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Loew's Boulevard Theatre
1032 Southern Boulevard near Westchester Avenue
The Bronx, N.Y. 10459
Loew's Boulevard Theatre opened on November 1, 1913, as a vaudeville house. Designed by Thomas W. Lamb in the Beaux Arts style, the theatre was reported to have 2,187 seats. In 1917, motion pictures were given equal billing and a three-manual Möller organ was installed to provide musical accompaniment. Over the years, much of the Boulevard's ornate auditorium was painted over or draped to make it appear more "modern."
The Boulevard was one of several Bronx theatres that Marcus Loew purchased from the Picker family, which is still active in the movie industry today. Eugene Picker had a long association with Loew's Theatres, eventually becoming president (and the last before its takeover by the Tisch brothers). Eugene's son, David Picker, became a studio head and independent producer. David's sister, Jean Picker Firstenberg, is currently CEO of the American Film Institute. Other Picker-built theatres in the Bronx acquired by Loew's were the Spooner and Burland, as well as the Oriental in Brooklyn. |
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M.P. Möller, Inc.
Hagerstown, Md. – Opus 2439 (1917)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 34 registers, 16 stops, 16 ranks
The organ in Loew's Boulevard was built in 1917 by M.P. Möller of Hagerstown, Md., at a cost of $6,000. This instrument was one of the Möller firm's standard theatre organ models having three manuals and 16 ranks. The following specification is from the contract for Op. 2492 (1918), another 3/16 Möller installed in Loew's Bijou Theatre in Brooklyn. |
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Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed
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16 |
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Violin Diapason (TC) |
73 |
2 |
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Piccolo (Fl. Harm.) |
OR |
8 |
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Open Diapason |
85 |
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Mixture III ranks |
derived |
8 |
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Viol d'Orchestre |
73 |
16 |
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Bass Clarinet (TC) |
OR |
8 |
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Doppel Flute |
73 |
8 |
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French Horn |
73 |
4 |
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Octave (fr. Op. Diap.) |
— |
4 |
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Octave Horn |
— |
4 |
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Zart Flute (Quintadena) |
OR |
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| Cathedral Chimes |
20 Notes |
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Orchestral Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
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8 |
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Violin Diapason |
GT |
4 |
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Flute Harmonic |
73 |
8 |
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Horn Diapason (syn) |
— |
16 |
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Fagotto (TC) |
— |
8 |
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Quintadena |
73 |
8 |
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Orchestral Oboe |
73 |
8 |
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Viol d'Orchestre |
GT |
8 |
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Clarinet |
73 |
8 |
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Viol Celeste (TC) |
73 |
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Solo Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
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8 |
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Gross Flute |
85 |
4 |
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Gemshorn (TG) |
— |
8 |
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Concert Flute |
73 |
16 |
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Bass Tuba (TC) |
— |
8 |
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Gemshorn |
85 |
8 |
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Tuba |
73 |
8 |
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Violoncello |
73 |
8 |
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Vox Humana |
73 |
4 |
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Flute Overte (TG) (Gross Fl.) |
— |
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Pedal Organ – 32 notes
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16 |
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Sub Bass (ext. Gross Fl.) |
12 |
8 |
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Violoncello |
SO |
16 |
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Gemshorn (ext.) |
12 |
8 |
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Flute |
SO |
16 |
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Lieblich Gedeckt (lo-press.) |
— |
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Couplers
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Great to Pedal 8', 4' |
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Orch. to Solo |
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Orch. to Pedal 8' |
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Solo to Orch. 8' 8' |
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Solo to Pedal 8' |
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Great 4' |
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Orch. to Great 16', 8', 4' |
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Orch. 16', 4' |
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Solo. to Great 16', 8', 4' |
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Solo 16', 4' |
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Mechanicals
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Orchestral Tremulant |
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Crescendo Indicator |
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Solo Tremulant |
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Adjustable Combinations
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| Orchestral Organ |
Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb) |
| Great Organ |
Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb) |
| Solo Organ |
Pistons 1-2-3-4 (thumb) |
| Pedal Organ |
Pistons 1-2-3 (thumb) |
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Piston Couplers
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Corresponding Orchestral and Solo Pistons to Great Pistons |
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Corresponding Pedal Pistons to Manual Pistons |
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Pedal Movements
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Balanced Solo Pedal |
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Great to Pedal Reversible |
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Balanced Orchestral Pedal |
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Orchestral to Pedal Reversible |
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Grand Crescendo Pedal |
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Thunder Pedal |
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Sources:
Cinema Treasures website: http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/6107
Junchen, David L. Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ, Vol. I. Pasadena: Showcase Publications, 1985.
M.P. Möller, Inc. Agreement (Apr. 1, 1918) of M.P. Möller organ, Op. 2492 (1918). Courtesy Larry Trupiano.
Illustrations:
AJWB Collection. Interior.
Cinema Treasures website. Exterior (undated). |
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