St. Matthias Catholic Church - Ridgewood (Queens), NY

Click on images to enlarge

St. Matthias Church
(Roman Catholic)

58-15 Catalpa Avenue
Ridgewood (Queens), N.Y. 11385
http://saintmatthiaschurch.net

Organ Specifications:
► III/40 Casavant Frères, Op. 3573 (1983); rev.
• II/ Midmer-Losh Organ Company (1932) – Lower Church
► III/37 J.H. & C.S. Odell & Co., Op. 568 (1925); enl. (1953)
► II/10 A.B. Felgemaker, Op. 1168 (1913)
► I/9 Henry Erben – relocated by Felgemaker as Op. 1033

1909 drawing of St. Matthias Catholic Church - Ridgewood (Queens), N.Y. (photo: Forgotten New York)

In May of 1908, the Bishop of Brooklyn was travelling to Rome via ocean liner and had an inspiration to build a church in Ridgewood and name it after Matthias, one of the Apostles. In 1909, the first St. Matthias Church and School was built as an all-in-one building on Catalpa Avenue in Ridgewood, which is on the border between Brooklyn and Queens. In 1978, Ridgewood was officially given a postal zipcode in the borough of Queens.

By 1917, St. Matthias was overflowing with parishoners, and plans were made for a larger church. Due to delays caused by World War I, the new church was finally completed in 1926. The school was then expanded to occupy the entire old building.

Originally built to serve immigrants from Germany, the church has evolved over the decades to include masses and services in German, Spanish, Polish and English.

Casavant Frères, Limitée St. Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada – Opus 3573 (1983) Electric-slider action 3 manuals, 31 stops, 40 ranks In 1983, a new three-manual organ was installed by Casavant Frères of Canada. As originally built, the organ had 30 stops and 38 ranks. The instrument has electric-slider chest action controlled by a detached electric console. William Whitehead was the consultant and also played the dedicatory recital on November 13, 1983. At some point, two independent ranks were added to the Pedal: a 16' Bordun and an 8' Gedacktflöte; both ranks are extended downward to provide pipes for the 32' Untersatz (which was originally a Resultant).

Hauptwerk (Manual I) – 56 notes, partially enclosed
16	Bordun (wood)	56	2	Gemshorn *	56
8	Prinzipal	56	1 3/5	Terz *	56
8	Rohrflöte *	56		Mixtur V ranks	280
4	Oktave	56	8	Trompete *	56
4	Flöte *	56		Tremulant
2 2/3	Nasat *	56		* enclosed

Schwellwerk (Manua II) – 56 notes, enclosed
8	Gedackt	56		Scharf IV ranks	224
8	Salizional	56	16	Dulzian	56
8	Schwebung (TC)	44	8	Oboe	56
4	Prinzipal	56	4	Clarine	56
2	Octave	56		Tremulant
	Sesquialtera II ranks	112

Solowerk (Manual III) – 56 notes
8	Festliche trompete [hi-press.]	56

Pedal – 30 notes
32	Untersatz [orig. Resultant]	—	4	Oktave	30
16	Prinzipal	30		Mixtur IV ranks	120
16	Bordun + [orig. from HW]	37	32	Posaune [L/2 ext.]	12
8	Oktave	30	16	Posaune	30
8	Gedacktflöte +	40	8	Trompete	30
				+ add'l pipes comprise 32' Untersatz
Couplers
	Hauptwerk/Pedal (II-P)			Schwellwerk/Hauptwerk (III-II)
	Schwellwerk/Pedal (III-P)			Solowerk/Hauptwerk (I-II)
	Solowerk/Pedal (I-P)			Schwellwerk/Solowerk (III-I)

Adjustable Combinations
	5 to Hauptwerk (thumb)			5 General (thumb & toe)
	5 to Schwellwerk (thumb)			Cancel (thumb)
	5 to Pedal (toe)

Balanced Pedals
	Hauptwerk Expression
	Schwellwerk Expression

Midmer-Losh Organ Company
Merrick, N.Y. (1932)
Electro-pneumatic action
2 manuals

This organ, installed in the Lower Church, has been replaced by an Allen electronic instrument. Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.

J.H. & C.S. Odell & Co. New York City – Op. 568 (1925); enlarged (1953) "Electro-magnetic" action 3 manuals, 39 stops, 37 ranks The Articles of Agreement (May 7, 1925) between J.H. & C.S. Odell and St. Matthias Church show that Odell would install a three-manual organ on or before November 14, 1925, for a consideration of $14,200. Odell installed the organ in chambers located on both sides of the art glass window in the church tower. The case was made of oak, finished to match church woodwork or furniture. In 1953, the Odell firm added a four-stop Positiv and chest.

Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes
16	Double Open Diapason	61	8	Clarabella	61
8	Open Diapason	61	4	Octave	61
8	Second Open Diapason	61	4	Flute Harmonique	61
8	Dulciana	61	2	Super Octave	61
8	Viol di Gamba	61	8	Trumpet	61
8	Doppel Flute	61

Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
16	Bourdon	73	4	Flute Traverso	73
8	Open Diapason	73	16	Fagotta	73
8	Stopped Diapason	73	8	Cornopean	73
8	Salicional	73	8	Oboe	73
8	Vox Celeste (TC)	61	8	Vox Humana	73
8	Viol d'Orchestre	73		Tremulant
8	Dolce d'Amour	73

Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
8	Open Diapason	73	4	Flute D'Amour	73
8	Melodia	73	2	Piccolo	61
8	Aeoline	73	8	Clarinet	73
8	Unda Maris (TC)	61		Tremulant

Positiv Organ (playable from Swell, Great, Choir and Pedals) – 61 notes [added 1953]
2 2/3	Quinte	61	1 3/5	Tierce	61
2	Doublette	61	1	Flageolet	61

Pedal Organ – 5 stops – 32 notes [these stops are missing from available records]
16	Double Open Diapason	44	8	Flute [ext. Op. Diap.]	—
16	Bourdon	32	8	Cello	32
16	Gedeckt	SW

Couplers
	Great to Pedal 8'			Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4'
	Swell to Pedal 8'			Great 16', 4'
	Choir to Pedal 8'			Swell 16', 4', Unison Off
	Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'			Choir 16', 4', Unison Off
	Choir to Great 16', 8', 4'			Pedal 4'

Combinations (visible and adjustable at Organ Bench)
	Pistons No. 1-2-3-4	operating on all stops of Swell Organ
	Pistons No. 1-2-3-4	operating on all stops of Great Organ
	Pistons No. 1-2-3-4	operating on all stops of Choir Organ
	Pistons No. 1-2-3-4	operating on all stops of Pedal Organ

Full Organ Combinations
1-2-3-0 Three Pedal Pistons and Release adjustable to full organ combinations

	"In operating Pedal Pistons all stop action is automatically cancelled (without effecting the position of the stop registers) thereby allowing the performer to prepare in advance and while playing any combination desired which may be brought into operation at the desired moment by pressing Release Piston."

Pedal Movements
	Crescendo Pedal			Balanced Swell Pedal
	Sforzando Pedal Reversible			Balanced Choir Pedal
	Great to Pedal Reversible

Accessories
	Wind Indicator
	Sforzando Indicator
	Crescendo Indicator

A. B. Felgemaker Buffalo, N.Y. – Opus 1168 (1913) Tubular-pneumatic action Detached and reversed console 2 manuals, 10 stops, 10 ranks

Great Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes
8	Open Diapason	61	8	Melodia	61
8	Viola da Gamba	61	4	Principal	61

Swell Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed
8	Salicional	61	4	Flauto Traverso	61
8	Stopped Diapason	61	8	Oboe	61

Pedal Organ – 30 notes
16	Bourdon	30	8	Violoncello	30

Couplers
	Great to Pedal			Swell to Swell 16', 4', Separation
	Swell to Pedal			All Couplers Off
	Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'

Combinations (visible adjustable)
	Great and Pedal organ
	Swell and Pedal organ

Pedal Movements
	Reversing Pedal – Great to Pedal coupler
	Balanced Swell pedal
	Balanced Crescendo pedal

Accessories
	Tremolo			Organist's bench
	Wind indicator			Water motor
	Crescendo indicator			Pump handle

Henry Erben New York City Mechanical action 1 manual, 9 stops, 7 ranks The first known organ for St. Matthias' Church was originally built by Henry Erben of New York City for an unknown venue in Conneautville, Penn. This second-hand organ was relocated by A.B. Felgemaker (as Opus 1033) on September 10, 1909. The organ was powered by a water engine (also second-hand), which operated on 30 pounds of pressure.

Manual – 58 notes
8	Viola (TC)	46	4	Principal (TC)	46
8	Dulciana (TC)	46	4	Flute (TC)	46
8	Melodia (TC)	46	4	Octave Bass	12
8	Stopped Diapason Bass	12	2	Fifteenth	58

Pedal – 27 notes
16	Bourdon	27

Coupler
	Manual to Pedal

Dimensions
	Height: 9' 7"
	Width: 12'
	Depth: 13' 6"

Sources:
     J.H. & C.S. Odell & Co. Articles of Agreement (May 7, 1925). Specification of J.H. & C.S. Odell organ, Op. 568 (1925). Courtesy Larry Trupiano.
     Kloda, Barry. Electronic correspondence (June 26, 2010) regarding added Pedal stops for Casavant Frères organ, Op. 3573 (1983).
     Kubler, Joseph C. Factory Specification of Casavant Frères organ, Op. 3573 (1983).
     Odell, Edward. Factory specification of J.H. & C.S. Odell organ, Op. 568 (1925).
     Odell Organs opus list, compiled by Sand Lawn. Courtesy David Scribner.
     Tellers, Aaron (Tellers Organ Company). Specification of Henry Erben organ.
     Tellers, Aaron. Specification of Felgemaker Organ.
     The Times Newsweekly Archives (week of July 15, 2004). http://timesnewsweekly.com.

Illustrations:
     Forgotten New York website: http://www.forgotten-ny.com

| NYC AGO Home Page | Back to NYC Organ Project List |