St. Brigid's Catholic Church - Brooklyn, N.Y. (photo: Jeff Scofield)
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St. Brigid's Church
(Roman Catholic)

409 Linden Street at St. Nicholas Avenue
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11227


Organ Specifications:
Present building (since 1922):
► III/48 Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company, Op. 1146 (1948)
► III/43 Albert E. Lloyd (1927)
• II/13 Reuben Midmer & Sons – moved from previous church (1922)
Earlier building (1882-1922):
• II/13 Reuben Midmer & Sons (<1917)



 
Postcard of original church building  
St. Bridget's Roman Catholic Church was established in 1882, and was renamed St. Brigid's in 1895. The first church was a wooden structure which served until about 1922 when the present building was opened. In 1929, the Meneely Bell Company of Troy, N.Y. installed a 10-bell chime which is played from an electric keyboard.
           
Aeolian-Skinner Organ Co., Inc.
Boston, Mass. – Opus 1146 (1948)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 51 registers, 45 stops, 48 ranks


In 1948, the existing Albert E. Lloyd organ at St. Brigid's Church was overhauled by Aeolian-Skinner. The contract included a new three-manual console, releathering and cleaning, a new Great mixture and chest, and a 4' Clarion extension to the Pedal reed. In addition, all flue pipes from 4' C up and all reed pipes were revoiced at the factory.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes
16
   Diapason
61
4
   Violin
61
8
   First Diapason
61
2 2/3
   Twelfth
61
8
   Second Diapason
61
2
   Super Octave
61
8
   Gross Flute
61
     Mixture IV ranks *
244
8
   Clarabella
61
8
   Tuba
61
8
   Dulciana
61
4
   Clarion
61
8
   Viola
61
    
Chimes
25 tubes
4
   Octave
61
        
 
      
 
      
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
   Bourdon
61
4
   Principal
61
8
   Diapason
61
4
   Wald Flute
61
8
   Gedeckt
61
2
   Flautina
61
8
   Melodia
61
8
   Cornopean
61
8
   Viole d'Orchestre
61
8
   Oboe
61
8
   Voix Celeste
61
8
   Vox Humana
61
8
   Aeoline
61
     Tremolo  
8
   Unda Maris
61
        
               
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Diapason
61
4
   Harmonic Flute
61
8
   Keraulophon
61
4
   Violin
61
8
   Gedeckt
61
2
   Fifteenth
61
8
   Flute
61
2
   Piccolo
61
8
   Dolce
61
8
   Clarinet
61
8
   Unda Maris
61
     Tremolo  
8
   Gamba
61
    
Harp
49 bars
4
   Octave
61
      
 
      
 
      
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
32
   Resultant
—
8
   Cello
32
16
   Diapason
44
16
   Trombone
56
16
   Bourdon
44
8
   Trumpet (fr. Trombone)
—
16
   Lieblich Gedeckt
SW
4
   Clarion (fr. Trombone) *
12
8
   Principal (fr. Diapason)
—
    
Chimes
GT
8
   Flute (fr. Bourdon)
—
    
* added by Aeolian-Skinner (1948)
             
Couplers
    Great to Pedal 8'   Choir to Great 16', 8', 4'
    Swell to Pedal 8', 4'   Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4'
    Choir to Pedal 8', 4'   Swell to Swell 16', 4'
    Pedal to Pedal 4'   Choir to Choir 16', 4'
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'    
             
Adjustable Combinations
   
Great Organ Pistons 1-8 affecting Great stops (thumb)
Swell Organ Pistons 1-8 affecting Swell stops (thumb)
Choir Organ Pistons 1-8 affecting Choir stops (thumb)
Pedal Organ Pistons 1-8 affecting Pedal stops (thumb)
General Pistons 1-8 affecting all stops and couplers (thumb & toe)
             
Reversibles
    Great to Pedal (thumb & toe)    
    Sforzando (thumb & toe)    
             
Pedal Movements
    Balanced Swell Pedal    
    Balanced Choir Pedal    
    Balanced Crescendo Pedal    
           
Albert E. Lloyd
Elmhurst, N.Y. (1927)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 49 registers, 43 stops, 43 ranks


In December 1927, the Albert E. Lloyd Company of Elmhurst, N.Y. installed a new organ in St. Brigid's Church. Lloyd was born in England and worked with the Hope-Jones Electric Organ Co. of Birkenhead, UK. He moved to the United States to work with the Hope-Jones Organ Co. of Elmira, NY, and later did console work with the Wurlitzer firm of North Tonawanda, NY; in 1913 he was a superintendent with the Wicks firm of Highland, Ill.

For the organ at St. Brigid's, Lloyd subcontracted with the A. Gottfried Co. of Erie, Penn., to build the detached three-manual theatre-style "horseshoe" console. Lloyd specified Amber stop-keys for the reeds; Red stop-keys for the Unison Release, Chimes and Harp; and White stop-keys for the remaining Flue work and Couplers. The Choir division of Lloyd's organ was described in his specification as follows:
The above department will comprise all the pipes in the old organ excepting the Bourdon, which will appear in the Swell and the action will be so arranged that the Bourdon will be included in this department when it is used as a unit in the smaller services with only the small blower running. The tone of these old pipes will be greatly improved by the addition of the basses necessary to take them down to CC. and will be scarcely recognisable as the old organ. The present wind pressure will be used on these pipes.
We are grateful to Tom Lloyd, grandson of the builder, for providing copies of correspondence and stoplists for the organ at St. Brigid's Church.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes (5" wind pressure)
16
   Double Open Diapason
61
4
   Octave
61
8
   First Open Diapason
61
4
   Violin
61
8
   Second Open Diapason
61
2 2/3
   Twelfth
61
8
   Gross Flute
61
2
   Super Octave
61
8
   Viola
61
8
   Tuba
61
8
   Clarabella
61
4
   Clarion
61
8
   Dulciana
61
    
Chimes (in SW)
25 tubes
 
      
 
      
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed (5" wind pressure)
16
   Bourdon * [inc. old Pedal pipes]
61
4
   Principal
61
8
   English Diapason
61
4
   Wald Flute
61
8
   Stopt Diapason
61
2
   Flautino
61
8
   Viol d'Orchestra
61
8
   Cornopean
61
8
   Vox Celeste f
61
8
   Oboe
61
8
   Melodia
61
8
   Vox Humana
61
8
   Aeoline
61
     Tremolo  
8
   Vox Celeste p (fr. V. Cel.)
—
        
               
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed ("old wind pressure")
8
   Open Diapason *
61
4
   Violin *
61
8
   Stopt Diapason *
61
4
   Harmonic Flute *
61
8
   Gamba *
61
2
   Fifteenth *
61
8
   Flute *
61
2
   Piccolo *
61
8
   Keraulophon
61
8
   Clarinet
61
8
   Dolce *
61
     Tremolo  
8
   Unda Maris
61
    
Harp
49 bars
4
   Octave *
61
        
 
      
 
      
Pedal Organ – 32 notes (5" wind pressure)
32
   Resultant
—
8
   Flute (fr. Bourdon)
—
16
   Open Diapason
44
8
   Cello
32
16
   Bourdon
44
16
   Trombone
44
16
   Lieblich Gedeckt
SW
8
   Trumpet (fr. Trombone)
—
8
   Principal (fr. Open Diap.)
—
        
       
* stops retained from Reuben Midmer organ
Couplers
    Great to Pedal   Choir to Swell 16', 8', 4'
    Swell to Pedal   Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4'
    Choir to Pedal   Great 16', 4', Unison Release
    Pedal at Octaves   Swell 16', 4', Unison Release
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'   Choir 16', 4', Unison Release
    Choir to Great 16', 8', 4'    
             
Adjustable Combinations
    Six Pistons under each manual controlling their own manual stops.
    Four Toe Pistons on Pedals controlling Pedal stops.
               
Pedal Movements
    Balanced Crescendo Pedal     Sforzando or Full Organ Pedal
    Balanced Swell Pedal     Great to Pedal Reversible Pedal
    Balanced Choir Pedal      
           
Reuben Midmer & Sons
Brooklyn, N.Y. (<1917)
Mechanical action
2 manual, 13 stops


The first-known organ for St. Brigid's Church was built sometime before 1917 by Reuben Midmer & Sons of Brooklyn. This organ had mechanical action, two manuals and 13 stops. Specifications have not yet been located.

The Parish History of St. Brigid's Church states: "The old organ from the old wooden structure church was moved into the new structure [1922] until December 1927 at which time a theater style console was installed. The new organ has 56 stops and was built by Albert E. Lloyd and Company."
               
Great Organ (Manual I)
  4 stops  
     
               
Swell Organ (Manual II), enclosed
  8 stops  
     
               
Pedal
  1 stop          
           
Sources:
     Aeolian-Skinner Archives website: http://aeolianskinner.organsociety.org/.
      Fox, David H. A Guide to North American Organbuilders (Rev. ed.). Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1997.
     The Guild of Carillonneurs in North America website: http://www.gcna.org/
     Kinzey, Allen, and Sand Lawn, comps. E.M. Skinner/Aeolian-Skinner Opus List. New Rev. Ed. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1997.
     Kloda, Barry. Corrections to specification of Aeolian-Skinner Organ, Op. 1146 (1948).
     Lloyd, Tom. Correspondence about and specification of the Albert E. Lloyd Organ (1927).
     Parish History of St. Brigid's Church. Courtesy Paul Eschenauer.
     Trupiano, Larry. Electronic correspondence (10/29/2012) with info about the Reuben Midmer & Sons organ.

Illustrations:
     eBay.com. Undated postcard of original church.
     Scofield, Jeff: Exterior of present church.