St. Mark's Hospital

66 St. Mark's Place
New York, N.Y. 10003


St. Mark's Hospital was incorporated as a general hospital in March 1890. Located on St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and 11th Street, the hospital served the indigent public. On December 15, 1926, the cornerstone was laid for a new five-story $600,000 public wards building. By the end of 1930 the hospital was in financial trouble, and in 1931 attempted to sell its buildings to the City of New York as a hospital for tubercular patients. The city rejected the offer, and the hospital declared bankruptcy on May 17, 1931. The building was acquired by the International Committee of the Young Men's Christian Association, who sold it in July 1945 to the Greenwich House Music School.
           
M. P. Möller, Inc.
Hagerstown, Md. – Opus 5659 (1929)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 48 stops, 19 ranks


The contract for the M.P. Möller organ, dated July 24, 1929, shows that the three-manual drawknob console contained an automatic player [an Artiste Reproducing Roll Player], and that the piano would be provided by the purchaser and wired to the console. Möller was to complete the organ by March 1, 1930. After St. Mark's Hospital declared bankruptcy, the organ was moved by Möller in 1933 (as Op. 6216) to First Presbyterian Church, Jamaica, where it was installed with "very few changes."
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed with Choir (6" wind pressure)
16
   Flute [TC] [Concert Flute]
—
4
   Flute Traverso [ext.]
—
8
   Open Diapason
61
2 2/3
   Quint [ext.]
—
8
   Doppel Flute
61
2
   Piccolo [ext.]
—
8
   Concert Flute [unit]
85
8
   Tuba
61
8
   Viole d'Orchestra
85
8
  
Harp
61 Bars
8
   Gemshorn
61
4
   Harp [TC]
—
8
   Dulciana
73
8
  
Chimes
25 tubes
4
   Flute [ext.]
—
     Tremulant  
4
   Violin [ext. VDO]
—
    
Piano  

     

     
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed, 5" wind pressure
16
   Bourdon [unit]
97
4
   Salicet [ext.]
—
8
   Open Diapason
73
4
   Orchestral Flute [ext.]
—
8
   Stopped Diapason [ext.]
—
2 2/3
   Flute Twelfth [ext.]
—
8
   Viole d'Orchestra
73
2
   Flautina [ext.]
—
8
   Viola
73
1
   Fife [ext.]
—
4
   Violetta [ext.]
—
8
   Oboe
73
8
   Salicional
73
8
   Vox Humana
61
8
   Vox Celeste [TC]
61
 
   Piano

     

     
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Gemshorn
GT
2 2/3
   Quint
—
8
   Dopple Flute [sic]
GT
8
   French Horn
61
8
   Concert Flute
GT
8
   Clarinet
61
8
   Dulciana
GT
8
   Harp
—
8
   Viole d'Orchestra
GT
4
   Harp
—
8
   Vox Celeste [TC]
49
     Tremulant  
4
   Violin [ext. VDO]
—
     Piano  

     

     
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
16
   Bourdon [ext. Dopple Flute]
12
8
   Tibia [ext.]
—
16
   Tibia Clausa
44
8
   Dolce Flute
—
16
   Gedeckt
SW
8
   Dulciana
GT
16
   Double Bass [ext. SW Viola]
12
8
   Tuba
GT
8
   Cello [Viola]
SW
8
   Flute [Doppel Flute]
GT
               
Couplers
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'       Great to Pedal  
    Choir to Great 16', 8', 4'       Swell to Pedal
    Great to Great 16', 4'       Choir to Pedal  
    Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4'       Great Unison Separation
    Choir to Choir 16', 4'       Swell Unison Separation
    Choir to Swell 8', 4'       Choir Unison Separation
    Swell to Swell 16', 4'          
               
Mechanicals
    Great Tremulant       Choir Tremulant  
    Swell Tremulant       Crescendo Indicator  
               
Adjustable Combinations
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5 Affecting Great Organ
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5 Affecting Swell Organ
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5 Affecting Choir Organ
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5 Affecting Pedal Organ
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5 Affecting Full Organ
               
Pedal Movements
    Great to Pedal Reversible
    Balanced Expression Pedal, Swell Organ
    Balanced Expression Pedal, Great-Choir Organs
    Grand Crescendo Pedal    
    Sforzando Pedal and Piston    
           
Sources:
     "Buying of St. Mark's Held Up by M'Kee", The New York Times (Jan. 28, 1931).
     "Downtown School Buys Old St. Mark's Hospital", The New York Times (Jul. 28, 1945).
     M.P. Möller correspondence (Oct. 23, 1933) in re sale of organ to First Presbyterian Church, Jamaica. Courtesy Larry Trupiano.
     Organ Historical Society American Organ Archives, Princeton, N.J. Specification for M.P. Möller Organ, Op. 5659 (1929). Courtesy Jonathan Bowen.
     "St. Mark's Hospital", The New York Times (Mar. 9, 1890).
     "St. Mark's Hospital Forced to Close Doors, Staff Disbanding as Pleas for Funds Fall", The New York Times (Aug. 5, 1930).
     "St. Mark's Hospital is in Bankruptcy", The New York Times (May 17, 1931).
     "St. Mark's Hospital Lays a Cornerstone", The New York Times (Dec. 16, 1926).