Emanuel Lutheran Church - Brooklyn, N.Y. (NYPL, 1930)
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Emanuel German Evangelical Lutheran Church

417 7th Street, between Sixth & Seventh Avenues
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11215



Organ Specifications:
417 7th Street, near Sixth Avenue (1903-1948)
• Midmer-Losh Organ Company (1941)
► III/21 Hillgreen, Lane & Company, Op. 66 (1903)
Fifth and South Fifth Streets (1884-1901)
• II/19 J.H. & C.S. Odell & Co., Op. 50 (1866)





The German Evangelical Lutheran Emanuel Church was formed in 1884 by several families who left St. John's Lutheran after that congregation switched from a strictly German-speaking church to one that was bilingual (German and English). Early services were held in a building at South 1st and 8th Streets. In April 1884, the society purchased the former First Baptist Church of Williamsburgh, located on the southeast corner of 5th and South 5th Streets, for a consideration of $27,500. On December 20, 1885, the society was officially organized as the Emanuel Lutheran Church. Serving as first pastor was the Rev. Theodore Dressel, who had recently left the German Evangelical Lutheran Church on Schermerhorn Street because of a reduction of his salary. The congregation worshiped at this location until 1901, when the City condemned all of the area buildings in preparation for construction of the new East River (Williamsburg) Bridge. Emanuel's edifice was auctioned off to the highest bidder, but the trustees were not allowed to remove the church organ. However, in April 1901, the Supreme Court ruled that Mr. McKeenan, the contractor who won the bid to remove the buildings in the path of the bridge, could not remove or interfere with the organ, valued at $400, as it was not part of the realty but a separate and distinct chattel. Construction of the East River Bridge also forced the South Fifth Street M.E. and St. Mark's P.E. churches to relocate.

Emanuel Lutheran Church - Brooklyn, N.Y. (BPL, Brooklyn Collection)  
Interior of 7th Street Church (c.1903)  
In 1903, the congregation purchased the former Park Congregational Church, on 7th Street between Sixth & Seventh Avenues, where they flourished until consolidating with St. Matthew's Lutheran Church in 1948.

The 7th Street building is now home to the Kingsboro Temple Seventh-day Adventist Church.
           
Midmer-Losh Organ Company
Merrick, N.Y. (1941)
Electro-pneumatic action


Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.
         
Hillgreen, Lane & Company
Alliance, Oh. – Opus 66 (1903)
Electro-pneumatic action
2 manuals, 21 stops, 21 ranks


The Trustees of Emanuel Church selected Hillgreen, Lane & Company, of Alliance, Ohio, to build a new organ for their edifice on 7th Street. Hillgreen, Lane designed a three-manual organ that would be installed in two swell enclosures, with only the Great Open Diapason being unenclosed. Many stops were console preparations only. Hillgreen, Lane indicated the organ would be completed and ready for use one or before September 4, 1903. The total cost of the organ was $6,000.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed with Choir
8
   Open Diapason *
73
8
  
Rohrflöte
preparation
8
   Gamba (tin)
73
4
   Octave
73
8
   Doppel Flöte (wood)
73
4
  
Flute Harmonique
preparation
8
   Dulciana
73
8
   Trumpet
73
 
      
 
  
* unenclosed
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
   Bourdon (wood)
73
4
   Gemshorn
73
8
   Open Diapason
73
    
Dolce Cornet, 3 ranks
preparation
8
   Salicional
73
8
  
Cornopean
preparation
8
   Aeoline
73
8
   Oboe & Bassoon
73
8
   Vox Celeste (TC)
61
8
  
Vox Humana
preparation
8
   Stopped Diapason (wood)
73
        
               
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Geigen Principal
73
4
   Flute d'Amour (wood & metal)
73
8
   Concert Flute (wood)
73
2
  
Flautino
preparation
8
   Dolce
73
8
  
Clarinet
preparation
               
Pedal Organ – 30 notes
16
   Open Diapason
42
16
   Lieblich Gedeckt (wood)
42
16
   Bourdon (wood)
42
8
  
Violoncello
preparation
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal   Swell to Choir 8', 4'
    Swell to Pedal   Great to Great 16', 4', Unison
    Choir to Pedal   Swell to Swell 16', 4', Unison
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'   Choir to Choir 4'
    Choir to Great 16', 8'   Pedal to Pedal 4'
    Great to Swell    
               
Piston Combinations (Each drawing an appropriate pedal support)
   
Great Organ Forte – Mezzo – Piano
Swell Organ Forte – Mezzo – Piano
Choir Organ Forte – Piano
               
Accessories
    Great Coupler Cancel   Crescendo Dial
    Swell Coupler Cancel   Swell Tremulant
    Choir Coupler Cancel   Choir Tremulant
    Wind Indicator   Motor Starter
         
Pedal Movements
   
Great Organ Full * General Release
Great Organ Piano * Great to Pedal Reversible
Swell Organ Full * Balanced Swell Pedal
Swell Organ Piano * Balanced Choir Pedal
Choir Organ Full * Crescendo & Diminuendo Pedal
Choir Organ Piano *  
* with appropriate pedal support  
         
Organ in building at Fifth & South Fifth Streets:

J.H. & C.S. Odell & Co.
New York City – Opus 50 (1866)
Mechanical action
2 manuals, 17 stops, 19 ranks


A two-manual organ was built in 1866 by J.H. & C.S. Odell of New York City for the Williamsburgh Baptist Church. Emanuel Lutheran occupied this building from 1885-1903. Specifications of this organ have not yet been located.
           
Sources:
     "A New Church Society," Brooklyn Eagle (Dec. 21, 1885).
     "The FIrst Baptist Church," Brooklyn Eagle (Apr. 23, 1884).
     "Making Way For New Bridge," Brooklyn Eagle (Mar. 15, 1901).
     Nelson, George. Organs in the United States and Canada Database. Seattle, Wash.
     Petty, Bynum. J.H. & C.S. Odell Annotated Opus List.
     Trupiano, Larry. Factory Agreement with Specifications (Mar. 31, 1903) of Hillgreen, Lane & Co. organ, Op. 66 (1903).
     "Trustees Get the Organ," Brooklyn Eagle (Apr. 21, 1901).

Illustrations:
     Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn Collection. Interior (c.1903).
     New York Public Library, Irma and Paul Milstein Division of United States History. Exterior (1930).