Calvary United Methodist Church - Bronx, N.Y.
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Calvary United Methodist Church

1885 University Avenue
The Bronx, N.Y. 10453


Organ Specifications:
1885 University Avenue, Bronx (since 1924):
• III/50 Allen Organ Company electronic
► III/36 Hillgreen, Lane & Company, Op. 765 (1924)
211 West 129th Street, Manhattan (1887-1923):
► III/33 George Jardine & Son (1887)


 
Original church in Manhattan
  
Calvary Methodist Episcopal Church (also known as the West Harlem M.E. Church) was originally located at 211 West 129th Street at Seventh Avenue in Manhattan. John Rochester Thomas designed the brick and stone church, as well as a chapel and parsonage, which were built in 1887. Calvary Church grew considerably and, after only three years, Thomas was requested to double the size of the church. In 1893, the 2000-seat Romanesque church was described as the largest Protestant church auditorium in the city.

  Calvary United Methodist Church - Bronx, N.Y.
 
Interior in Hillgreen, Lane advertisement
In 1923, Calvary Church decided to leave West Harlem and move to their present location at 1885 University Avenue in the Bronx. The original church was sold to Salem Methodist Episcopal Church, a black congregation.

Today, Calvary Church is a multi-racial, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-national congregation.
           
Allen Organ Company
Macungie, Penn.
Digital tone production
3 manuals, 50 stops (Renaissance Model)


Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.
           

Hillgreen-Lane Organ, Op. 765 (1924) at Calvary Methodist Episcopal Church - Bronx, N.Y. (courtesy Jonathan Bowen)
Hillgreen, Lane & Company
Alliance, Ohio – Opus 765 (1924)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 45 registers, 31 stops, 36 ranks


Hillgreen-Lane Organ, Op. 765 (1924) at Calvary Methodist Episcopal Church - Bronx, N.Y. (courtesy Jonathan Bowen)  
For their new church in the Bronx, Calvary Methodist contracted with Hillgreen, Lane & Company to build a new organ. The Factory Contract (April 9, 1924) shows that the organ would have three manuals and would be fully enclosed behind a screen at the front of the church. Hillgreen, Lane indicated the organ would be completed and ready for use on or about the 1st day of November, 1924. The organ's scheme was designed by Mr. Patterson, the organist, and Gustav F. Döhring, Eastern Representative for Hillgreen, Lane. The total cost of the organ was $17,000.

The Hillgreen, Lane console was discarded in 2012.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed (5" & 8" wind pressure)
16
   Diapason
73
2
   Flautino (fr. 8')
—
8
   Diapason
73
     Mixture, 3 & 4 ranks
214
8
   Dulciana
73
16
   Tuba Sonora (8" w.p.)
97
8
   Viola da Gamba
73
8
   Tromba (fr. 16')
—
8
   Flute
85
4
   Tuba Clarion (fr. 16')
—
4
   Flute (fr. 8')
—
    
Chimes
25 tubes
               
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed (4" & 6" wind pressure)
16
   Bourdon
73
2
   Superoctave (fr. Mixture)
—
8
   Diapason
73
     String Mixture 3 ranks (6" w.p.)
183
8
   Viole d'Orchestre
73
16
   Contra Fagotto
73
8
   Viole Celeste (TC)
61
8
   Cornopean
73
8
   Aeoline
73
8
   Oboe
73
8
   Stopped Flute
73
8
   Vox Humana
73
4
   Harmonic Flute
73
     Tremolo  
4
   Violetta (fr. Mixture)
—
     Chimes
GT
3 1/5
   Tierce (fr. Mixture)
—
    
Harp
49 bars
               
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed (5" wind pressure)
16
   Dulciana
85
4
   Flauto Traverso (fr. 8')
—
8
   Violin Diapason
73
2
   Harmonic Piccolo (fr. 8')
—
8
   Dolce (fr. 16')
—
8
   French Horn
73
8
   Viol
73
8
   Orchestral Oboe
73
8
   Viol Celeste (TC)
61
8
   Clarinet
73
8
   Concert Flute
85
     Tremolo  
8
   Quintadena
73
     Harp
SW
               
Pedal Organ – 32 notes (5" wind pressure)
32
   Diapason [resultant]
—
8
   Violoncello
32
16
   Diapason
44
8
   Flute (fr. 16' Diap.)
—
16
   Bourdon
32
16
   Trombone
GT
16
   Dolce Bass
CH
        
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal 8'   Great to Swell 8'
    Swell to Pedal 8', 4'   Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4'
    Choir to Pedal 8'   Great 4', Unison Separation
    Pedal to Pedal 8'   Swell 16', 4', Unison Separation
    Pedal Tenor   Choir 16', 4', Unison Separation
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'   Coupler Cancel
    Choir to Great 16', 8', 4'    
               
Adjustable Combinations
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 affecting Great and Pedal stops
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 affecting Swell and Pedal stops
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 affecting Choir and Pedal stops
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 affecting Full Organ (duplicated by foot pistons)
               
Pedal Movements
    Choir Expression   Great to Pedal Reversible
    Great Expression   Sforzando
    Swell Expression   Master Expression ("on" & "off")
    Crescendo Pedal    
           
Organ in previous church at 211 West 129th Street in Manhattan:

George Jardine & Son
New York City (1887)
Mechanical action
3 manuals, 27 stops, 31 ranks
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 58 notes
16
   Double Open Diapason
58
4
   Principal
58
8
   Open Diapason
58
3
   Nasard
58
8
   Gamba
58
2
   Piccolo
58
8
   Doppel Flöte
58
     Sexquialtera, 3 ranks
174
               
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 58 notes, enclosed
16
   Bourdon
58
2
   Flageolet
58
8
   Open Diapason
58
     Cornet, 3 ranks
174
8
   Clariana
58
8
   Trumpet
58
8
   Lieblich Gedackt
58
8
   Oboe
58
4
   Violino
58
8
   Vox Humana
58
4
   Echo Flute
58
     Tremulant  
               
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 58 notes
8
   Salicional
58
4
   Flute Harmonic
58
8
   Dulciana
58
2
   Flautino
58
8
   Claribella
58
        
               
Pedal Organ – 30 notes
16
   Open Diapason
30
8
   Violoncello
30
16
   Bourdon
30
        
               
Pedal Movements
1.
   Forte to Great Organ  
3.
   Piano to Great Organ  
2.
   Mezzo to Great Organ  
4.
   Balanced Swell Pedal  
           
Sources:
     "Another Jardine Organ", The Musical Courier (Oct. 10, 1888). Specifications of George Jardine & Son organ (1887). Courtesy Dale W. Hansen, Archivist, Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church.
     Dunlap, David W. From Abyssinian to Zion: A Guide to Manhattan's Houses of Worship. New York: Columbia University Press, 2004.
     Hickman, Cynthia. Harlem Churches At the End of the 20th Century. New York City: Dunbar Press, 2001.
     Schmauch, Dave. Electronic correspondence (May 22, 2012) about Hilgreen, Lane console being removed.
     Stern, Robert A.M., Thomas Mellins, and David Fishman. New York 1880: Architecture and Urbanism in the Gilded Age. New York City: The Monacelli Press, 1999.
     Trupiano, Larry. Factory Specification of Hillgreen, Lane & Company organ, Op.765 (1924).

Illustrations:
     Bowen, Jonathan: Console of Hillgreen, Lane & Company organ, Op. 765 (1924).