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Bethel Home
(Jehovah's Witnesses)
122-124 Columbia Heights
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11201
The Jehovah's Witnesses are a religious sect that was founded by Charles Tazze Russell in Alleghany, Pa., during the 1870s. The group later moved to Brooklyn Heights, where they purchased the former Squibb Building at 122-124 Columbia Heights. The seven-story brick building was known as "Bethel Home," and it housed the executive offices and the affiliate Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. Over the ensuing years, additional properties have been acquired for publications, dormitories, an auditorium, dining facilities and hospital facilities. |
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Austin Organ Company
Hartford, Conn. – Opus 1788 (1931)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 49 stops, 15 ranks
This theatre organ was built in 1931 by the Austin Organ Company for station WHK of the Radio Air Service Corp. in Cleveland, Ohio. Austin's Op. 1778 was known as a "unified" (theatre) model, and it included a three-manual Art Deco console and an automatic player. The organ cost $16,500. In 1950, the organ was donated to the Bethel Home and was installed in new building addition then underway. The Great, Choir and Pedal were installed in a chamber that spoke through grills into what is now a dining room but was then a Kingdom Hall for the Brooklyn Heights congregation. The Swell was installed above the ceiling and spoke through a grill. Installation of the Austin organ was supervised by Robert Hatzfeld of the headquarters staff. The organ was used there until about 1960, at which time the organ was in need of major repairs. The Witnesses decided that pipe organs did not fit into their religious profile and, in 1961, the organ was sold and moved to St. Augustine Presbyterian Church in The Bronx.
Charles Scharpeger, an employee of Louis F. Mohr & Co., recorded the following specifications on two occasions: once in February 1962, and the following on January 7, 1963. Pipecounts are suggested, based on typical specifications by Austin of that time. |
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Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed with Choir
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16 |
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Tibia [TC] |
— |
2 2/3 |
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Concert Flute |
— |
16 |
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Concert Flute [TC] |
— |
2 |
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Concert Flute |
— |
16 |
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Viole d'Orchestre [unit] |
73 |
16 |
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Vox Humana [TC] |
— |
8 |
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Diapason |
61 |
8 |
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Tuba |
61 |
8 |
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Tibia [unit] |
85 |
8 |
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Trumpet |
61 |
8 |
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Concert Flute |
85 |
8 |
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8 |
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Gemshorn |
61 |
8 |
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Vox Humana |
61 |
8 |
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Viole d'Orchestre |
— |
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Tremolo |
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8 |
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Viole Celeste [TC] |
49 |
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Harp |
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8 |
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Violoncello |
61 |
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Celesta |
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4 |
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Tibia |
— |
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4 |
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Concert Flute |
— |
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Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes (73-note chests), enclosed
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16 |
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Bourdon [unit] |
97 |
4 |
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Muted Viole |
73 |
8 |
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Diapason |
73 |
2 2/3 |
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Nazard |
— |
8 |
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Stopped Flute |
— |
2 |
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Piccolo |
— |
8 |
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Viole d'Orchestre |
GT |
8 |
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Trumpet |
GT |
8 |
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Viole Celeste |
GT |
8 |
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Oboe |
73 |
8 |
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Violoncello |
GT |
8 |
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Vox Humana |
GT |
4 |
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Flute d'Amour |
— |
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Tremolo |
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Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
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8 |
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Tibia |
GT |
8 |
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Tuba |
GT |
8 |
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Concert Flute |
GT |
8 |
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Trumpet |
GT |
8 |
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Gemshorn |
GT |
8 |
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Clarinet |
73 |
8 |
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Violoncello |
GT |
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Harp |
GT |
4 |
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Concert Flute |
GT |
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Celesta |
GT |
2 2/3 |
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Nazard |
GT |
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Chimes |
GT |
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Pedal Organ – 32 notes
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32 |
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Resultant Bass |
— |
8 |
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Tibia |
GT |
16 |
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Open Diapason [ext. GT] |
12 |
8 |
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Flute |
GT |
16 |
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Violone |
GT |
8 |
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Violoncello |
GT |
16 |
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Bourdon |
SW |
16 |
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Trombone [ext. GT Tpt.] |
12 |
8 |
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Open Diapason |
GT |
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Couplers
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Great to Pedal 8', 4' |
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Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4' |
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Swell to Pedal 8', 4' |
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Choir to Swell 16', 8', 4' |
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Choir to Pedal 8' |
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Great 16', 4', Unison |
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Swell to Great 16', 8', 4' |
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Swell 16', 4', Unison |
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Choir to Great 16', 8', 4' |
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Choir 16', 4', Unison |
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Adjustable Combinations
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Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 |
affecting Full Organ (1-6 dup. by toe studs) |
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Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 |
affecting Great stops and couplers |
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Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 |
affecting Swell stops and couplers |
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Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 |
affecting Choir stops and couplers |
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Cancel |
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Pedal Movements
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Balanced Swell Pedal |
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Great to Pedal Reversible |
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Balanced Great & Choir Pedal |
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Swell to Great Reversible |
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Crescendo Pedal |
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Swell to Choir Reversible |
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Toe Studs No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 (Generals) |
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Sforzando Pedal |
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Gottfried console in Station WHK |
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The A. Gottfried Company
Erie, Penn. (1920s)
Electro-pneumatic action
2 manuals
The first known organ at Bethel Home was a theatre organ built by The A. Gottfried Company of Erie, Penn., and originally installed in Radio Station WHK of the Radio Air Service Corp. in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1931, WHK acquired a new Austin theatre organ (Op. 1788) and the Gottfried organ was moved to the World Headquarters of the Jehovah's Witnesses in Brooklyn. The Gottfried organ, minus its traps, was installed in a chamber beneath the floor of the room into which it spoke. Robert Hatzfeld, a member of the Headquarters staff, was responsible with the installation and maintenance of the organ.
In 1948, the City tore down the room at the Bethel Home for construction of the new Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. It is not known what happened to the Gottfried organ. Specifications for this organ have not yet been located. |
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Sources:
Bornias, Steven E. Electronic correspondence (Dec. 31, 2008) regarding the organs in Bethel Home.
Junchen, David L. Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ, Vol. I. Pasadena: Showcase Publications, 1985.
Nelson, George. Organs in the United States and Canada Database. Seattle, Wash.
Ochse, Orpha. Austin Organs. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 2001.
Scharpeger, Charles. Specifications of Austin Organ, Op. 1788 (1931). Courtesy Larry Trupiano.
Illustrations:
Brooklyn Collection, Brooklyn Public Library. Aerial view (c.1951) of Bethel Home.
Cardcow.com. Postcard of Kingdom Hall, Bethel Home.
Junchen, David L. Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ, Vol. I. A. Gottfried Co. organ in Radio Station WHK, Cleveland, Ohio. |
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