Empire Theatre

864 Westchester Avenue at 161st Street
The Bronx, N.Y. 10459

Organ Specifications:
• Page Organ Co. (1926)
II/9 M.P. Möller, Inc., Op. 1763 (1921)

The Empire Theatre opened around 1894, and had a seating capacity of 1,660. Starting about 1940, the Empire became one of the first Spanish-language movie houses in the Bronx.

In 1954, the theatre was converted to a church and is now Iglesia Cristiana Juan 3:16.
           
Page Organ Co.
Lima, Ohio (1926)
Electro-pneumatic action


In 1926 a new organ built by the Page Organ Co., of Lima, Ohio, was installed in the theatre. Specifications of this organ have not yet been located.
         
M. P. Möller, Inc.
Hagerstown, Md. – Opus 1763 (1914)
Electro-pneumatic action
2 manuals, 16 registers, 9 stops, 9 ranks


The handwritten contract, dated April 7, 1914, shows that the M.P. Möller organ for the Empire Theatre cost $3,000.
               
Great Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
  Open Diapason
61
4
  Flute Harmonique
61
8
  Dulciana
61
8
  Horn
61
8
  Stopped Diapason
61
 
Chimes
20 notes
8
  Viol d'Orchestre
61
   

     

     
Swell Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
  Dulciana
GT
4
  Flute Harmonic
GT
8
  Stopped Diapason
GT
8
  Horn
GT
8
  Viol d'Orchestre
GT
8
  Vox Humana
61
8
  Vox Celeste (TC)
49
  Tremulant

     

     
Pedal Organ – 30 notes
16
  Bourdon
42
8
  Flute [from Bourdon]
16
  Lieblich Gedeckt [lo-press.]
   
               
Couplers
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'   Great to Pedal
    Swell to Swel 16', 4', Unison   Swell to Pedal 8', 4'
    Great to Great 4'    
               
Combinations
    Pistons No. 1-2-3 affecting Swell & Pedal Stops
    Pistons No. 1-2-3 affecting Great & Pedal Stops
               
Pedal Movements
    Balanced Swell Pedal       Great to Pedal Reversible
    Grand Crescendo Pedal          
           
Sources:
     Cinema Treasures website: http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/8222
     Trupiano, Larry. Handwritten Factory Specification of Möller Organ, Op. 1763 (1914).
           
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