Harlem Presbyterian Church
15 Mount Morris Park West
New York, N.Y. 10027
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| Undated postcard of 125th Street church |
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The Harlem Presbyterian Church was organized in the 1840s, but little is known
about the society's earliest years. It is known that an edifice was constructed
on 127th Street, and that the last service in that building was held on Sunday,
June 23, 1872. In the same year, the society moved to East 125th Street, between
Fourth and Fifth Avenues, where a new building was opened on June 30, 1872.
The two-story structure contained a lecture room on the first floor, and the
second story was for the Sunday-school room. On April 29, 1873, the cornerstone
was
laid for the church edifice.
In 1915, the congregation merged and moved to New York Presbyterian Church, located at 15 Mount Morris Park West, and was renamed Harlem–New York Presbyterian Church. The old building on 125th Street was purchased in 1905 by the Third Church of Christ, Scientist, who remained there until rapidly changing demographics in the area caused that society to abandon the location in 1919 and make plans to move to their present location on Park Avenue. In June 1921, the property was sold to a group of negroes that planned to open it as a "Colored Baptist Tabernacle" on July 3. The New York TImes (June 24, 1921) reported: "The purchase of the property for $185,000 was of profound interest to Harlem business men when it was announced yesterday. The deal is the largest real estate transaction in which negroes have figured as buyers south of 128th Street and was regarded as marking a decided southern trend in the ownership and activies of negroes in Harlem."
In 1942, Harlem Presbyterian merged with Rutgers Presbyterian Church, located at 236 West 73rd Street near Broadway. The old church on Mount Morris Park West became Mount Morris–Ascension Presbyterian Church. |
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Organ in church located at 15 Mount Morris Park West:
Hook & Hastings Company
Boston, Mass. – Opus 2100 (1906)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 35 registers
Specifications for this organ have not yet been located. |
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Organ in church located at 43 East 125th
Street:
J.H. & C.S.
Odell
New York City –Opus 325 (1895)
Mechanical action
2 manuals, 10 stops, 10 ranks
In 1895 J.H. & C.S. Odell was contracted to install a small organ in the chancel
of the church. This organ was Odell's "Style Twenty-seven." An
entry
(Sep.
2,
1895)
in
a
Ledger
Book
of
J.H. & C.S.
Odell
shows
that
this organ was set up as per agreement for $1,800. |
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Great Organ (Manual I) –58
notes
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8
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Open Diapason |
58
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8
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Stopped Diapason Bass |
12
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8
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Dulciana [TC] |
46
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4 |
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Octave |
58
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8
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Melodia [TC] |
46
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Swell Organ (Manual II) –58
notes, enclosed
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8
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Open Diapason [TC] |
46
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8
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Unison Bass |
12
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8
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Salicional |
58
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4
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Rohr Flöte |
58
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8
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Stopped Diapason [TC] |
46
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4
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Violina |
58
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Pedal Organ
– 27 notes
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16
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Bourdon |
27
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Couplers
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Swell to Pedal |
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Swell to Great |
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Great to Pedal |
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Reversible Swell to Great |
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Mechanical Accessories
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Bellows Signal |
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Balance Swell Pedal |
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Tremulant |
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Pedal Movements
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Piano on Great Organ |
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Forte on Great Organ |
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Organ in church located at 43 East 125th Street:
J.H. & C.S. Odell
New York City – Opus 129 (1873)
Mechanical key action
3 manuals, 32 stops, 36 ranks |
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Great Organ (Manual II) – 58 notes
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16 |
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Double Open Diapason |
58 |
2 2/3 |
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Twelfth |
58 |
8 |
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Grand Open Diapason |
58 |
2 |
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Fifteenth |
58 |
8 |
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Gamba |
58 |
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Sesquialtera, 3 ranks |
174 |
8 |
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Clarionet Flute |
58 |
8 |
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Trumpet |
58 |
4 |
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Harmonic Flute |
58 |
4 |
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Clarion |
58 |
4 |
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Principal |
58 |
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Swell Organ (Manual III) – 58 notes, enclosed
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16 |
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Bourdon |
58 |
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Cornet, 3 ranks |
174 |
8 |
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Open Diapason |
58 |
8 |
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Cornopean |
58 |
8 |
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Salicional |
58 |
8 |
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Vox Humana |
58 |
8 |
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Stop Diapason |
58 |
8 |
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Oboe & Bassoon basses |
58 |
4 |
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Principal |
58 |
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Tremulant |
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2 |
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Piccolo |
58 |
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Choir Organ (Manual I) – 58 notes
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8 |
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Keraulophon |
58 |
4 |
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Violina |
58 |
8 |
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Dulciana |
58 |
2 |
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Flageolet |
58 |
8 |
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Melodia |
58 |
8 |
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Clarionet [TC] |
46 |
4 |
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Wald Flute |
58 |
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Pedal Organ
– 27 notes
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16 |
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Grand Double Diapason |
27 |
10 2/3 |
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Grand Quint |
27 |
16 |
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Grand Bourdon |
27 |
8 |
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Violoncello |
27 |
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Couplers
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Patent Reversible Coupler |
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Great Manual to Pedals |
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Swell to Great Manuals |
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Swell Manual to Pedals |
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Choir to Great Manual |
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Choir Manual to Pedals |
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Swell to Choir Manual |
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Bellows Signal |
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Patent Pneumatic Compositions on Great Organ
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1. |
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Full Great Organ |
5. |
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Clarionet, Flute & Gamba |
2. |
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Full to Mixture |
6. |
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Gamba & Harmonic Flute |
3. |
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Full to Principal exc. Double |
7. |
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Clarionet Flute |
4. |
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All of the eight foot stops |
8. |
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Harmonic Flute |
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Patent Pneumatic Compositions on Swell Organ
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1. |
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Full Swell |
5. |
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Salicional & Stop Diapason |
2. |
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Full to Mixture |
6. |
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Oboe & Stop Diapason |
3. |
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Full to Principal without Double |
7. |
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Vox Humana |
4. |
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All of the eight foot stops |
8. |
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Salicional |
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Pedal Compositions
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1. |
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Piano |
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2. |
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Forte |
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Sources:
"Church in 125th St. Bought by Negroes," The New York Times (June 24, 1921).
"Dedication of the New Chapel of the Harlem Presbyterian Church," The New York Times (June 30, 1872).
"$500,000 Church For Park Av. Site," The New York Times (Mar. 28, 1920).
J.H. & C.S. Odell Ledger Book (Sep. 2, 1895:
p.268). Item regarding setting up two-manual organ. Courtesy Larry Trupiano.
J.H. & C.S. Odell Organ web site: www.odellorgans.com
"Laying the Corner-Stone of Harlem Presbyterian Church," The New York Times (Apr. 30, 1873).
Trupiano, Larry. Factory Contract for J.H. & C.S. Odell Organ, Op. 129 (1873).
Trupiano, Larry. Specification of J.H. & C.S. Odell
"Style
Twenty-seven" organ.
Illustration:
Trupiano, Larry. Undated postcard of edifice on East 125th Street. |
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