Church and Flatbush Avenues. The society was known as St. Mark's Methodist Episcopal Church, and its first pastor, the Rev. John H. Willey, was appointed on April 8, 1903. The Jahn Mansion on Ocean Avenue between Beverly and Regent Place was rented as a place of worship for the young church on April 13 1903. Property on the northeast corner of Ocean Avenue and Beverly Road was purchased for $13,750. On October 20, 1903, the cornerstone was laid for a new edifice, and the completed church was dedicated on March 18, 1906.

As the young church grew in membership, there arose a need for expansion to accommodate the various activities of the church community. In 1909 a member of the church, Mr. Paul Ihrig, bought a lot on Beverly Road and 21st Street and kept it as his own expense until the church could pay for it. Later, another church member, Dr. Joseph H. Adams, offered to donate $25,000 toward the building the Parish House, If the church could match the amount. Members of St. Mark's raised $28,586. An auditorium was also to form part of the Parish House. Dr. Adams donated another $25,000 at the dedication of the Parish House on December 26, 1926. In recognition of his generosity the auditorium was named Adams Memorial Hall after his son, John H. Adams, Jr., who had drowned in 1911.

Following the merger in 1968 of the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church to form the United Methodist Church, the congregation became known as St. Mark's United Methodist Church.
               
Austin Organ Company
Hartford, Conn. – Opus 2252 (1955)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 24 ranks


Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.
             
Organ in Parish House:

Aeolian Company
New York City – Opus 1586 (1925)
Electro-pneumatic action
2 manuals, 29 stops, 15 ranks
Duo-Art and Solo Player


The organ in the Community House was originally intended for the residence of Mr. Joseph H. Adams in Mountain Lakes, N.J. According to the Aeolian Company Factory Specification (Oct. 16, 1925), there was a combination Duo-Art and Solo Player in the two-manual console, but the "General Details of Construction" state that the music roll mechanism was to be detached. Aeolian indicated that the organ would be installed on or about August 1st, 1926. The organ would cost $15,000 less $2,500 for the return of the Orchestrelle now in Mr. Adams's possession. By February 1926, Mr. Adams decided that the organ would instead be installed in the Parish House of St. Mark's Methodist Church, Brooklyn. Three separate contracts (Feb. 6, 1926) were signed for three additions to the organ: an unenclosed Open Diapason (Manual I) for $700; a Trumpet (Man. I and II) for $700; and a String F Vibrato (Man. I and II) for $700.

At some point, this organ was removed and some of the pipes were installed as the Antiphonal Divisions of Austin Organ, Op. 2438 (1965) in Flatbush-Tompkins Congregational Church, Brooklyn.
               
Manual I – 61 notes, enclosed
16
   Flute (deep)
61
8
   Flute F
61
8
   Open Diapason [unenc.]
61
8
   Flute P
61
8
   Diapason
61
4
   Flute (high)
61
8
   String F
61
8
   Trumpet
61
8
   String F Vibrato [TC]
49
8
  
Oboe
61
8
   String P
61
8
   Clarinet
61
8
   String PP
61
8
   Vox Humana
61
               
Manual II – 61 notes, enclosed
Compounded from Manual I upon the Aeolian Patent Compound Windchest System.
16
   Flute (deep)
—
8
   Flute P
—
8
   Diapason
—
4
   Flute (high)
—
8
   String F
—
8
  
Trumpet
—
8
   String F Vibrato [TC]
—
8
   Oboe
—
8
   String P
—
8
  
Clarinet
—
8
   String PP
—
8
  
Vox Humana
—
8
   Flute F
—
        
               
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
16
   Flute Deep F
32
      
16
   Flute Deep
—
        
               
Percussion Instruments
(Playable from Manuals I and II. With F and P Control, with and without Dampers.)
   
Harp
61 tones
   
Chimes
20 notes
    Harp (high)
—
        
               
Couplers
    Manual II to Manual I     Manual I Octave to Pedal
    Manual II Octave to Manual I     Manual I Octave
    Manual II Octave     Manual I Sub
    Manual II Sub     Manual I Unison Release
    Manual II to Pedal     Manual I to Pedal
    Manual II Unison Release     Pedal Release
               
Adjustable Combination Pistons
    Six Pistons (with release) under Manual I
    Six Pistons (with release) under Manual II
               
Accessories
    Sforzando Pedal     Tremolo
    Tonal Pedal     Manual I to Pedal Reversible
    Expression Pedal      
               
Duo-Art and Solo Player Controls
   
Tempo }  
Reroll } Duo-Art and Solo Music
Ventil }  
     
Normal }  
Reverse } Solo Music
Unison }  
             
Austin Organ Company
Hartford, Conn. – Opus 148 (1906)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 19 ranks


Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.
               
Sources:
     Ochse, Orpha. Austin Organs. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 2001.
     St. Mark United Methodist Church web site: http://stmarksumcbklyn.com/
     Smith, Rollin. The Aeolian Pipe Organ and its Music. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1998. 
     Trupiano, Larry. Factory Specification and Contracts of Aeolian Organ, Op. 1586 (1925).

Illustrations:
     Kiernan, Matthew X. Exterior (2012). New York Big Apple Images. Used by permission.