Proposed Drawing (1927) of Flatbush Lutheran Church of the Redeemer - Brooklyn, NY (Mayers, Murray & Phillip)
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Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Redeemer

Ditmas Avenue and 22nd Strreet
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11226


Organ Specifications:
Ditmas Avenue and 22nd Street (1929-1973)
► III/40 Aeolian-Votey Organ Co., Op. 1673 (1929)
42 Lenox Road near Flatbush Avenue (1916-1929)
► III/39 Müller & Abel, Op. 14 (1896) – moved (1916)
Bedford Avenue & Hewes Street (1896-1916)
► III/39 Müller & Abel, Op. 14 (1896)


Lutheran Church of the Redeemer - Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y.  
Bedford Avenue (1896-1916)  
 
Lenox Road (1916-1929)  
The English Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Redeemer was founded by twelve persons who met at the residence of C.G. Moller on December 29, 1893. At a public meeting held in the Chapel of Ross Street Presbyterian Church on April 19, 1894, it was resolved to organize an English Lutheran Church. The new society rented the Ross Street Presbyterian Chapel for a year. From 1895-1896, the society met at Wilson and Lee Avenue. A plot of land at the corner of Bedford Avenue and Hewest Street was purchased, and plans were drawn up for an edifice in the Gothic style. Ground was broken on October 12, 1895, and the cornerstone was laid on December 25 that same year. The completed church was consecrated on December 6, 1896.

In December 1915, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. Barnabas, located on Lenox Road near Flatbush Avenue, proposed that the two congregations merge. St. Barnabas was without a pastor and offered their church building (which was apparently not completed) as a permanent place of worship. The merger was approved by both congregations in January 1916. As part of the deal, the Church of the Redeemer would "supply whatever can be used to furnish [the] church auditorium..." The old Redeemer property on Bedford Avenue was sold to a synagogue.

After only thirteen years on Lenox Road, the congregation commissioned Mayers, Murray & Phillip of B. G. Goodhue Associates to design a new edifice on Ditmas Avenue between 21st and 22nd Streets. The neo-Gothic building was octagonal in shape and featured a pyramidal copper roof surmounted by a cupola. The completed church was dedicated on February 10, 1929.

In 1973, the congregation merged with the Flatbush Presbyterian Church, located nearby at 494 East 23rd Street near Foster Avenue. The combined congregations are known today as the Flatbush Church of the Redeemer.
               
Aeolian-Votey Organ Company
New York City – Opus 1673 (1928)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 40 registers, 36 stops, 40 ranks


For their new building on Ditmas Avenue, the congregation commissioned the Aeolian-Votey Company to move and rebuild the 1896 Müller & Abel organ from the old church. In the factory specifications, Aeolian-Votey states that they would provide "an entirely new (3-manual and pedal) console of the most modern type, the dimensions confirming to the A.G.O. and N.A.O. requirements. Stops controlled by means of Draw Knobs and tilting tablets, with combinations adjustable at the keyboard and visibly affecting the registers." The company rebuilt the Swell, Choir and Great chests with electro-pneumatic action, extending those of the Swell and Choir to 73 notes. All of the old pipes were brought to the factory for revoicing and repairing, retaining the resonators and parts of old pipes where they were usable. The reed stops were replaced with new pipes, and a Cornopean was added to the Swell where there had been none before. The Swell Spitzflöte was replaced with a Voix Celeste. Aeolian-Votey also raised the pitch to standard "Philharmonic A-440; C-523.3" and raised the pressure to 5" throughout.

Archer Gibson dedicated the organ on February 12, 1929. Mr. Gibson's program included Fantasia in G minor and Loure from Third Suite for Cello, Bach; Allegro ma non troppo, Organ Concerto, Handel; Largo Appassionato, from Piano Sonata, Op. 2, No. 2, and Minuet, Beethoven; Andante Cantabile, from Fourth Symphony, Widor; Cathedral Procession, from "Lohengrin," Wagner; "Orientale," Cui; "Liebesfreud," Kreisler; "Kamennoi-Ostrow," Rubinstein; "Litany for All Souls' Day," Schubert; Spring Song, Gibson; "Pomp and Circumstance," Elgar. After the program was finished, the entire audience remained for nearly an hour listening to Mr. Gibson improvise.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes
16
   Double Open Diapason
61
2 2/3
   Twelfth
61
8
   Open Diapason
61
2
   Fifteenth
61
8
   Flute Harmonic
61
     Mixture, 3 ranks
183
8
   Doppel Flute
61
8
*
 Trumpet
61
8
   Viola da Gamba
61
     Tremolo  
4
   Octave
61
    
Chimes
20 bells
4
   Hohl Flöte
61
        
               
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
   Bourdon
73
4
   Flute Traverse
73
8
   Open Diapason
73
2
   Flageolet
73
8
   Stopped Diapason
73
     Dolce Cornet, 3 ranks
183
8
   Salicional
73
8
*
 Oboe
73
8
*
 Voix Celeste
73
8
*
 Vox Humana
73
8
   Aeoline
73
8
*
 Cornopean
73
4
   Gemshorn
73
     Tremolo  
               
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Geigen Principal
73
4
   Violina
73
8
   Concert Flute
73
2
   Piccolo
73
8
   Dolce
73
8
*
 Clarinet
73
8
   Quintadena
73
     Tremolo  
4
   Flute d'Amour
73
        
               
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
16
   Open Diapason
44
8
   Cello (fr. Vln.)
—
16
   Bourdon
44
16
*
 Trombone
44
16
   Violone
44
8
*
 Tromba (fr. Trbn)
—
8
   Octave (fr.. Op. Diap.)
—
     Chimes
GT
8
   Still Gedeckt (fr. Bdn.)
—
        
           
* new pipes by Aeolian-Votey
Couplers
    Great to Pedal 8   Choir to Swell 8
    Swell to Pedal 8, 4   Swell to Choir 8
    Choir to Pedal 8   Great 16, 4
    Swell to Great 16, 8, 4   Swell 16, 8, 4
    Choir to Great 16, 8, 4   Choir 16, 8, 4
               
Adjustable Combinations
   
Choir Stops Pistons 0-1-2-3-4-5 (thumb)  
Great & Pedal Stops Pistons 0-1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb) Ped. Comb. to GT On & Off
Swell & Pedal Stops Pistons 0-1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb) Ped. Comb. to SW On & Off
Pedal Stops Pistons 1-2-3-4-5 (toe)  
Entire Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4 (thumb)  
  Universal Cancel Piston  
  Combination Setter Piston  
               
Accessories
    Balanced Expression Pedal – Choir-Great   Chimes soft pedal
    Balanced Expression Pedal – Swell   Chimes dampers pedal
    Balanced Crescendo Pedal   Ind. lights for cresc. & blind mvts.
    Sforzando Reversible   Action current indicator light
    Great to Pedal Reversible   Signal button
    Swell to Pedal Reversible   Signal light
             
Organ in church on Lenox Road near Flatbush Avenue:

Müller & Abel
New York City – Opus 14 (1896)
Tubular-pneumatic action?
3 manuals, 35 stops, 39 ranks


Following the merger with the incomplete St. Barnabas Church, the 1896 Müller & Abel organ was moved from the previous church on Bedford Avenue. It is not known if the organ was altered in any way at this time. This organ was moved again in 1927, after it was rebuilt by Aeolian-Votey, to the new church on Ditmas Avenue.
             
Organ in church on Bedford Avenue and Hewes Street:

Müller & Abel
New York City – Opus 14 (1896)
Tubular-pneumatic action?
3 manuals, 35 stops, 39 ranks


The organ in the original church building on Bedford Avenue was built in 1896 by Müller & Abel of New York City. It seems likely that this organ was moved to the former St. Barnabas Church on Lenox Road in 1916.

From the 1928 Aeolian-Votey factory specifications we can derive the following stoplist. Pipecounts, couplers, and accessories are suggested, based on Müller & Abel organs of the era.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes
16
   Double Open Diapason
61
4
   Hohlflöte
61
8
   Open Diapason
61
2 2/3
   Twelfth
61
8
   Flute Harmonique
61
2
   Fifteenth
61
8
   Doppel Flöte
61
     Mixture, 3 ranks
183
8
   Viola di Gamba
61
8
   Trumpet
61
4
   Octave
61
        
               
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
   Bourdon
61
4
   Flute Traverse
61
8
   Open Diapason
61
2
   Flageolet
61
8
   Stopped Diapason
61
     Dolce Cornet, 3 ranks
183
8
   Spitz Flöte
61
8
   Oboe
61
8
   Salicional
61
8
   Vox Humana
61
8
   Aeoline
61
     Tremolo  
4
   Gemshorn
61
        
               
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Geigen Principal
61
4
   Violina
61
8
   Concert Flute
61
2
   Piccolo
61
8
   Dolce
61
8
   Clarinet
61
8
   Quintadena
61
     Tremolo  
4
   Flute d'Amour
61
        
               
Pedal Organ – 30 notes
16
   Open Diapason
30
8
   Violoncello
30
16
   Bourdon
30
16
   Trombone
30
               
Couplers
    Swell to Great 8, 4       Great to Pedal 8  
    Choir to Great 8       Swell to Pedal 8  
    Swell to Choir 8       Choir to Pedal 8  
               
Pedal Combinations
    Swell organ Forte     Great organ Mezzo
    Swell organ Mezzo     Great organ Piano
    Swell organ Piano     Choir organ Forte
    Great organ Forte     Choir organ Piano
           
Pedal Movements
    Balanced Swell Pedal     Great to Pedal reversible
    Balanced Choir Pedal       Full organ  
               
Sources:
     "Archer Gibson Plays Aeolian in Brooklyn," The American Organist (April 1929). Courtesy Jonathan Bowen.
     "Brooklyn Trading," The New York Times (Mar. 28, 1929).
     The Diapason (March 1929). Stoplist of Aeolian-Votey organ, Op. 1673 (1928). Courtesy Jonathan Bowen.
     Nelson, George. Organs in the United States and Canada Database. Seattle, Wash.
     Smith, Rollin. The Aeolian Pipe Organ and its Music. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1998.
     "2 Flatbush Congregations Unite for Survival," The New York Times (July 2, 1973).
     Trupiano, Larry. Documents (1893-1916) regarding history of The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Redeemer.
     Trupiano, Larry. Factory specifications of Aeolian-Votey organ, Op. 1673 (1928).
     "What is Going On this Week," The New York Times (Feb. 10, 1929).

Illustrations:
     Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn Collection. Church of the Redeemer on Lenox Road (1929); Drawing (1927) of proposed church by Mayers, Murray & Phillip.
     Trupiano, Larry. Program Cover, Twentieth Anniversary (1894-1914) of Redeemer Lutheran Church.