Premier Theatre - Brooklyn, N.Y.
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Premier Theatre

509 Sutter Avenue at Hinsdale Avenue
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11207







Premier Theatre - Brooklyn, N.Y.  
The 2,599-seat Premier Theatre opened circa 1921 and was acquired by the Loew's chain in 1926. Designed by Charles Sandblom in the Georgian Revival style, the Premier was one of Sandblom's first theatres after he left Thomas Lamb to form his own architectural firm. Sandblom's other projects at that time included the Capitol, National, and State Theatres in Brooklyn, and the Park Theatre in the Rockaways in Queens. The Premier closed in 1977, following the rioting and looting of the blackout, and was razed in 1980.
     
M.P. Möller, Inc.
Hagerstown, Md. – Opus 3370 (1922)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 116 registers, 11 ranks


The Agreement of Lease, dated April 3, 1922, between the M.P. Möller Company and Samuel Lesselbaum, General Manager of the Premier Amusement Corporation, shows that this organ was rented for a total of $12,500, as follows: 15% paid in cash upon signing of the agreement, 10% paid in cash when completed and ready for service, and the 75% balance payable in 20 equal consecutive monthly payments. Möller indicated the organ would be completed by September 1, 1922. The organ was voiced on three wind pressures: Tubas on 15" wind, Vox Humana on 7" wind, and the balance of the organ on 12" wind.
               
Pedal – 32 notes
    Snare Drum, Roll  
8
  Cellos III  
    Bass Drum  
4
  Violins III  
    Cymbal  
8
  Clarinet  
16
  Trombone  
4
  Clarinet  
8
  Tuba       Pedal 2nd Touch  
4
  Cornet  
16
  Diaphonic Bass  
32
  Acoustic Bass  
8
  Chimes  
16
  Diaphonic Diapason       Bass Drum  
16
  Contra Bass       Tympani  
16
  Bourdon       Cymbal  
8
  Diapason       Chinese Gong, roll  
8
  Flute       Chinese Gong, stroke  
               
Accompaniment (Manual I) – 61 notes
8
  Tuba  
8
  Harp (Marimba)  
8
  Diapason  
4
  Glockenspiel  
8
  Tibia Clausa       Snare Drum, tap  
8
  Flute       Snare Drum, roll  
16
  Contra Viola [TC]       Tambourine  
8
  Violin I       Castanet  
8
  Violins II *       Tom Tom  
8
  Viola       Chinese Block, tap  
4
  Violin I       Accomp. 2 nd Touch  
4
  Violins II  
8
  Tuba  
4
  Octave Viola  
8
  Tibia Clausa  
8
  Vox Humana  
8
  Cellos IV  
4
  Vox Humana  
8
  Saxaphone [sic]  
8
  Clarinet  
4
  Xylophone  
4
  Flute       Triangle  
2
  Piccolo       Snare Drum, roll  
    * 2 ranks; slide chest for tuning     Chinese Block, roll  
               
Orchestral (Manual II) – 61 notes
8
  Tuba  
8
  Kinura  
16
  Bourdon  
8
  Clarinet  
8
  Diaphonic Diapason  
8
  Saxaphone [sic]  
8
  Tibia Clausa  
4
  Flute  
8
  Concert Flute  
2
  Piccolo  
16
  Bass Viol I [TC]       Marimba, repeating  
8
  Viol I       Glockenspiel  
8
  Violins II       Xylophone  
8
  Viola       Snare Drum, roll  
8
  Violin I       Orchestral 2 nd Touch  
4
  Violins II  
16
  Trombone  
4
  Octave Viola  
8
  Tuba  
2 2/3
  Nazard  
16
  Bass Clarinet [TC]  
1 3/5
  Tierce  
8
  Diaphonic Diapason  
16
  Vox Humana [TC]  
4
  Solo Piccolo [Tibia]  
8
  Vox Humana  
4
  Orchestral Bells  
8
  Oboe  
4
  Xylophone  
               
Solo (Manual III) – 32 notes
16
  Trombone  
4
  Vox Humana  
8
  Tuba  
8
  Oboe  
4
  Clarinet  
8
  Kinura  
8
  Diaphonic Diapason  
16
  Bass Clarinet [TC]  
8
  Tibia Clausa  
8
  Clarinet  
8
  Flute  
8
  Saxaphone [sic]  
16
  Bass Viole [sic] III [TC]  
4
  Flute  
8
  Violins III  
4
  Solo Piccolo [Tibia]  
4
  Violins III  
8
  Chimes  
2 2/3
  Nazard  
8
  Marimba  
2
  Fifteenth  
4
  Glockenspiel  
1 3/5
  Tierce  
4
  Orchestral Bells  
16
  Vox Humana [TC]  
4
  Xylophone  
8
  Vox Humana          
               
Adjustable Combinations
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 affecting Solo stops
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 affecting Orchestral stops
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 affecting Accompaniment stops
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 affecting Pedal stops
    Pedal to Manual Piston Coupler
    Manual to Pedal Piston Couplers (2)
               
Vibratos
    Slow for Tibias      
    Fast for Wood wind and Strings      
    Special Vox Humana Vibrato      
               
Accessories
    Balanced Expression Pedal, for Diaphonic Diapason and Tuba (brass)
    Balanced Expression Pedal, for Orchestral stops (Master)
    Balanced Crescendo Pedal
    Drum Piston (bass drum & Cymbal on Pedal; snare drum on first touch Accomp.)
    Trap Cancel
               
Additional Drum & Trap Controls
Double touch pedals at right of balanced pedals:
    Tympani, first touch; Bass Drum, second touch
    Snare Drum, tap, first touch; roll, second touch
    Chinese Gon, roll, first touch; stroke, second touch
    Grand Crash
Toe Pistons at right of balanced pedals:
    Bass Drum and Cymbal
    Triangle
    Two Birds
    Sleigh Bells
     
STOP ANALYSIS
               
Name Scale
Pitch
  Pipes
Pedal Accomp. Orch. Solo
               
Diaphonic Diapason 38
16'
  73
16-8-32 8 8-8 8
Tibia Clausa Big
16'
  85
16 8-8 8-4 8-4
Concert Flute
       # Bourdon Bass
#3 G
16'
  97
16
10-2/3
8-4-2
2-2/3
1-3/5
16-8-4
2-2/3
1-3/5
8-4
2-2/3
1-3/5
Violin I 64
  8'
  85
8-4 8-4 16-8-4 16-8-4
Violins II 60-62
  8'
146
8-4 8-4 8-4 16-8-4
Viola 56
  8'
  85
  16-8-4 8-4 2
Tuba wood
16'
  85
16-8-4 8-8 16-8-8 16-8-4
Clarinet  
  8'
  61
8-4 8 16-8 16-8
Kinura  
  8'
  61
    8 8
Vox Humana  
  8'
  73
  8-4 16-8 16-8-4
Saxaphone [sic]  
  8'
Syn.
  8 8 8
Orchestral Oboe  
  8'
Syn.
    8 8
Cello [3 strings]  
  8'
Syn.
  8    
Chimes  
  8'
20n
8     8
Harp/Marimba  
  8'
49n
  8    
Glockenspiel/Orch. Bells  
  4'
37n
      4
Xylophone  
  4'
37n
  4   4
Bass Drum       XX      
Tympani       X      
Cymbal       XX      
Chinese Gong       X      
Triangle         X    
Snare Drum, tap         X    
Snare Drum, roll       X X-X X  
Castanet         X    
Tambourine         X    
Tom Tom         X    
Chinese Wood Drum         X    
Birds (2) separated         X    
Sleigh Bells (2) separated              
     
Sources:
     Cinema Treasures web site: http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/3980
     Junchen, David L. Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ, Vol. 1. Pasadena: Showcase Publications, 1985.
     Trupiano, Larry. Factory Specifications (April 3, 1922) of M.P. Möller organ, Op. 3370 (1922).

Illustrations:
     Cinema Treasures web site: exterior and interior.