Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church - New York City (photo: Steven E. Lawson)
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Church of the Most Holy Redeemer
(Roman Catholic)

173 East Third Street
New York, N.Y. 10009
http://mhr173.org/


Organ Specifications:
Present building (since 1851):
► III/48 Albert L. Fenton (1912, 1938)
► II/36 Frank Roosevelt, Op. 504 (1891)
• George Jardine & Son (<1869)
• II/32 Francis X. Engelfried (1857)
First building (1844-1851):
• unknown






Original design of Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church - New York City  
Original Design (1852)  
The Roman Catholic Church of the Most Holy Redeemer was established in 1844 by the Redemptorist Fathers to serve the growing numbers of German immigrants living in the city. Located on East Third Street in an area formerly known as Kleindeutschland ("Little Germany"), the society erected a wooden frame building, rectory, convent and school. The present cathedral-like church building was built in 1851-52 to designs by a Mr. Walsh, and dedicated on November 28, 1852.

In 1913, the church was renovated by Paul Schulz, who simplified the original Baroque façade and shortened the 250-foot tower. There are eight bells in the tower: two by Meneely of Watervliet, N.Y., and six from Constance, Switzerland. The interior features colorful decoration, stained glass, and imported marble.

With the advent of the elevated trains, the German population moved northward, often to the Yorkville area of Manhattan. As the neighborhood demographics changed over the years, so did the ethnic identity of the congregation. Today, the congregation is known as Santisimo Redentor, and is a shrine in honor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church - New York City (photo: Steven E. Lawson)  
Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church - New York City (photo: Steven E. Lawson)
   
Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church - New York City (photo: Steven E. Lawson)  
           
  Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church - New York City (photo: Steven E. Lawson)
Fenton Organ Company
Nyack, N.Y. (1911, 1938)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 40 stops, 48 ranks



In 1911, Arthur L. Fenton of New York City rebuilt and enlarged the 1891 Roosevelt organ. An article in The Diapason (May 1912) announced this work as follows:

"The new organ at the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer, New York City, was used for the first time since its completion Saturday evening, April 6, with the organist and choirmaster, Alfonse J. Weiss, officiating.

"This organ was built by Arthur L. Fenton, successor to the late Charles Maier, at the Maier factory, 3636-3638 Park avenue, New York, and is a three manual with electric action and thirty-nine speaking stops. The great organ has eleven stops, the swell thirteen, the choir eight and the pedal seven, besides the gedackt borrowed. There are fourteen couplers, fourteen [sic] combination pistons and a total of 2,760 pipes. The wind is supplied by an Orgoblo located in a disused spiral staircase."

Fenton reused most if not all of the 1881 Frank Roosevelt organ, Op. 504, including chests, pipes, and the console shell and bench. The drawknobs were replaced with colored stopkeys: white for labials, red for reeds, and robin's egg blue for tremolos. A new 32-note concave and radiating "A.G.O." pedalboard was installed, although Fenton did not add pipes for the top two notes.

The organ received attention or was rebuilt again in 1938 by the Fenton Organ Co. of Nyack, N.Y., as re-established about 1932 by Arthur L. Fenton after he dissolved his partnership with Robert H. Clark in Clark & Fenton of Nyack.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, partially enclosed with Choir
16
   Major Diapason *
61
4
   Octave
61
8
   Open Diapason *
61
2
   Wald Flote
61
8
   Gamba
61
     Cornet III-IV ranks
196
8
   Doppel Flote
61
     Mixture V ranks
305
8
   Flute Harmonic
61
8
   Trumpet
61
4
   Flauto Traverso
61
    
* unenclosed
               
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
   Bourdon
61
4
   Flute Harmonic
61
8
   Open Diapason
61
2
   Flautino
61
8
   Stopped Diapason
61
     Mixture III ranks
183
8
   Salicional
61
8
   Cornopean
61
8
   Vox Celestis [TC]
49
8
   Oboe
61
8
   Viol d'Orchestre
61
8
   Vox Humana
61
4
   Gemshorn
61
     Tremolo  
               
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Geigen Principal
61
4
   Flute d'Amour
61
8
   Concert Flute
61
2
   Piccolo Harmonic
61
8
   Dolce
61
8
   Clarinet
61
8
   Quintadena
61
     Tremolo  
4
   Violina
61
        
               
Pedal Organ – 30 notes (32-note pedalboard)
16
   Open Diapason
30
10 2/3
   Quint
30
16
   Violon
30
8
   Violoncello
30
16
   Bourdon
30
8
   Flute
30
16
   Lieblich Gedeckt
SW
16
   Trombone
30
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal 8'   Choir to Great 16', 8'
    Swell to Pedal 8', 4'   Swell to Swell 16', 4'
    Choir to Pedal 8'   Swell to Choir 8'
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'   Choir to Choir 16', 4'
               
Adjustable Combinations (by setterboard inside console)
   
Swell Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5 & Cancel
Great Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4 & Cancel
Choir Organ Pistons 1-2-3 & Cancel
               
Pedal Movements
    Great to Pedal Reversible    
    Balanced Great & Choir Pedal (mechanical)    
    Balanced Swell Pedal (mechanical)    
    Crescendo Pedal      
               
Frank Roosevelt Organ, Op. 504 (1891) in Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church - New York City (photo: Steven E. Lawson)
  
Frank Roosevelt Organ, Op. 504 (1891) in Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church - New York City (photo: Steven E. Lawson)
               
Frank Roosevelt Organ, Op. 504 (1891) in Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church - New York City (photo: Steven E. Lawson)
Frank Roosevelt Organ, Op. 504 (1891) in Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church - New York City (photo: Steven E. Lawson)
Setterboard
Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church - New York City (photo: Steven E. Lawson)
           
  Frank Roosevelt Organ, Op. 504 (1891) in Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church - New York City (photo: Steven E. Lawson)
Frank Roosevelt
New York City – Opus 504 (1891)
Tracker-pneumatic action
2 manuals, 29 stops, 36 ranks



In 1891, a new organ having two manuals and 29 stops was built by Frank Roosevelt of New York City. The exact specifications for this organ have not yet been located.

However, Hilborne L. Roosevelt, founder of the company and Frank's brother, advertised a "Style 39" that was a stock model with two manuals and 29 stops. Style 39 is very similar to the stoplist found on the Great, Swell and Pedal divisions as rebuilt in 1911 by A. L. Fenton, although the existing Roosevelt manual chests have 61 instead of 58 notes. Following is the specification of Style 39 (as published in 1888 by Hilborne L. Roosevelt):
               
Great Organ (Manual I) – 58 notes, partially enclosed with Swell
16
   Double Open Diapason
58
4
   Octave
58
8
   Open Diapason
58
4
   Flute Harmonique
58
8
   Viola di Gamba
58
2 2/3
   Octave Quint *
58
8
   Dulciana
58
2
   Super Octave *
58
8
   Concert Flute [1-12 fr. Dop.Fl.]
46
     Mixture, 3 & 4 ranks *
196
8
   Doppel Flöte
58
8
   Trumpet *
58
           
* enclosed within the Swell-box
               
Swell Organ (Manual II) – 58 notes, enclosed
16
   Bourdon
58
4
   Hohl Flöte
58
8
   Violin Diapason
58
2
   Piccolo Harmonique
58
8
   Spitz Flöte
58
     Cornet, 3, 4 & 5 ranks
242
8
   Dolce
58
8
   Cornopean
58
8
   Vox Celestis [TC]
46
8
   Oboe
58
8
   Stopped Diapason
58
8
   Vox Humana
58
4
   Gemshorn
58
     Tremolo  
               
Pedal Organ – 30 notes
16
   Open Diapason
30
10 2/3
   Quint
30
16
   Bourdon
30
8
   Violoncello
30
               
Couplers
    Swell to Great   Swell to Pedal
    Swell to Great 8ves   Great to Pedal
               
Mechanical Accessories
    Swell Tremulant   Eclipse Wind Indicator
    Bellows Signal    
               
Pedal Movements
    Great Organ Forte   Great to Pedal Reversible Coupler
    Great Organ Piano   Balanced Swell Pedal
    Swell Organ Forte    
    Swell Organ Piano    
           
George Jardine & Son
New York City (before 1869)
Mechanical action


Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.
           
Francis Xavier Engelfried
New York City (1857)
Mechanical action
2 manuals, 32 stops


The first known organ for Most Holy Redeemer Church was built in 1857 by Francis (Franz) Xavier Engelfried (1805-1881), a native of Württemberg, Germany, who immigrated to the U.S. in 1853. Engelfried was active in New York City from 1853-1875. His sons Albert and Charles were also organbuilders, and both were employed as voicers for the Roosevelt Organ Works in New York.

The American Musical Directory of 1861 shows that the organ in this church had "2 banks keys, 32 stops, 2 octaves pedals, 7 pedal speaking stops" and was "Built by F. Engelfried, in 1857."

Specifications of this organ have not yet been located.
           
Sources:
     American Musical Directory. New York: Thomas Hutchinson, 1861.
     Burrows, Edwin G. and Mike Wallace. Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999.
     Dunlap, David W. From Abyssinian to Zion: A Guide to Manhattan's Houses of Worship. New York: Columbia University Press, 2004.
     Fox, David H. A Guide to North American Organbuilders. Rev. Ed. Richmond: Organ Historical Society, 1997.
     "Founded Fifty Years Ago," The New York Times (Apr. 23, 1894).
     "Hilborne L. Roosevelt, Manufacturer of Church, Chapel, Concert and Chamber Organs," catalog pub. by Roosevelt Organ Works (Dec. 1888); republished by The Organ Literature Foundation, Braintree, Mass., 1978. Courtesy Sand Lawn and David Scribner.
     "Is Built By A. L. Fenton," The Diapason (May 1, 1912).
     Nelson, George. Organs in the United States and Canada Database. Seattle, Wash.
     Shelley, Thomas J. The Bicentennial History of the Archdiocese of New York 1808-2008. Strasbourg: Éditions du Signe, 2007.

Illustrations:
     Lawson, Steven E. Interior; organ case and console.