Washington Avenue Baptist Church - Brooklyn, NY
  Click on image to enlarge
Washington Avenue Baptist Church

484 Washington Avenue at Gates Avenue
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11238


Organ Specifications:
► III/36 Reuben Midmer & Sons (1912)
► II/28 Henry Erben (1860); reb. William H. Davis (1887)
► II/26 Henry Erben (1860)


             
Reuben Midmer & Sons
Brooklyn, N.Y. (1912)
Tubular-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 35 stops, 36 ranks


A new organ for Washington Avenue Baptist Church was built in 1912 by Reuben Midmer & Sons of Brooklyn, at a cost of $2,950. The following specifications are from the files of Louis F. Mohr & Co., an organ service concern in the area. Charles Scharpeger recorded the specifications on November 12, 1937, and Louis F. Mohr, Jr. provided additional details on December 27, 1961. The status of this organ at Brown Memorial Baptist Church, the successor owner of the building, is unknown.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes
16
   Open Diapason
61
4
   Octave
61
8
   Open Diapason
61
4
   Flute Harmonique
61
8
   Viola d'Gamba
61
4
   Gambetta
61
8
   Clarinet Flute
61
2
   Super Octave
61
8
   Dulciana
61
8
   Trumpet
61
8
   Doppel Flute
61
        
               
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
   Bourdon
61
4
   Flute Traverso
61
8
   Open Diapason
61
2
   Flageolet
61
8
   Salicional
61
     Cornet III ranks
183
8
   Aeoline
61
8
   Cornopean
61
8
   Stop Diapason
61
8
   Oboe
61
8
   Quintadena
61
     Tremulant  
4
   Violina
61
        
               
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Violin Diapason
61
4
   Flute d'Amour
61
8
   Dolcissimo
61
8
   Vox Humana
61
8
   Unda Maris
49
8
   Clarinet
61
8
   Concert Flute
61
     Tremulant  
4
   Fugara
61
        
               
Pedal Organ – 30 notes
16
   Open Diapason
30
16
   Lieblich Gedeckt
SW
16
   Bourdon
30
8
   Violoncello
30
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal 8'   Swell to Choir 8'
    Swell to Pedal 8'   Choir to Great 16', 8'
    Choir to Pedal 8'   Swell to Swell 16', 4'
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'    
               
Combinations
   
Swell Organ Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-0
Great Organ Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-0
Choir Organ Pistons No. 1-2-0
               
Pedal Movements
    Balanced Swell Pedal   Great to Pedal Reversible
    Balanced Choir Pedal   Sforzando Pedal
    Crescendo Pedal      
           
Henry Erben
New York City (1860); reb. William H. Davis (1887)
"Pneumatic action"
2 manuals, 24 stops, 28 ranks


On March 13, 1887, the Brooklyn Eagle reported, "The work of cleaning, revoicing and retoning the large organ in the Washington avenue Baptist Church during the past month was completed yesterday and the instrument will be used in divine service to-day." Organ builder William H. Davis of New York City added two stops: a full-compass Cremona in the Swell and a Pedal Bourdon. Davis also replaced the Open Diapason on the Great and added the lowest octave of pipes to the Gamba and Dulciana. On March 12, 1887, Mr. A. L. Duryea, late of the Classon Avenue Presbyterian Church, played "a short programme of the best compositions extant" to an audience of a select few.
               
Great Organ (Manual I) – 56 notes
16
   Double Open Diapason
56
4
   Night Horn
56
8
   Open Diapason *
56
3
   Twelfth
56
8
   Gamba [1-12 *]
56
2
   Fifteenth
56
8
   Dulciana [1-12 *]
56
     Sesquialtra, 3 ranks
178
8
   Stopped Diapason bass
12
8
   Trumpet bass
12
8
   Melodia [TC]
44
8
   Trumpet treble [TC]
44
4
   Principal
56
        
               
Swell Organ (Manual II) – 56 notes, enclosed
16
   Bourdon bass
12
2
   Fifteenth
56
16
   Bourdon treble [TC]
44
     Cornet, 3 ranks
178
8
   Open Diapason
56
8
   Bassoon
12
8
   Stopped Diapason bass
12
8
   Oboe [TC]
44
4
   Stopped Diapason treble [TC]
44
8
   Cremona *
56
4
   Principal
56
     Vox Humana [TC]
44
4
   Flute
56
     Tremolo  
               
Pedal Organ – 25 notes
16
   Double Open Diapason
25
16
   Double Gamba
25
16
   Bourdon *
25
        
           
* new pipes by Wm. H. Davis (1887)
Couplers
    Great to Pedal    
    Swell to Pedal    
    Swell to Great    
               
Pedal Movements
    3 Combination Pedals       Swell Pedal  
           
Henry Erben
New York City (1860)
Mechanical action
2 manuals, 22 stops, 26 ranks


This organ was enclosed in a Gothic case of pine, grained walnut color, that measured 30 feet wide, 10 feet deep, and 25 feet high. The following specification is deduced from the description of rebuilding done by William H. Davis in 1887.
               
Great Organ (Manual I) – 56 notes
16
   Double Open Diapason
56
4
   Night Horn
56
8
   Open Diapason
56
3
   Twelfth
56
8
   Gamba [TC]
44
2
   Fifteenth
56
8
   Dulciana [TC]
44
     Sesquialtra, 3 ranks
178
8
   Stopped Diapason bass
12
8
   Trumpet bass
12
8
   Melodia [TC]
44
8
   Trumpet treble [TC]
44
4
   Principal
56
        
               
Swell Organ (Manual II) – 56 notes, enclosed
16
   Bourdon bass
12
2
   Fifteenth
56
16
   Bourdon treble [TC]
44
     Cornet, 3 ranks
178
8
   Open Diapason
56
8
   Bassoon
12
8
   Stopped Diapason bass
12
8
   Oboe [TC]
44
8
   Stopped Diapason treble [TC]
44
8
   Vox Humana [TC]
44
4
   Principal
56
     Tremolo  
4
   Flute
56
        
               
Pedal Organ – 25 notes
16
   Double Open Diapason
25
        
16
   Double Gamba
25
        
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal    
    Swell to Pedal    
    Swell to Great    
               
Pedal Movements
    3 Combination Pedals       Swell Pedal  
             
Sources:
     "City Pastors and People," Brooklyn Eagle (Dec. 25, 18874).
     Mohr, Louis F. & Co. Specifications of Reuben Midmer & Sons organ (<1917). Courtesy Larry Trupiano.
     Nelson, George. Organs in the United States and Canada Database. Seattle, Wash.
     "Pastors and People," Brooklyn Eagle (Mar. 13, 1887).
     Reuben Midmer & Sons Ledger Book entry (Dec. 20, 1912) with cost of organ for Washington Avenue Baptist Church. Courtesy Larry Trupiano.
     Stiles, Henry Reed. History of the City of Brooklyn: Including the Old Town and Village of Brooklyn, the Town of Bushwick, and the Village and City of Williamsburgh. 3 Volumes. Brooklyn: pub. by subscription, 1863.

Illustration:
     Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn Collection. Exterior (1929).