St. James Presbyterian Church


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St. James Presbyterian Church

409 West 141st Street at St. Nicholas Avenue
New York, N.Y. 10031

Organ Specifications:
409 West 141st Street at St. Nicholas Avenue (since 1927)
► III/27 Estey Organ Co., Op. 3112A (1940-51)
► II/25 J.H. & C.S. Odell & Co., Op. 414 (1905)
59 West 137th Street (1915-1927)
• II/19 George Jardine & Son
359 West 51st Street (1903-1915)
• unknown
211 West 32nd Street (c.1895-1903)
• II/19 George Jardine & Son (c.1895)

St. James Presbyterian Church was founded in 1895 by members of the former Shiloh Presbyterian Church. The society's first meeting was held at the Odd Fellows Hall on West 32nd Street, and in time they moved to 211 West 32nd Street, remaining there until 1903 when they were displaced by construction of the Pennsylvania Station. From 1903-1915, the congregation made its home in the former West Fifty-first Street Presbyterian Church at 359 West 51st Street.

In 1915, St. James Presbyterian followed the northward movement of black residents and moved to Harlem, where they erected a church building at 59 West 137th Street. The society remained at this location until 1927, after which the building became home to the Rendall Memorial Presbyterian Church.

St. James moved to its present home in 1927. Located on the northwest corner of 141st Street and St. Nicholas Avenue, the church was designed by Ludlow & Valentine and built from 1904-05 for the Lenox Presbyterian Church (later known as St. Nicholas Avenue Presbyterian Church), which remained there until they merged with North Presbyterian Church on West 155th Street.

During St. James's first decades on West 141st street, it was led by the Rev. William Lloyd Imes, described by the Rev. Adam Clayton Powell Jr., as having 'the mind of a scholar, the soul of a saint, the heart of a brother, the tongue of a prophet, and the hand of a militant.' St. James is also noted for its music. Dorothy Maynor, soprano soloist and wife of the pastor, The Rev. Shelby Rooks, was an operatic soprano who was barred from a career in opera because of her race, although she was a famous recitalist. In 1964, she founded the Harlem School of the Arts in the basement of St. James, teaching piano to a dozen children. The school is now housed in a building north of the church and attracts about 3000 students annually.

Estey Organ Company
Brattleboro, Vt.– Opus 3112A (1940-51); inst. (c.1957)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 36 registers, 24 stops, 26 ranks

The organ in St. James Church was originally built in 1940 by the Estey Organ Company for Christ Episcopal Church, Short Hills, N.J. Estey altered the organ (as Op. 3112A) in 1951. This organ was moved to St. James about 1957. The following specification is from the Estey Organ Museum website. Pipecounts were not given but are suggested, based on other Estey organs from that era.

Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes

Contra Gemshorn

Octave

Open Diapason

Gemshorn (fr. 16')

—

Gemshorn (fr. 16')

—

2 2/3

Twelfth

Melodia

Fifteenth

Harmonic Flute

Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed

Bourdon

Flute (fr. Bdn)

—

Open Diapason

Flautino (fr. Bdn)

—

Stopped Diapason (fr. Bdn)

—

Mixture III ranks [15-19-22]

183

Salicional

Oboe

Aeoline

Trumpet

Voix Celeste (TC)

Tremolo

Principal

Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed

Gamba

Traverse Flute

Dulciana

Clarinet

Unda Maris (TC)

Tremolo

Quintadena

Pedal Organ – 32 notes

Open Diapason

Stopped Flute

Bourdon

Gemshorn

Lieblichgedeckt

Gemshorn

Contra Fagotto (ext. SW)

Open Diapason

Couplers

Great to Pedal 8', 4'

Great to Great 16', 4'

Swell to Pedal 8', 4'

Swell to Swell 16', 4'

Choir to Pedal 8', 4'

Choir to Choir 16', 4'

Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'

Great Unison Off

Choir to Great 16', 8', 4'

Swell Unison Off

Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4'

Choir Unison Off

Adjustable Combinations

Great Organ & intra-man. coup.	Pistons 1-2-3-4-5	Toe Studs 1-2
Swell Organ & intra-man. coup.	Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6	Toe Studs 1-2
Choir Organ & intra-man. coup.	Pistons 1-2-3	Toe Studs 1-2
Pedal Organ	Pistons 1-2-3-4-5	Toe Studs 1-2-3
All stops and couplers	Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6-7	Toe Studs 1-2-3
	Piston 0 (Gen. Cancel)

Reversibles

Great to Pedal

Choir to Pedal

Swell to Pedal

Sforzando

Expression

Balanced Pedal – Swell Organ

Balanced Pedal – Choir Organ

Balanced Pedal – Crescendo

Accessories

Wind Indicator

Console Light

Crescendo Indicator

Pedal Lights

Sforzando Indicator

Clock

Bench

Motor

Music Rack

Blower

Mirror

Chimes (20 tubes)



				left: The Chimes are played by push buttons corresponding to the black & white notes of a keyboard.

J.H. & C.S. Odell & Co. New York City – Opus 414 (1905) Tubular-pneumatic action 2 manuals, 23 stops, 25 ranks The original organ in the present sanctuary was built in 1905 by J.H. & C.S. Odell of New York City.

Great Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes
8	Open Diapason	61	4	Flute Harmonique	61
8	Gamba	61	4	Octave	61
8	Dulciana	61	2	Super Octave	61
8	Melodia	61	8	Trumpet	61

Swell Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed
16	Bourdon Bass }	61	4	Rohr Flote	61
16	Bourdon Treble }	61	4	Violina	61
8	Open Diapason	61	2	Piccolo	61
8	Salicional	61		Dolce Cornet III ranks	183
8	Vox Celestis	61	8	Vox Humana	61
8	Aeoline	61	8	Oboe	61
8	Stopped Diapason	61

Pedal Organ – 30 notes
16	Open Diapason	30	8	Bass Flute	30
16	Bourdon	30

Couplers
	Great to Pedal			Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'
	Swell to Pedal			Swell to Swell 4'
	Pedal to Pedal Octaves			Great to Great 4'

Piston Combination Movements (Adjustable)
	Great Organ Forte			Swell Organ Forte
	Great Organ Mezzo			Swell Organ Mezzo
	Great Organ Piano			Swell Organ Piano

Pedal Movements
	Grand Crescendo Pedal			Balanced Swell Pedal
	Pedal Organ Forte			Great to Pedal Reversible
	Pedal Organ Piano

Organ in church at 59 West 137th Street:

George Jardine & Son
New York City
Mechanical action
2 manuals, 19 stops

The Correspondence Book kept by J.H. & C.S. Odell shows that in 1915 the organ in the 137th Street church building was by George Jardine & Son and had two manuals and 19 stops (Great 9, Swell 9, Pedal 1). It may be that this organ was moved from the church on West 32nd Street. Specifications of this organ have not yet been located.

Organ in original church at 211 West 32nd Street:

George Jardine & Son
New York City (c.1895)
Mechanical action
2 manuals, 19 stops

The original church had an organ built by George Jardine & Son of New York City. It seems likely that the organ was installed when the building was opened c.1895. Specifications of this organ have not yet been located.

Sources:
     Adams, Michael Henry. Harlem Lost and Found: An Architectural and Social History, 1765-1915. New York: Monacelli Press, 2002.
     Dolkart, Andrew S. and Gretchen S. Sorin. Touring Historic Harlem: Four Walks in Northern Manhattan. New York: New York Landmarks Conservancy, 1997.
     Dunlap, David W. From Abyssinian to Zion: A Guide to Manhattan's Houses of Worship. New York: Columbia University Press, 2004.
     The Estey Pipe Organ website. Specification of Estey organ, Op. 3112A (1940-51).
     Hickman, Cynthia. Harlem Churches at the End of the 20th Century. New York: Dunbar Press, 2001.
     Stimmel, Phil. Factory Shop Order (Aug. 25, 1940) for Estey Organ, Op. 3112 (1940).
     Trupiano, Larry. Item (1915) in J.H. & C.S. Odell Correspondence Book regarding Jardine organ in 137th Street church building.
     Trupiano, Larry. Factory Specifications of J.H. & C.S. Odell organ, Op. 414 (1905).

Illustrations:
     Schmauch, Dave. Interior; Estey Organ, Op. 3112A.

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