St. Catharine of Alexandria Roman Catholic Church - Brooklyn, NY
Church of St. Catharine of Alexandria
(Roman Catholic)

1119 Forty-first Street at Fort Hamilton Parkway
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11218


Organ Specifications:
► III/36 Geo. Kilgen & Son, Op. 3412 (1925)
► I/7 Reuben Midmer & Sons (1909) – Lower Church


The Roman Catholic parish of St. Catharine of Alexandria was established in 1902 to serve residents of the Borough Park area of Brooklyn. Under the leadership of the Rev. John O'Neill, the energetic young pastor, masses were held in a stable loft at Thirty-ninth Street and Fort Hamilton Parkway until funds were raised to build the present church.
           
Geo. Kilgen & Son
St. Louis, Mo. – Opus 3412 (1925); addition, Op. 7305 (1940s)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 39 stops, 36 ranks


Following its installation in 1925, the Kilgen organ at St. Catharine of Alexandria Church was showcased by Ludwig Zentmaier, the New York City representative for Geo. Kilgen & Son. One of the most influential clients who examined and played this organ was Pietro Yon, the Director of Music at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan. Yon was so impressed with this installation that he ordered the large Kilgen organ (1929) for Carnegie Hall, and two Kilgen organs (Chancel, 1928 and Gallery, 1930) for St. Patrick's Cathedral. As a result of the media coverage of these organs, a great many Kilgen organs were ordered for Catholic churches throughout the United States.

On the Kilgen Opus List, a second entry for "St. Catherine [sic] of Alexander" indicates #7305 "Add"[ition]. That opus number would have been assigned sometime in the late 1940s. It is uncertain what was added to the organ, but it is possible that an 8' French Trumpet replaced the 8' Tuba on the Great Organ.

In the late 1960s, a devastating fire broke out in the church, causing considerable heat and water damage to the organ. Since then, the organ was somewhat playable despite air leaks due to dried-out wood and an off-balance blower, but by 2003 the organ had become unreliable and unplayable. Until funds can be raised to restore the Kilgen organ, a two-manual and pedal Estey G reed organ is used to accompany the masses.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed with Choir
8
   1st Open Diapason
61
4
   Octave
61
8
   2nd Open Diapason
61
4
   Forest Flute
61
8
   Double Flute
61
  Ripieno V ranks
305
8
   Gamba
61
8
   Tuba
61
8
   Gemshorn
61
   
               
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
   Bourdon
61
4
   Traverse Flute
61
8
   Phonon Diapason
61
4
   Violina
61
8
   Stopped Diapason
61
2
   Piccolo
61
8
   Salicional
61
8
   Cornopean
61
8
   Vox Celeste [TC]
49
8
   Vox Humana
61
8
   Aeoline
61
  Tremolo
     
 
    
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed with Great
8
   Violin Diapason
61
4
   Flute d'Amour
61
8
   Melodia
61
2
   Harmonic Piccolo
61
8
   Dulciana
61
8
   Clarinet
61
8
   Unda Maris [TC]
49
  Tremolo
               
Echo Organ (floating) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
   Lieblich Gedeckt [TC]
—
2
   Flautina [ext.]
—
8
   Clarinet Flute
85
8
   Vox Humana
61
8
   Echo Salicional
61
  Tremolo
4
   Chimney Flute [ext.]
—
  Chimes
2 2/3
   Quint [ext.]
—
   
     
 
    
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
16
   Open Diapason *
32
8
   Bass Flute [ext. Bourdon]
—
16
   Bourdon *
44
8
   Cello [Gamba]
GT
16
   Lieblich Gedeckt
SW
 
* in Great-Choir chamber
             
Couplers
    Great to Pedal 8'   Echo to Swell 8'
    Swell to Pedal 8', 4'   Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4'
    Choir to Pedal 8'   Echo to Choir 8'
    Echo to Pedal 8'   Great 16', 4'
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'   Swell 16', 4', Unison Off
    Choir to Great 16', 8', 4'   Choir 16', 4', Unison Off
    Echo to Great 8'    
             
Pedal Movements
    Balanced Great-Choir Pedal    
    Balanced Swell Pedal        
    Crescendo Pedal        
           
Reuben Midmer & Sons
Brooklyn, N.Y. (1909)
Tubular-pneumatic action
1 manual, 7 stops, 7 ranks


The first known organ for St. Catharine of Alexandria Church was built by Reuben Midmer & Sons. This one-manual organ was possibly used in the Lower Church.
 
      
 
      
Manual – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Open Diapason Bass
12
8
   Stop Diapason Bass
12
8
   Open Diapason Treble [TC]
49
8
   Stop Diapason Treble [TC]
49
8
   Salicional [TC]
49
4
   Octave
61
8
   Dulciana [TC]
49
4
   Wald Flute
61
            Tremolo  
Pedal Organ – 27 notes
16
   Bourdon
27
       
               
Couplers
    Manual to Pedal          
    Manual Octave          
           
Sources:
     Catholic Church News, The Brooklyn Eagle (Aug. 31, 1902).
     Fox, David H. A Guide to North American Organbuilders (Rev. ed.). Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1997.
     Nelson, George. Organs in the United States and Canada Database. Seattle, Wash.
     Smith, Rollin. Specifications and comments about Geo. Kilgen & Son organ, Op. 3412 (1925).
     Trupiano, Larry. Specifications of Reuben Midmer & Sons organ (1909).

Illustration:
     Google Maps. Exterior