Trinity Lutheran Church - Long Island City, NY
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Trinity Lutheran Church

31-18 37th Street at 31st Avenue
Long Island City, N.Y. 11103
http://www.trinitylic.org/
Organ Specifications:
Present building (since 1927)
► III/25 Skinner Organ Co., Op. 614 (1926); rev. M.P. Möller (1967)
First building (1890-1927)
• Unknown builder (1900)
► II/11 Steere & Turner, Op. 304 (1890) – moved to Troy, N.H. (1900)




Trinity Lutheran Church (1890) - Astoria, Long Island  
Original church building  
Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church was organized in 1890 as a society for German Lutherans who lived in the village of Astoria, Long Island. Originally affiliated with the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, the congregation is now part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA).

The first edifice for Trinity Lutheran was a wooden frame Gothic church that had been built by Jacob Mueller of Astoria. The cornerstone was laid on May 4, 1890, and the completed church, which contained a $1600 organ, was dedicated on September 8th the same year. Mr. Mueller offered the entire property of five lots and the building to the new congregation for $10,000, although he had spent $17,000.

  Early postcard of Trinity Lutheran Church - Astoria (Queens), N.Y.
  Undated postcard of present church
By the end of World War I, Trinity had outgrown its frame building and plans were made for a new church that would be erected on the corner of 37th Street and 31st Avenue. On October 17, 1926, the cornerstone for the $200,000 church was laid by the Rev. Frederick H. Lindemann, pastor. Designed in the English Gothic style, the new granite edifice was opened for worship in November 1927.
           
 

Skinner Organ, Op. 614 (1926) in Trinity Lutheran Church - Long Island City (Queens), NY
Skinner Organ Co.
Boston, Mass. – Opus 614 (1926); rev. M.P. Möller (1967)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 28 stops, 25 ranks



The organ in Trinity Lutheran Church was built in 1926 by the Skinner Organ Company of Boston and installed the following year. It is playable from a detached three-manual drawknob console that is located in the west transept.

In 1967, M.P. Möller of Hagerstown, Md., rebuilt the electro-pneumatic key action and made minor changes to the stop list: the 8' Gamba on the Great was replaced by a 2' Super Octave, and the Gamba was moved to the Choir division, replacing the Dulciana which was removed. Organ curator Randolph Gilberti provided new pipes for notes 13-61 of the Great 8' Diapason, and replaced the missing 8' Vox Humana in the Echo division; both ranks were given by Mr. Gilberti in memory of Calvin Hampton.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes
16
  Bourdon [ext. PED]
17
2
  Super Octave * [orig. Gamba]
61
8
  Diapason [13-61 new] +
61
8
  Tuba
61
8
  Clarabella
61
   
* added by Möller (1967)
4
   Octave
61
    
+ replaced by R.Gilberti

     

     
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
  Bourdon
73
4
   Flute
73
8
  Diapason
73
  Mixture III ranks
183
8
  Gedeckt
73
8
  Cornopean
73
8
  Salicional
73
8
  Corno d'Amore
73
8
  Voix Celeste
73
  Tremolo  

     

     
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
  Chimney Flute
73
8
  Clarinet
73
8
   Gamba ** [moved from GT]
61
     Tremolo  
4
  Flute [25-73 harmonic]
73
 
** replaced orig. Dulciana (removed)

     

     
Echo Organ (playable on Great Manual) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
  Flute Angelica
61
    Tremolo  
8
   Flute Celeste [TC]
49
    
Chimes
20 tubes
8
  Vox Humana +
61
   
+ replaced by R.Gilberti

     

     
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
16
  Major Bass
44
8
  Gedeckt [ext. Bourdon]
—
16
  Bourdon
44
8
  Still Gedeckt
SW
16
  Echo Bourdon
SW
  Chimes
EC
8
  Octave [ext. Maj. Bass]
—
        
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal 8'   Swell to Choir 8'
    Swell to Pedal 8', 4'   Great to Great 4'
    Choir to Pedal 8'   Swell to Swell 16', 4'
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'   Choir to Choir 16', 4'
    Choir to Great 16', 8'    
               
Adjustable Combinations
   
Swell Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5 (thumb) Ped. to Man. Combs. On or Off
Great & Echo Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5 (thumb) Ped. to Man. Combs. On or Off
Choir Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5 (thumb) Ped. to Man. Combs. On or Off
Pedal Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5 (toe)  
  General Cancel (thumb)  
  Setter (thumb)  
               
Mechanicals
    Balanced Pedal – Swell   Great to Pedal Reversible (toe)
    Balanced Pedal – Choir & Echo   Sforzando (thumb & toe)
    Crescendo Pedal   Echo On or Off; Great On or Off
           
Unknown Builder
(1900)


It is assumed that an organ was installed in 1900 to replace the 1890 Steere & Turner organ that was removed. Specifications of this organ have not yet been located.
           
 

Steere & Turner Organ, Op. 304 (1890) in Trinity Lutheran Church - Long Island City (Queens), NY
  Organ as reinstalled in Troy, N.H.
Steere & Turner
Westfield, Mass. – Opus 304 (1890)
Mechanical action
2 manuals, 13 stops, 11 ranks, 571 pipes





The first organ in the original church was built by Steere & Turner of Westfield, Mass., at a cost of $1,637.50. It had a projecting console and a case with three flats of pipes.

In 1900, this organ was moved to the Trinitarian Congregational Church of Troy, N.H., by James Cole of Boston, Mass.
               
First Manuale – 58 notes, enclosed
8
   Open Diapason *
58
4
   Octave
58
8
  Dulciana [TC]
46
2
   Super Octave
58
8
  Melodia [TC]
46
        
8
   Stopped Diapason Bass
12
    
* unenclosed

     

     
Second Manuale – 58 notes, enclosed
8
  Open Diapason [TC]
46
4
  Flute Harmonique
58
8
  Salicional
58
8
  Oboe [TC]
46
8
  Stopped Diapason [TC]
46
     Tremolo  
8
  Stopped Diapason Bass
12
     

     

     
Pedale – 27 notes
16
  Bourdon
27
        
               
Couplers
    1st to 2d Manuale   Blower's Signal
    1st Manuale to Pedale    
    2d Manuale to Pedale    
               
Pedal Movements
    Balanced Swell Pedal    
    2 Combination Pedals    
    1st Manuale to Pedale Reversible Pedal
             
Sources:
     Aeolian-Skinner Archives web site: http://aeolianskinner.organsociety.org/Specs/Op00614.html. Original stoplist of Skinner Organ Co. organ, Op. 614 (1926).
     Bowen, Jonathan. Stoplist of Skinner Organ Co. organ, Op. (1926); rev. M.P. Möller (1967); updated from Trinity Lutheran web site.
     "Church News," The Lutheran Witness (Feb. 21, 1891).
     Greater Astoria Historical Society with Matt LaRose, Stephen Leone, and Richard Melnick. Long Island City. Charleston, SC: Acadia Publishing, 2007.
     Kinzey, Allen, and Sand Lawn, comps. E.M. Skinner/Aeolian-Skinner Opus List. New Rev. Ed. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1997.
     OHS Convention Handbook (1974). Specifications of Steere & Turner organ, Op. 304 (1890). Richmond: Organ Historical Society, 1974. Courtesy George Nelson.
     "Stone is Laid for $200,000 Church," The New York Times (Oct. 18, 1926).
     Trinity Lutheran Church web site: http://www.trinitylic.org

Illustrations:
     Great Astoria Historical Society. Undated photo of 1927 Trinity Lutheran Church.
     Photographic & Art Publishing Co. (N.Y.). Undated photo of 1890 Trinity Lutheran Church.
     Trinity Lutheran Church web site. Exterior; organ console.