Union Church of Bay Ridge - Brooklyn, NY
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Union Church of Bay Ridge
(Reformed Church in America and Presbyterian)

7915 Ridge Boulevard
Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11209
http://www.unionchurchbayridge.org/

Organ Specifications:
Present building (since 1924)
III/36 Various builders (c.1990-2007)
III/44 Henderson-Wilson Co (1973)
III/21 Skinner Organ Company, Op. 382 (1922)
First building (1896-1924)
II/8 J.H. & C.S. Odell & Co., Op. 329 (1896)


Before there were cars or subways, before there was a bridge to Staten Island, when Bay Ridge was green with lawns and "country" farms, there was a church. Two churches actually – a Dutch Reformed church [Bay Ridge Reformed Church] at 80th Street and Ridge Boulevard, and a Presbyterian church one block south, at 81st Street and Ridge Boulevard. The cornerstone of the Dutch Reformed church was laid in June of 1896. The Presbyterians also laid the cornerstone of their church in April 1896. According to Andrew Dolkart, author of Landmarks of New York City, the architect of the Dutch Reformed church (the front part of the present sanctuary of Union Church) was Arthur Bates Jennings.

Union Church of Bay Ridge (1924) - Brooklyn, N.Y.  
Church with steeple  
Union Church of Bay Ridge (1924) - Brooklyn, N.Y. (credit: Thomas Hobson Williams)  
Credit: Thomas Hobson Williams  
Dr. Walter R. Ferris was the Presbyterian minister, and Dr. Charles Scudder was called, with notable brevity, to serve the Dutch. "The secretary mailed the notice, and Dr. Scudder accepted the call." There was a grand total of 32 members at both churches. Since Dr. Scudder owned a little sloop, he would take people sailing, and Dr. Ferris would take them out driving in his horse and rig. "I sail people into church, but he drives them," Dr. Scudder liked to say of his colleague. Though each small congregation displayed ambition for its own church, it soon became apparent that "Presbyterians and Reformed people exhibited the same faith, vision, and piety." In December 1918 a merger was accomplished, and Union Church as we know it came into being. Dr. Horace Leavitt was the first minister of The Union Church of Bay Ridge. There was no Parish House or Sunday School then. Classes met in the church kitchen or in the belfry. In 1924, as the population of Bay Ridge grew, a dedicated congregation struggled to raise money, and the Union Church structure of today was built. A lightning strike destroyed the steeple in 1937. In 1931 the parish House was erected on the site of the Presbyterian Church.
From the Union Church of Bay Ridge website
         
  Organ Console of Union Church of Bay Ridge - Brooklyn, N.Y. (credit: Thomas Hobson Williams)
  Credit: Thomas Hobson Williams
Various Builders
(c.1990-2007)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 37 registers, 23 stops, 36 ranks



Since about 1990, the organ has been revised by various builders. First, the Schantz Organ Company removed some of the reed and mixture ranks and installed a secondhand Clarinet rank. Then in 2007, John Klauder Pipe Organ Service made extensive console revisions, including new coupling and combination systems, MIDI capability, and Skinner stop names. Following is the specification provided by Gregg Patruno in May 2018:
               
Great Organ – 61 notes
16
  Bourdon
61
8
  Trumpet (Sw)
8
  Principal
61
8
  Flauto Dolce (Sw)
8
  Gedeckt
61
8
  Flauto Dolce Celeste (Sw)
4
  Octave
61
4
  Rohr Flute (Sw)
2
  Super Octave
61
    MIDI on Great  
1 1/3
  Mixture V ranks
305
   
 

     

     
Positive Organ – 61 notes
8
  Rohr Flute
85
2
  Flute (fr. 8')
4
  Principal
73
1/3
  Scharf IV ranks
244
4
  Rohr Flute (fr. 8')
 
Chimes  
2
  Octave (fr. 4' Principal)
  MIDI on Positive
               
Swell Organ – 61 notes, enclosed
8
  Gedeckt
61
2
  Octave
61
8
  Salicional
61
1
  Mixture III-IV rks (actually III)
183
8
  Voix Celeste
61
8
  Trumpet
61
8
  Flauto Dolce
61
8
  Clarinet
61
8
  Flauto Dolce Celeste
61
8
  Vox Humana
61
4
  Principal
61
  Tremulant
4
  Rohr Flute
61
  MIDI on Swell
               
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
32
  Grand Cornet (derived)
4
  Super Octave (fr. Diapason)
16
  Diapason
56
  Mixture V ranks
160
16
  Bourdon (Gt)
8
  Clarinet (Sw)
8
  Octave (fr. Diapason)
4
  Clarinet (Sw)
8
  Gedeckt (Gt Bourdon)
    MIDI on Pedal  
               
Couplers (rocking tablets)
    Swell to Pedal 8, 4   Swell to Great 16, 8, 4
    Great to Pedal 8   Positive to Great 16, 8, 4
    Positive to Pedal 8   Swell to Positive 16, 8, 4
    Swell to Swell 16, Unison Off, 4    
               
Adjustable Combinations
   
Swell Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4 (thumb)
Great Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4 (thumb)
Positive Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4 (thumb)
Pedal Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4 (toe)
General Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 (thumb)
General Pistons 4-5-6-7-8 (toe)
               
Reversibles
    Swell to Pedal (thumb & toe)   Choir [sic] to Pedal (thumb & toe)
    Great to Pedal (thumb & toe)   Sforzando (thumb & toe)
               
Expression
    Balanced Choir Pedal [inoperable]    
    Balanced Swell Pedal    
    Crescendo Pedal    
           
Henderson-Wilson Co.
Brooklyn, N.Y. (1973)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 40 registers, 26 stops, 44 ranks


In 1973, the Henderson-Wilson Co. of Brooklyn revised the existing 1922 Skinner organ, replacing the enclosed Choir division with an unenclosed Positiv division, and installing a new Klann console.
               
Great Organ – 61 notes (67 mm wind pressure)
16
  Pommer
61
8
  Trompette (Sw)
8
  Prinzipal
61
8
  Spire Flute (Sw)
8
  Holz Bordun
61
8
  Spire Flute Celeste (Sw)
4
  Oktave
61
4
  Rohr Floete (Sw)
2
  Super Octave
61
       
1 1/3
  Mixtur V
305
   
Chimes  

     

     
Positiv Organ – 61 notes (57 mm wind pressure)
8
  Rohrfloete
85
1
  Scharff V
305
4
  Prinzipal
73
1/3
  Klangen Zimbel III ranks
183
4
  Rohrfloete (fr. 8')
  Sesquialtera II ranks
122
2
  Oktave (fr. 4' Princ)
8
  Krummhorn
61
2
  Floete (fr. 8')
   
               
Swell Organ – 61 notes, enclosed (140 mm wind pressure)
8
  Gedackt
61
2
  Oktave
61
8
  Salicional
61
1
  Plein Jeu IV ranks
244
8
  Voix Celeste
61
16
  Fagott
61
8
  Spire Flute
61
8
  Trompette
61
8
  Spire Flute Celeste (TC)
49
8
  Vox Humana
61
4
  Prinzipal
61
  Tremolo
4
  Rohrfloete
61
  Swell Unison Off
               
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
16
  Cornet de Bombarde
4
  Oktave (fr. 16')
16
  Holz Prinzipal
56
  Mixtur V ranks
160
16
  Subbass (Gt Pommer)
16
  Fagott (Sw)
8
  Prinzipal (fr. 16')
8
  Fagott (Sw)
8
  Gedackt (Gt Pommer)
       
           
Skinner Organ Company
Boston, Mass. – Opus 382 (1922)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 30 registers, 21 stops, 21 ranks
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes
16
  Bourdon (ext. PED)
17
8
  Flauto Dolce (Sw)
8
  Diapason
61
4
  Octave
61
8
  Claribel Flute
61
4
  Flute (Sw)
8
  Gedeckt (Sw)
8
  Cornopean (Sw)

     

     
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
  Bourdon
73
8
  Flute Celeste (TC)
61
8
  Diapason
73
4
  Flute
73
8
  Gedeckt
73
2
  Flautino
61
8
  Salicional
73
8
  Cornopean
73
8
  Voix Celeste
73
8
  Corno d'Amour
73
8
  Flauto Dolce
73
    Tremolo  
               
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
  Diapason
73
4
  Flute
73
8
  Concert Flute
73
8
  Clarinet
73
8
  Dulciana
73
    Tremolo  
               
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
16
  Diapason
44
8
  Octave (fr. 16' Diapason)
16
  Bourdon
44
8
  Gedeckt (fr. 16' Bourdon)
16
  Echo Bourdon (Sw)
8
  Still Gedeckt (Sw)
         

Organ in Bay Ridge Reformed Church (first building):

J.H. & C.S. Odell & Co.
New York City – Opus 329 (1896)
Unknown action
2 manuals, 8 stops, 8 ranks


The first organ for Bay Ridge Reformed Church was built in 1896 by J.H. & C.S. Odell & Co. of New York City. In the Contract (Oct. 1, 1896), we read that the organ cost $1,500. This specification is Odell's "Style Twenty-five".

                 
Great Organ (Manual I) – 58 notes
8
  Open Diapason  
58
       
8
  Gamba (TC)  
46
       
8
  Melodia (TC)  
46
       
8
  Stopped Bass  
12
       
4
  Octave  
58
       

       

     
Swell Organ (Manual II) – 58 notes, enclosed
8
  Viola (TC)  
46
       
8
  Stopped Diapason (TC)  
46
       
8
  Unison Bass  
12
       
4
  Rohr Flöte  
58
       
                 
Pedal Organ – 27 notes
16
  Bourdon  
27
       
                 
Couplers
    Swell to Great            
    Swell to Pedal            
    Great to Pedal            
                 
Mechanical Accessories
    Bellows Signal            
    Tremulant            
    Balance Swell Pedal            
                 
Pedal Movements
    Piano on Great Organ      
    Forte on Great Organ      
    Great to Pedal, Reversible      
           
Sources:
     The Diapason (June 1924). Stoplist of Skinner Organ Co. organ, Op. 382 (1922). Courtesy Jonathan Bowen.
     Bowen, Jonathan. Stoplist of Henderson–Wilson Co. organ (1973).
     Patruno, Gregg. Specification of organ in May 2018.
     Kinzey, Allen, and Sand Lawn, comps. E.M. Skinner/Aeolian-Skinner Opus List. New Rev. Ed. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1997.
     Petty, Bynum. J.H. & C.S. Odell Annotated Opus List.
     Trupiano, Larry. Factory Specification of J.H. & C.S. Odell "Style Twenty-five."
     Union Church of Bay Ridge website: http://www.unionchurchbayridge.org/

Illustrations:
     New York Big Apple Images (photo: Matthew X. Kiernan. Exterior, 2010). Used by permission.
     Union Church of Bay Ridge website. Exterior (pre-1937)
     Williams, Thomas Hobson. Interior and organ console. 2018.