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Loew's Astoria Theatre
2860 Steinway Street near 30th Avenue
Astoria (Queens), NY 11103
The Astoria Theatre was built by the vaudeville chain of Ward & Glynne and opened in 1920. Thomas W. Lamb designed the 2,900-seat theatre which was the largest in Queens until the Keith-Albee in Flushing, and Loew's Valencia in Jamaica were opened near the end of the decade. In 1923, the Astoria Theatre was purchased by the Loew's chain. In 1931, when Loew's opened the larger and more spectacular Triboro Theatre only a block away on Steinway Street, it continued to operate the Astoria to stem competition. In 1977, United Artists divided the theater into four screens, and in 1981 converted the remaining dressing areas in the back of the building into two additional theaters, bringing the theater up to sixplex status.
It was named the UA Astoria Sixplex when it closed on Dec. 26, 2001. Today, the former theater building is used for office space and retail. |
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M.P. Möller, Inc.
Hagerstown, Md. – Opus 4377 (1926)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 154 registers, 32 ranks
The organ in Loew's Astoria Theatre was built in 1926 by the M.P. Möller company of Hagerstown, MD, at a cost of $18,390, discounted by $4,500 for trade-in of the existing Austin organ. This organ was one five identical organs built by Möller for Loew's theatres in New York City. Each of the five organs had three manuals and 32 ranks, and had a bat-wing style mahogany console with 154 registers. Wind pressures were 7" and 12".
The identical organs were Op. 4373, installed in Loew's 83rd Street Theatre in Manhattan; Op. 4376, installed in Loew's Alhambra Theatre in Brooklyn; Op. 4377, installed in Loew's Astoria Theatre in Astoria, Queens; Op. 4378, installed in Loew's Spooner Theatre in the Bronx; and Op. 4379, installed in Loew's Rio Theatre in Manhattan.
Click here to view the Möller Factory Specifications of Op. 4373 in the Loew's 83rd Street Theatre. |
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Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes
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8 |
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Open Diapason |
73 |
8 |
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Tuba |
— |
4 |
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Octave Principle [sic] |
— |
4 |
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Clarion |
— |
8 |
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Gross Flute |
73 |
16 |
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Cor Anglais [TC] |
— |
8 |
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Doppel Flute |
73 |
8 |
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English Horn |
73 |
8 |
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Clarabella |
73 |
16
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Corno de Bassetto [sic] |
OR |
8 |
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Flute Celeste [TC] |
61 |
8 |
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French Trumpet |
73 |
8 |
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Stopped Flute |
OR |
8 |
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Kinura |
73 |
4 |
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Solo Flute |
— |
8 |
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Major Vox Humana |
73 |
4 |
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Claribel Flute |
— |
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| Cathedral Chimes |
25 Tubes |
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4 |
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Flute d'Amour |
OR |
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Mixture III ranks |
derived |
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Tremulant |
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16 |
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Violin |
97 |
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Two Blank Stop Keys |
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8 |
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Solo Violin |
— |
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4 |
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Violina |
— |
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Second Touch |
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2 2/3 |
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String Twelfth |
— |
8 |
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Gross Flute |
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2 |
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String Fifteenth |
— |
8 |
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Major Violin |
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8 |
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Orchestral Violin |
73 |
8 |
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Tuba |
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8 |
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Viole Celeste [TC] |
61 |
8 |
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English Horn |
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8 |
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Major Violin |
73 |
8 |
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French Trumpet |
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16 |
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Bass Tuba |
85 |
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Xylophone |
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Orchestral Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes
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16 |
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Bourdon |
97 |
8 |
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English Horn |
GT |
8 |
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Stopped Diapason |
— |
4 |
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Horn Octave |
GT |
4 |
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Flute d'Amour |
— |
16 |
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Sub Vox Humana [TC] |
— |
2 2/3 |
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Octave Quint |
— |
8 |
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Vox Humana |
73 |
2 |
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Flautina |
— |
8 |
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Concert Harp [TC] |
— |
8 |
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Orchestral Oboe (Syn.) |
— |
4 |
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8 |
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Saxaphone [sic] (Syn.) |
— |
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Glockenspiel |
— |
8 |
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Harmonic Flute |
73 |
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Bells |
— |
4 |
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Flute |
— |
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Snare Drum |
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8 |
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Major Violin |
GT |
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Castinets |
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8 |
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Mezzo Violin |
GT |
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Tambourine |
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4 |
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Violina |
GT |
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Tom Tom |
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2 |
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String Fifteenth |
GT |
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Sleigh Bells |
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8 |
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Orchestral Violin |
GT |
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Indian Block |
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8 |
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Viole Celeste |
GT |
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Triangle |
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8 |
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Quintadena |
73 |
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Tremulant |
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8 |
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Tuba |
GT |
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Two Blank Stop Keys |
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8 |
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Clarinet |
73 |
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Solo Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes
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8 |
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Stentorphone * |
73 |
16 |
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Fagotto |
85 |
8 |
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Gross Flute * |
73 |
8 |
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Oboe |
— |
16 |
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Tibia Sub * |
97 |
4 |
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Oboe Clarion |
— |
8 |
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Tibia Clausa |
— |
16 |
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Sub Vox Humana [TC] |
— |
4 |
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Tibia Super |
— |
8 |
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Mezzo Vox Humana |
73 |
2 2/3 |
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Quint |
— |
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| Concert Marimba (Repeat) |
49 Bars |
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2 |
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Flautina |
— |
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Single Stroke Marimba |
— |
8 |
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Concert Flute |
73 |
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| Orchestra Bells (Single Stroke) |
37 Bars |
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4 |
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Flute Harmonic |
73 |
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Orchestra Bells (Repeat) |
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2 |
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Piccolo |
— |
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Tremulant |
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4 |
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Fern Flute |
— |
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8 |
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Gross Gamba * |
73 |
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Second Touch |
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8 |
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Gross Gam. Celeste [TC] * |
61 |
8 |
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Tibia Plena |
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8 |
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Violin d'Orchestre [sic] |
73 |
8 |
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Tibia Clausa |
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8 |
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Viole Celeste [TC] |
61 |
8 |
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Gross Gamba |
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4 |
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Violina |
— |
8 |
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Cornopean |
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8 |
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Cornopean * |
73 |
8 |
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French Horn |
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4 |
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Corno |
— |
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Marimba (Repeat) |
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8 |
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French Horn * |
73 |
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Pedal Organ – 32 notes
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32 |
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Resultant |
— |
8 |
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Cello |
SO |
16 |
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Open Diapason * [ext. GT] |
12 |
8 |
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Tuba |
GT |
16 |
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Tibia * [ext. Tibia Plena] |
12 |
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Chimes |
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16 |
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Contra Tibia Clausa |
SO |
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Bass Drum |
16 |
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Bourdon |
OR |
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Snare Drum |
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16 |
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Bass Violin |
GT |
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Tympany Roll [Bass Drum] |
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16 |
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Tuba |
GT |
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Triangle |
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16 |
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Contra Fagotto |
SO |
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Cymbal |
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8 |
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Tibia Plena |
SO |
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Tom Tom |
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8 |
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Gross Flute |
GT |
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Castanets |
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8 |
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Flute Dolce |
OR |
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Tambourine |
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8 |
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Major Violin |
GT |
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Sleigh Bells |
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* stops on 12" wind pressure |
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Affected by Pistons
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Thunder Sheet |
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Song Birds (2) |
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Cymbal Crash |
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Chinese Gong |
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Grand Crash |
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Tubular Bell (Sharp) |
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Indian Block |
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Tubular Bell (Flat) |
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Couplers
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Great to Pedal 8', 4' |
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Orchestral to Solo 16', 8', 4' |
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Solo to Pedal 8', 4' |
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Great 16', 4', Unison Separation |
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Orchestral to Pedal 8' |
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Swell 16', 4', Unison Separation |
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Solo to Great 16', 8', 4' |
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Orch. 16', 4', Unison Separation |
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Orchestral to Great 16', 8', 4' |
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Solo to Orchestral 16', 8', 4' |
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Compound Coupler [Released by Pistons] |
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Adjustable Combinations
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Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 |
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affecting Solo |
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Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 |
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affecting Great |
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Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 |
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affecting Orchestral |
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Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 |
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affecting Pedal |
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Pistons No. 1-2-3-4 |
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affecting Full Organ |
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Corresponding Pedal to Manuals Pistons [by switch in jambs, left side] |
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Pedal Movements
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Great to Pedal Reversible |
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Solo to Pedal Reversible |
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Balanced Solo Expression Pedal |
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[Balanced Great-Orchestral Expression Pedal] – not on contract |
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Grand Crescendo Pedal, Super and Sub Couplers Sforzando on double touch |
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Austin Organ Company
Hartford, Conn. – Opus 901 (1920)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 22 stops, 14 ranks
The first organ installed in the Astoria Theatre was built in 1920 at a cost of $7,000 by the Austin Organ Company. In 1926, a new organ built by the M.P. Möller company was installed in the Astoria Theatre, and Möller was contracted to move the Austin organ to the Strand Theatre in Port Jervis, NY, at a cost of $6,000. Specifications for this organ have not yet been located. |
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Sources:
Cinema Treasures web site: http://www.cinematreasures.org
Junchen, David L. Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ, Vol. 1. Pasadena: Showcase Publications, 1985.
Nelson, George. Organs in the United States and Canada Database. Seattle, Wash.
Trupiano, Larry. Factory Specifications of M.P. Möller organ, Op. 4373 (1926).
Photos:
Cinema Treasures web site. 1920 photo of Astoria Theatre. |
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