Janes United Methodist Church

660 Monroe Street at Malcolm X Boulevard
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11221
http://janeschurch.wixsite.com/janesumcbrooklyn


Organ Specifications:
660 Monroe Street at Malcolm X Boulevard (since 1884):
Present building (since 1991):
► III/52 Austin Organs Inc., Op. 2699 (1991)
First building (1884-burned 1984):
► III/41 J.H. & C.S. Odell & Co., Op. 626 (1961) – reb. of Kimball – burned 1984
• III/ W.W. Kimball Co. (c.1894)
► II/21 Steere & Turner, Op. 192 (1884)
Patchen Avenue, corner Monroe Street (1859-1884):
• unknown


Janes United Methodist Church is named for Edmond Storer Janes (1807-1876) who in 1844 was elected Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The church can trace its roots to 1858 when a Sunday school was started in a private home. Janes Mission, located at Patchen Avenue and Monroe Street, was built ca.1859 at a cost of $3,000 and had a seating capacity of 400.

1904 Brooklyn Eagle photo of Janes Methodist Episcopal Church (built 1884) in Brooklyn, N.Y. (photo: Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn Collection)  
1904 Brooklyn Eagle photo of Janes Methodist Episcopal Church at Reid and Monroe Streets  
   
Within 25 years, the congregation outgrew its building, so a much larger second church was built on the southeast corner of Monroe Street and Reid Avenue (now Malcolm X Boulevard). The new building, designed by Cardwell & Hawkins, was dedicated on November 30, 1884. It seated 1,200 in the main auditorium and as many more in the Sunday school rooms. The cost of the ground and building, including the organ ($3,400), the upholstery, and steam heating, was $45,000.

A devastating fire destroyed the 101-year-old building on November 11, 1984, the day before the congregation was to celebrate the church's 125th anniversary. The day after the fire, the pastor and trustees pledged to start rebuilding the church immediately. The rebuilt red-brick church consists of three buildings which are connected by a covered atrium.
               
Austin Organs Inc.
Hartford, Conn. – Opus 2699 (1991)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 58 registers, 42 stops, 52 ranks
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes (3½" wind pressure)
16
   Gemshorn
73
2
   Superoctave
61
8
   Principal
61
2
   Flachflöte
61
8
   Bourdon
61
     Fourniture IV ranks
244
8
   Gemshorn (fr. 16')
—
8
   Trompette
61
4
   Octave
61
    
Chimes
25 tubes
4
   Nachthorn
61
8
   Trompette de Fete
CH
 
      
 
      
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed (3½" wind pressure)
16
   Gedeckt (unit)
73
2
   Blockflöte
61
8
   Principal
61
1 3/5
   Tierce
61
8
   Viola
61
     Plein Jeu III ranks
183
8
   Viola Celeste (TC)
49
16
   Basson
73
8
   Rohrgedeckt (fr. 16')
—
8
   Trompette
61
8
   Flauto Dolce
61
8
   Oboe (fr. 16' Basson)
—
8
   Dolce Celeste (TC)
49
8
   Vox Humana
61
4
   Principal
61
4
   Rohrschalmei
61
4
   Harmonic Flute
61
     Tremulant  
2 2/3
   Nazard
61
        
 
      
 
      
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed (3½"" wind pressure)
8
   Holzgedeckt
61
1
   Sifflöte (fr. 2' Principal)
—
8
   Erzähler
61
     Sesquialtera II ranks (TC)
98
8
   Erzähler Celeste (TC)
49
     Zimbel III ranks
183
4
   Prestant
61
8
   Cromorne
61
4
   Koppelflöte
61
     Tremulant  
2
   Principal
73
8
   Trompette de Fete (hooded)
61
1 1/3
   Quint
61
        
 
      
 
      
Pedal Organ – 32 notes (3½" and 4½" wind pressure)
16
   Principal
44
     Mixture III ranks
96
16
   Bourdon
44
32
   Contra Bombarde
68
16
   Gedeckt
SW
16
   Bombarde (fr. 32')
—
16
   Gemshorn
GT
16
   Basson
SW
10 2/3
   Quint
32
8
   Trompette (fr. 32')
—
8
   Octave (fr. 16' Principal)
—
8
   Cromorne
CH
8
   Bourdon (fr. 16')
—
4
   Clairon (fr. 32')
—
8
   Gemshorn
GT
8
   Trompette de Fete
CH
4
   Choral Bass
32
        
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal 8'   Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4'
    Swell to Pedal 8', 4'   Choir to Swell 8'
   

Choir to Pedal 8', 4'

  Great Unison Off
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'   Swell 16', 4', Unison Off
    Choir to Great 16', 8', 4'   Choir 16', 4', Unison Off
               
J. H. & C. S. Odell & Co.
New York City – Opus 626 (1961)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 41 registers, 36 stops, 41 ranks


In 1961, the J.H. & C.S. Odell Company rebuilt the previous Kimball organ, which had been unplayable for 20 years. Most of the Kimball pipework was reused, and a new electro-pneumatic action was installed. The contract (June 26, 1961) shows that the cost was $29, 980. On November 11, 1984, the organ and church burned.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes (enclosed with Choir?)
16
   Double Diapason
61
4
   Flute Harmonic
61
8
   Open Diapason
61
2 2/3
   Octave Quint
61
8
   Viole de Gambe
61
2
   Super Octave
61
8
   Doppel Flute
61
     Fourniture III ranks
183
4
   Octave
61
8
   Trumpet Harmonic
61
4
   Melophone
61
    
Chimes
21 tubes
 
      
 
      
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
   Gross Gedeckt
73
4
   Flute Traverso
73
8
   Open Diapason
73
2
   Flageolet
61
8
   Salicional
73
     Plein Jeu III ranks
183
8
   Vox Celestis
73
8
   Cornopean
73
8
   Gedeckt
73
8
   Oboe
73
8
   Quintadena
73
8
   Vox Humana
73
4
   Principal
73
     Tremolo  
               
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Viol d'Orchestre
73
2
   Piccolo
61
8
   Melodia
73
     Sesquialtera II ranks
122
8
   Dulciana
73
8
   Clarinet
73
4
   Geigen Principal
73
     Tremolo  
4
   Flute d'Amour
73
        
 
      
 
      
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
16
   Major Bass
56
8
   Bourdon (fr. 16')
—
16
   Violone
44
4
   Choral Bass (fr. 16' Maj. Bs.)
—
16
   Bourdon
44
16
   Posaune
44
8
   Bass Flute (fr. 16' Maj. Bs.)
—
8
   Posaune (fr. 16')
—
8
   Violoncello (fr. 16')
—
        
               
  Kimball Organ, ca. 1894, at Jane's Methodist Episcopal Church - Brooklyn (photo: Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn Collection)
 
W.W. Kimball organ
W.W. Kimball Co.
Chicago, Ill. (c.1894)
Tubular-pneumatic action
3 manuals




The 1909 photo at the right shows the impressive case of the three-manual W.W. Kimball Organ built c.1894 for Janes Methodist Episcopal Church in Brooklyn. As this organ was installed only about ten years after the 1884 Steere & Turner organ, it is quite possible that Kimball enlarged the earlier organ and incorporated all or most of its pipes. Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.
               
Steere & Turner
Springfield, Mass. – Opus 192 (1884)
Mechanical action
2 manuals, 19 stops, 21 ranks


The first organ installed in the 1884 church building was built by Steere & Turner of Springfield, Mass. The handwritten contract, dated May 22, 1884, indicated that the total price of the organ would be $3,327.56, but that the organ case of oak would cost an additional $50. Steere & Turner provided a bellows with feeders, balanced wheel and shaft. The organ was to be completed by October 1st, 1884.
               
Great Organ (Manual I) – 58 notes
16
   Bourdon (TC)
46
4
   Flute d'Amour
58
16
   Bourdon Bass
12
3
   Twelfth
58
8
   Open Diapason *
58
2
   Fifteenth
58
8
   Dulciana
58
     Mixture, 3 ranks
174
8
   Melodia
58
8
   Trumpet
58
4
   Octave
58
    
* largest pipes in front
 
      
 
      
Swell Organ (Manual II) – 58 notes, enclosed
8
   Open Diapason
58
4
   Violin
58
8
   Salicional
58
2
   Flautina
58
8
   Stopd Diapason
58
8
   Oboe (TC)
46
4
   Flute Harmonique
58
8
   Bassoon
12
 
      
 
      
Pedale Organ – 27 notes
16
   Open Diapason
27
        
16
   Bourdon
27
        
               
Mechanical Registers
    Swell to Great Coupler   Tremolo
    Great to Pedale Coupler   Blower Signal
    Swell to Pedale Coupler   Wind Indicator over the manuals
               
Pedal Movements
    Great Forte Combination Pedal   Great to Pedal Reversible
    Great Mezzo Combination Pedal   Balanced Swell Pedal
    Great Piano Combination Pedal    
    Swell Forte Combination Pedal    
    Swell Piano Combination Pedal    
               
Sources:
     "A Handsome Brooklyn Church: the New House of the Janes Methodist Congregation." The New York Times (Dec. 1, 1884).
     Birk, Eric. Specifications of Austin Organ, Op. 2699 (1991).
     The Diapason (Aug. 1962). Specification of organ rebuild by J.H. & C.S. Odell (1962). Courtesy Jonathan Bowen.
     "Fire Destroys a Church in Bedford-Stuyvesant." The New York Times (Nov. 11, 1984).
     Ochse, Orpha. Austin Organs. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 2001.
     Ochse, Orpha. The History of the Organ in the United States. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1975.
     Petty, Bynum. J.H. & C.S. Odell Annotated Opus List.
     Schmitt, Eric. "After Fire, Brooklyn Church Starts to Rebuild." The New York Times (June 17, 1985).
      Trupiano, Larry. Specification of Steere & Turner Organ, Op. 192 (1884).

Illustrations:
     Brooklyn Daily Eagle photos from Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn Collection.