Christ Church, Bay Ridge (Episcopal) - Brooklyn, NY
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Christ Church, Bay Ridge
(Episcopal)

7301 Ridge Boulevard
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11209
http://www.christchurchbayridge.org


Organ Specifications:
7301 Ridge Boulevard (since 1910)
• III/ Rodgers Instruments electronic (2012)
► III/43 Estey Organ Company, Op. 3255 (1959)
► III/30 Lewis & Hitchcock (1928)
• II/15 E. & G.G. Hook, Op. 487 (1869) – moved
68th Street and Third Avenue (1853-1910)
• II/15 E. & G.G. Hook, Op. 487 (1869)


Shortly after purchasing land and building a home in what was then Yellow Hook in 1851, Joseph A. Perry, manager of the Green-Wood Cemetery, persuaded his parish’s Rector, the Rev. Dr. John Seeley Stone of Christ Church Clinton Street, of the need for an Episcopal Church in Bay Ridge. Gathering friends and neighbors, including Theodore Sedgwick, Daniel Richards, Charles Prince, A.F. Spear, A. M. McGrath and others, Perry persuaded them to contribute to purchase land and build a church in the section known as Ovington Village, at the corner of what is now 68th St and Third Avenue. Emily Constable Perry gave the stained glass windows, John B. Kitching the organ, and Mrs. Henry B. Pierrepont (Joseph Perry’s mother-in-law) gave the Chancel furniture. Many of the same people who established Christ Church then busied themselves establishing Bay Ridge. On December 16, they gathered to rename the area, as Yellow Hook had acquired a negative association with the dreaded Yellow Fever. Christ Church Vestryman Weir proposed the topographically appropriate name of Bay Ridge.

Christ Church, Bay Ridge (Episcopal) - Brooklyn, N.Y. (Photo: Estey Organ Company)  
As more and more people moved to Bay Ridge in the later part of the nineteenth century, the 1853 building became inadequate for the size of the congregation. Worse, neighborhood growth brought an extension of the Fifth Avenue El by the Brooklyn City Railroad in 1895 to Third Avenue, but instead of extending the El to Fort Hamilton, the company saved money by simply building a ramp for El trains to reach the street. El trains on the street did not work out, but by 1902 trolleys clattered up and down the El ramp within a few feet of the church, disrupting worship. The Episcopal Diocese of Long Island soon approved a plan to purchase property for a new Christ Church on Ridge Blvd between 73rd and 74th Sts. The Brooklyn City Railroad’s compensation for taking Christ Church property, and a generous bequest the following year in the estate of Christ Church Vestry member Eliphalet W. Bliss, made it possible to engage famed church architects Ralph Alan Cram and Bertram Grovesnor Goodhue to design the current Christ Church, opened in 1910. Part of the original Christ Church building remains extant, as part of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church on Fourth Avenue.
from Christ Church Bay Ridge History in Brief by Jim Guthrie
               
  Estey Organ, Op. 3255 (1959) at Christ Church, Bay Ridge - Brooklyn, N.Y. (Photo: Estey Organ Company)
Estey Organ Company
Brattleboro, Vt. – Opus 3255 (1959)
Electro-pneumatic ventil chests
Electro-pneumatic combination action
3 manuals, 36 registers, 30 stops, 43 ranks








The organ in Christ Church was built in 1959 by the Estey Organ Company of Brattleboro, Vt. Its specifications were designed by Estey's tonal director, Georg Steinmeyer, the renowned organ builder who immigrated from Germany in 1950, and reflects the influence of the Orgelbewegung (Organ Reform) movement. Estey installed the organ in two locations: the Hauptwerk division is in front of the large window at the West End, within the chancel are the Schwellwerk and Positiv divisions and the detached three-manual stop-key console. The Schwellwerk has shutters on the front and side of its swell box; opening the shutters fully gives the effect of an unenclosed division.

Estey's Op. 3255 at Christ Church was one of the very last organs built before the company ceased operations in 1960. Their last organ, Op. 3261, was installed in All Angels Episcopal Church in Manhattan.

By 2012 the Estey organ had become unplayable and was replaced with a 3-manual Rodgers electronic instrument.
               
Hauptwerk Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes (located at West End)
16
   Bourdon
61
4
   Kleingedeckt [ext. Bourdon]
24
8
   Principal
61
2
   Octav
61
8
   Erzahler
61
     Mixtur IV ranks
244
4
   Prestant
61
8
   Processional Diapason (TC) *
49
           
* from Lewis & Hitchcock organ (1928)
 
      
 
      
Schwellwerk Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed (located in Chancel)
8
   Grobgedeckt
68
     Plein Jeu IV-VI ranks
330
8
   Salicional
68
8
   Helle Trompete
68
8
   Vox Coelestis (TC)
56
     Tremolo  
4
   Principal
68
     Schwellwerk to Schwellwerk 16'
4
   Koppelflöte
68
    
Schwellwerk Unison Off
2 2/3
   Nasard
61
    
Schwellwerk to Schwellwerk 4'
2
   Waldflöte
61
     Two blank tablets  
1 3/5
   Terz
61
        
 
      
 
      
Positiv Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes (located in Chancel)
8
   Rohrflute
61
     Cymbal III ranks
183
4
   Nachthorn
61
8
   Regal
61
2
   Blockflöte
61
     Tremolo  
1
   Sifflöte
61
     One blank tablet
               
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
16
   Contrabass (wood)
32
4
   Choralbass (fr. 8' Oct)
—
16
   Subbass
32
4
   Kleingedeckt (Hw Bourdon)
—
16
   Bourdun (Hw Bourdon)
—
2
   Offenflöte
32
16
   Zartbass [lo-pressure Subbass]
—
     Mixtur IV ranks
128
8
   Octavbass
44
16
   Posaune
32
8
   Gedecktbass (Hw Bourdon)
—
4
   Trompete (Sw)
—
               
Couplers
    Hauptwerk to Pedal   Schwellwerk to Hauptwerk
    Schwellwerk to Pedal   Positiv to Hauptwerk
    Positiv to Pedal   Schwellwerk to Positiv 16', 8', 4'
               
Adjustable Combinations
   
Schwellwerk Pistons 1-2-3 (thumb)
Hauptwerk Pistons 1-2-3 (thumb)
Positiv Pistons 1-2-3 (thumb)
Pedal Pistons 1-2-3 (thumb & toe)
Entire Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5 (thumb & toe)
  General Cancel (thumb)
               
Reversibles
    Hauptwerk to Pedal (thumb & toe)   Sforzando (thumb & toe)
    Schwellwerk to Pedal (thumb & toe)    
               
Expression
    Balanced Schwellwerk Pedal      
    Balanced Crescendo Pedal      
               
Estey Organ, Op. 3255 (1959) at Christ Church, Bay Ridge - Brooklyn, N.Y. (Photo: Estey Organ Company) Estey Organ, Op. 3255 (1959) at Christ Church, Bay Ridge - Brooklyn, N.Y. (Photo: Estey Organ Company)
               
Lewis & Hitchcock, Inc.
Washington, D.C. (1928)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 31 registers, 28 stops, 30 ranks


In 1928, a new organ was installed by Lewis & Hitchcock of Washington, D.C.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes
8
   Diapason
61
4
   Flute
61
8
   Second Diapason
61
8
   Trumpet
61
8
   Erzähler
61
8
   French Horn
61
8
   Clarabella
61
     Tremolo  
4
   Octave
61
        
 
      
 
      
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
   Bourdon
73
4
   Flauto Traverso
73
8
   Diapason
73
     Cornet 3 ranks
183
8
   Stopped Diapason
73
8
   Cornopean
73
8
   Salicional
73
8
   Oboe
73
8
   Voix Celeste
73
8
   Vox Humana
61
8
   Aeoline
73
     Tremolo  
8
   Unda Maris
73
        
 
      
 
      
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Diapason
61
8
   Clarinet
61
8
   Dulciana
61
8
   Choir Room Diapason (TC)
49
8
   Concert Flute
61
     Tremolo  
4
   Flute d'Amour
61
      
               
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
16
   Diapason
32
8
   Gedeckt (fr. Bourdon)
—
16
   Bourdon
44
8
   Flute (Sw)
—
16
   Lieblich Bourdon (Sw)
—
        
               
Organ in previous church at 68th Street and Third Avenue:

E. & G.G. Hook
Boston, Mass. – Opus 487 (1869)
Mechanical action
2 manuals, 24 registers, 15 ranks


In the previous church building was a two-manual organ built in 1869 by E. & G.G. Hook of Boston. This organ was moved to the present building when it opened in 1910. In 1919, an electric blower was installed. Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.
               
Sources:
     Christ Church, Bay Ridge website: http://www.christchurchbayridge.org/
     The Diapason (Aug. 1, 1928). Stoplist of Lewis & Hitchcock organ (1928). Courtesy Jeff Scofield.
     The Estey Pipe Organ website: www.esteyorgan.com. Specifications of Estey organ, Op. 3255 (1959).
     Glück, Sebastian. Corrections to specifications of Estey organ, Op. 3255 (1959).
     Guthrie, Jim. "Christ Church Bay Ridge History in Brief".
     Mathison, George S. Comments and corrections to specifications of Estey organ, Op. 3255 (1959).
     Patruno, Gregg. Electronic correspondence (Apr. 6, 2014) regarding replacement of Estey organ with a Rodgers electronic.
     Trupiano, Larry. Electronic correspondence (10/5/2012) regarding addition of electric blower to E. & G.G. Hook organ in 1919.
     Van Pelt, William T., comp. The Hook Opus List, 1829-1916 in Facsimile. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1991.

Illustrations:
     The Estey Pipe Organ website. Interior, Estey organ, Op. 3255 (1959).