Central Congregational Church - Brooklyn, N.Y. (1906 postcard)
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Central Congregational Church

Hancock Street near Franklin Avenue
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11216


Organ Specifications:
Hancock Street near Franklin Avenue (1872-1942)
► II/9 Skinner Organ Company, Op. 492 (1924) – Chapel
► IV/39 Austin Organ Company, Op. 330 (1913)
• III/36 Frank Roosevelt, Op. 496 (1891)
• Reuben Midmer & Son (1872)
Ormond Place and Jefferson Street (1854-1872)
• II/26 George N. Andrews (1863)


Central Congregational Church - Brooklyn, NY  
Ormond Place (1854-1872)  
The Central Congregational Society of Brooklyn was organized with thirty members on November 27, 1854 by a council of pastors and delegates from the Congregational churches in Brooklyn and vacinity. Since February of that same year, a group of gentlemen residing in the neighborhood had agreed to rent, for a two-year period beginning May 1, 1854, a frame church structure on the southeast corner of Ormond Place and Jefferson Street. This church building had been erected in 1853 by Mr. R.L. Crook, who intended to sell the edifice at a reduction from its original cost to a "protestant religious association as should seem to embrace a majority of the surrounding population..." [Stiles] The society engaged the Rev. Henry W. Parker to supply the pulpit, and the church was opened on Sunday, April 9, 1854. Upon expiration of the lease, however, the fledgling society was unable to raise sufficient funds to purchase the building and was compelled to vacate the premises. For several months the society worshiped in the mission school house located on Van Buren Street. After some time, and largely due to financial assistance from Plymouth Church and the Church of the Pilgrims, the society was able to purchase the property. On Sunday, November 16, 1856, the church was reopened for public worship.

Over the next several years, the society enjoyed an increase in membership and financial stability. For three months in 1863, the building was closed for renovations and the installation of a new organ in the gallery, at a total cost of about $6,000. The house at 13 Ormond Place, adjoining the church, was purchased in 1865 for use as a parsonage. In May 1867, galleries were added to provide seating for an additional 175 persons, and the basement was extensively improved. A mission sabbath school was organized in December 1869, and a "commodious and tasteful building, fifty by sixty-six feet, capable of accommodating three hundred and fifty scholars," was erected at the corner of Marcy Avenue and Monroe Street.

By the early 1870s, the society had outgrown its building and plans were made for a larger facility. Lots were purchased on Spencer Street (later Hancock), between Franklin and Bedford Avenues, and a stone edifice measuring 150 feet front by 100 feet deep was erected. Along the front of the church was a tiled portico that framed three central entrances. At either end of the church were two towers: one at the right being 110 feet in height and surmounted by a pinnacle bearing a golden star; the tower on the left being about half the height of the other. At the base of both towers were entrances to the left and right halls, each of which had three doors opening into the auditorium. Pews were arranged in a semi-circular pattern on a raked floor to provide seating for 2,500 and an unobstructed view of the pulpit, behind which was the organ. Opened on Sunday, September 8, 1872, the completed church building, including furnishings and land, was reported to cost $100,000.

In 1902, the Central Congregational society established St. Paul's mission, erecting a chapel building on Sterling Place and New York Avenue, six blocks away from Central Church. Eventually, the mission became an independent church. However, in March 1937, St. Paul's merged into its mother church, perhaps due to financial constraints brought on by the Depression, and its property was sold to an investor.

Another merger took place in 1942 when Central Congregational combined with the Clinton Avenue Congregational Church, forming the Cadman Memorial Church. Named to honor the memory of the Rev. Dr. S. Parkes Cadman, who was pastor of Central Congregation for thirty-five years, the new society took the place of the Clinton Avenue Community Church that had been established in 1935 as a federation agreement with the Clinton Avenue Congregational and Simpson Methodist churches. Initially, the new Cadman Memorial society planned to use the Clinton Avenue building for regular services and to hold special services at the Central Congregational edifice. By 1942, though, the old Central Congregational Church was sold and razed.
             
Organ located in Chapel:

Skinner Organ Company
Boston, Mass. – Opus 492 (1924)
Electro-pneumatic action
2 manuals, 14 registers, 9 stops, 9 ranks


In 1924, a small two-manual organ built by the Skinner Organ Company was installed in the Chapel.
               
Great Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes
8
   Diapason
61
4
   Flute
SW
8
   Gedeckt
SW
8
   Flügel Horn
SW
8
   Aeoline
SW
        
               
Swell Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Gedeckt
73
4
   Flute
73
8
   Salicional
73
8
   Flügel Horn
73
8
   Voix Celeste
73
8
   Vox Humana
73
8
   Aeoline
73
     Tremolo  
               
Pedal Organ
16
   Bourdon
32
8
   Gedeckt
12
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal 8'   Great to Great 4'
    Swell to Pedal 8', 4'   Swell to Swell 16', 4'
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'    
               
Adjustable Combinations ("adjustable at the console and visibly operating the draw stop knobs")
    Pistons No. 1-2-3 affecting Great Organ stops
    Pistons No. 1-2-3 affecting Swell Organ stops
               
Mechanicals
    Swell Expression Pedal   Great to Pedal Reversible
    Crescendo Pedal   Sforzando Reversible
                
 
   
Austin Organ Company
Hartford, Conn. – Opus 330 (1913)
Electro-pneumatic action
4 manuals, 47 registers, 37 stops, 39 ranks




In 1913, the Austin Organ Company of Hartford rebuilt and enlarged the 1891 Frank Roosevelt organ. Austin retained 27 ranks of the Roosevelt organ, rescaling many of them by moving the old pipes up one note and adding a new low C pipe. Austin voiced the organ on 10" wind pressure. The organ was installed in chambers on two sides of the chancel and the openings were masked by display pipes decorated in French leaf gold bronze. The swell boxes were constructed of concrete and had horizontal beveled shades. Austin provided a detached, four-manual stop-key console that was built to A.G.O. standards. Prior to the demolition of the church in 1942, the organ was moved intact by the Cannarsa Organ Co. to the First Presbyterian Church of Arlington, Texas.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes
16
   Major Diapason * +
43
8
   Doppel Flöte *
61
8
   First Open Diapason *
61
4
   Octave *
61
8
   Second Open Diapason *
61
4
   Harmonic Flute *
61
8
   Viole d'Gamba *
61
8
   Trumpet *
61
8
   Gemshorn *
61
    
+ 1-18 from PED Violone
 
      
 
      
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
   Bourdon *
73
2
   Flautino *
61
8
   Open Diapason *
73
     Dolce Cornet III ranks *
183
8
   Viole d'Orchestre
73
16
   Contra Fagotto
73
8
   Viole Celeste
73
8
   Cornopean
73
8
   Aeoline *
73
8
   Oboe
73
8
   Spitz Flute *
73
8
   Vox Humana * [in sep. box]
61
8
   Stopped Diapason *
73
     Tremulant  
4
   Flauto Traverso
73
        
 
      
 
      
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Geigen Principal *
73
8
   Quintadena *
73
8
   Dulciana
73
4
   Rohr Flöte *
73
8
   Unda Maris (TC)
61
8
   Clarinet *
73
8
   Concert Flute *
73
     Tremulant  
               
Solo Organ (Manual IV) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Stentorphone
73
16
   Tuba
85
8
   Gross Flute *
73
8
   Harmonic Tuba (fr. 16')
—
8
   Gamba
73
4
   Harmonic Clarion (fr. 16')
—
           
Chimes
preparation
 
      
 
      
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
32
   Magnaton (ext. Op. Diap.)
12
8
   Lieblich Flöte (fr. Bdn.)
—
16
   Open Diapason *
44
8
   Violoncello
SO
16
   Bourdon *
44
16
   Contra Fagotto
SW
16
   Lieblich Gedackt
SW
16
   Tuba Profunda
SO
16
   Violone
32
8
   Tuba
SO
8
   Gross Flute (fr. Op. Diap.)
—
        
       
* stops retained from Roosevelt Organ, Op. 496
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal 8'   Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4'
    Swell to Pedal 8', 4'   Solo to Choir 8'
    Choir to Pedal 8'   Great to Solo 8'
    Solo to Pedal 8'   Swell to Solo 8'
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'   Swell 16', 4' Unison Off
    Choir to Great 16', 8', 4'   Choir 16', 4', Unison Off
    Solo to Great 8', 4'   Solo 16', 4', Unison Off
               
Adjustable Combinations
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 affecting Great stops and couplers
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 affecting Swell stops and couplers
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 affecting Choir stops and couplers
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 affecting Solo stops and couplers
    Toe Pistons No. 1-2-3-4 affecting Pedal stops and couplers
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 affecting Full Organ stops and couplers
               
Accessories
    Balanced Swell Pedal   Great to Pedal Reversible
    Balanced Choir Pedal   Solo to Pedal Reversible
    Balanced Solo Pedal   Solo to Great Reversible
    Grand Crescendo Pedal   Sforzando Pedal
               
  Roosevelt Organ, Op. 496 (1891) in the Central Congregational Church - Brooklyn, N.Y. (Brooklyn Eagle)
   
Frank Roosevelt
New York City – Opus 496 (1891)
Tracker-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 36 stops




In the summer of 1891, the Reuben Midmer & Son organ original to the church in 1872 was rebuilt by Frank Roosevelt of New York City. This organ, Roosevelt's opus 496, had an attached three-manual console with oblique-faced draw stop knobs controlling 36 stops, of which 29 were enclosed. For this enlargement the elevated platform to the rear of the pulpit was specially reconstructed, and additions were made to the Renaissance-style case of black walnut that measured 24' 6" wide by 16' 3" deep by 26' 6" high. Roosevelt rebuilt the old slider wind chests of the Great and Swell divisions but provided new wind chests with tubular pneumatic action for the Choir and Pedal. Roosevelt also provided new "bellows of very ample dimensions" that were fitted with five large hinged feeders operated by a heavy crank shaft and driven by a Chandler rotary water motor located in the basement below the organ.

On the evening of November 24, 1891, a large crowd assembled in the church to hear the organ put through its paces in a recital shared by Dr. John M. Loretz, organist, Mr. Lewis H. Moore, organist of the church, and Mme. Mathilde Gallavan, contralto. Unfortunately, a fracture in the water conduit resulted in low pressure and the organ could not be used. The disappointed but good-natured audience returned the following week to hear the recital.

Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.
               
Reuben Midmer & Son
Brooklyn, N.Y. (1872)
Mechanical action


Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.
               
Organ in church located on Ormond Place:

George Norton Andrews
Utica, N.Y. (1863)
Mechanical action
2 manuals, 26 stops



The first organ for Central Congregational Church was built in 1863 by George N. Andrews of Utica, N.Y. Following is the account of the organ from the Brooklyn Eagle (Oct. 19, 1863):
   "The new organ placed in the church deserves a word of special mention. It is, in all respects, a most complete and perfect instrument. It contains 26 stops and 918 pipes. Its compass is very great, running from tones so fine and delicate as to seem an angel's whisper, down to the "deep eternal bass" that ocean sings. We have an ear easily disturbed by music, but we were compelled to hush a child's prattle while straining to catch the delicate notes of the viol de gamba, when, anon, a peal from the trumpet stop and the C C C sub-bass opened upon us, and we stood back aghast. This instrument was built by G.W. [sic] Andrews, Esq., of Utica, and cost about $2,000. It is pronounced a perfect instrument of its size by all who have heard or examined it.
   "On Saturday evening the church was crowded to its fullest extent, the occasion being the first public trial of this beautiful organ, which gave forth its most dulcet tones under the skillful manipulation of the keys by such artists as Geo. W. Warren and others, including worthy young organist, Edward Taylor."
Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.
               
Sources:
     "Central Church Organ Recital," Brooklyn Eagle (Dec. 3, 1891).
     "Church Enterprise," Brooklyn Eagle (Oct. 19, 1863).
     "Church Merger Favored," The New York Times (Mar. 30, 1937).
     "Dedicatory Services," The New York Times (Sep. 9, 1872).
     Fox, David H. A Guide to North American Organbuilders (Rev. ed.). Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1997.
     Kinzey, Allen. Specification of Skinner Organ Co. organ, Op. 492 (1924).
     Kinzey, Allen, and Sand Lawn. E.M. Skinner/Aeolian-Skinner Opus List (New Revised Edition). Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1997.
     "No Water for the Organ," Brooklyn Eagle (Nov. 29, 1891).
     Stiles, Henry Reed. History of the City of Brooklyn: Including the Old Town and Village of Brooklyn, the Town of Bushwick, and the Village and City of Williamsburgh. Brooklyn: pub. by subscription, 1863.
     Trupiano, Larry. Specification of Austin Organ Company organ, Op. 330 (1913).
     "2 Brooklyn Churches Vote to Merge Jan. 1," The New York Times (Nov. 21, 1942).

Illustrations:
     Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn Collection. Destruction of church (1948).
     Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn Collection. Frank Roosevelt organ, Op. 496 (1891).
     eBay.com. Postcard (1906) of Central Congregational Church.
     Stiles. Drawing of 1853 church building.