Anthony Campagna
 
Anthony Campagna (c. 1934)
Anthony Campagna Residence

640 249th Street
Riverdale (The Bronx), N.Y.
10471







Anthony Campagna was a prominent developer in New York City. He was born in Castelmezzo, Italy in 1885. Although his father was a builder, Campagna decided to pursue a career in law, and in 1906, he graduated from law school at the University of Naples.

Shortly after graduating, he moved to Chicago to work with a friend on an Italian-language newspaper. On a visit to New York City he met with several builders which inspired him to move to the New York and change his profession. He formed the company Campagna Construction, and was responsible for building the luxury apartments at 960 Fifth Avenue, 35 and 530 Park Avenue, and the Rialto on 42nd Street and Broadway.

Anthony Campagna was also a Bronx member of the New York City Board of Education, serving as chairman on the Committee of Building and Sites in the 1940s. He directed a $100 million program to construct schools. In addition, he was the founder of the Casa Italiana at Columbia University. He traveled back to Italy and helped restore Virgil's Tomb in Naples and a Roman tower in Minturo. Anthony Campagna passed away at the age of 84 in 1969.

The Anthony Campagna residence was built in 1929-30. Designed by Dwight James Baum, the house is modeled after Italian villas. Ferruccio Vitale, an Italian-born landscape architect, and his partner, Alfred Geiffert, Jr., designed the landscaping and gardens, for which they received the 1934 gold medal in landscape architecture from the Architectural League of New York.
     
Anthony Campagna Residence - Riverdale (The Bronx), NY (photo: Samuel H. Gottscho, 1933)   Anthony Campagna Residence - Riverdale (The Bronx), NY (photo: Samuel H. Gottscho, 1933)
Front Facade (Samuel H. Gottscho, 1933)
 
Entrance Drive (Samuel H. Gottscho, 1933)
Anthony Campagna Residence - Riverdale (The Bronx), NY (photo: Samuel H. Gottscho, 1933)   Anthony Campagna Residence - Riverdale (The Bronx), NY (photo: Ana Lopez, 2008)
Rear Garden & Pool (Samuel H. Gottscho, 1933)
 
Entrance Drive (Ana Lopez, 2008)
           
  Anthony Campagna Residence - Riverdale (Bronx), NY (photo: Samuel H. Gottscho, 1933)
 
The Salon
Aeolian Company
New York City – Opus 1756 (1929)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 31 registers, 15 stops, 15 ranks





For his Riverdale residence, Mr. Campagna chose the Aeolian Company to furnish a pipe organ. As was standard for Aeolian residence organs, the instrument could be played three ways: in the traditional manner from a three-manual console; entirely automatically by the Duo-Art Player; or semi-automatically by the Solo Player. The Aeolian Company Specification (Aug. 30, 1929) and Contract states that the organ would be built for a consideration of $21,000, and installed on or about March 15, 1930. The fate of this organ is unknown.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
  First Diapason
73
2
  Fifteenth
8
  Second Diapason
85
8
  Trumpet
73
8
  String P [Dulciana]
73
8
  Clarinet
73
8
  Flute F [Clarabella]
73
8
 
Harp }
61.Tones
Celesta }
8
  Flute P [Flauto Dolce]
85
4
 
4
  Octave
   
Chimes
20 Tones
4
  Flute (high) [Wald Flute]
    Tremolo  

     

     
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
  String F [Viol d'Orchestre]
73
8
  Oboe
73
8
  String P Vibrato [Voix Celeste]
61
8
  Vox Humana
73
8
  String PP [Salicional]
73
    Harp
GT
16
  Flute (deep) [Bourdon]
97
    Celesta
GT
8
  Spanish Flute
    Chimes
GT
4
  Flute (high) [Flute d'Amour]
    Tremolo  
2
  Flageolet
       
               
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed ("Derived from Great")
8
  Diapason
GT
8
  Clarinet
GT
8
  String P [Dulciana]
GT
    Harp
GT
8
  Flute F [Clarabella]
GT
    Celesta
SW
4
  Flute P [Flauto Dolce]
GT
    Chimes
GT
4
  Flute (high) [Wald Flute]
GT
    Tremolo  
8
  Trumpet
GT
       
               
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
16
  Sub Bass (deep)
32
8
  Flute F [from Bourdon]
16
  Flute F (deep) [Bourdon]
44
8
  Flute P [from Spanish Fl.]
SW
16
  Flute P (deep) [Lieblich Gedeckt]
SW
       
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal 8', 4'   Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4'
    Swell to Pedal 8', 4'   Great 16', Unison Off, 4'
    Choir to Pedal 8', 4'   Swell 16', Unison Off, 4'
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'   Choir 16', Unison Off, 4'
    Choir to Great 16', 8', 4'    
               
Combination Pistons
   
General Pistons 1-2-3-4 (thumb & foot)   Acting on entire Organ and placed under Great. Also duplicated by foot pistons.
Great Pistons 1-2-3-4 (thumb)
}
Acting on Manual and Pedal stops and single Manual couplers. Double touch acting on Pedal Combinations also by Pistons.
Swell Pistons 1-2-3-4-5 (thumb)
}
Choir Pistons 1-2-3-4 (thumb)
}
  All Off (thumb)   Visibly puts off all stops, couplers, Sforzando and Tonal.
               
Accessories
    Swell to Pedal 8' Reversible (piston & plunger)
    Great to Pedal 8' Reversible (piston & plunger)
    Choir to Pedal 8' Reversible (piston & plunger)
    Sforzando Reversible (piston & plunger) – with light indicator
    Tonal (crescendo) Pedal – with light indicator
    Great and Choir Expression Pedal
    Swell Expression Pedal
    Harp Dampers Control
    Harp P and F Control
    Chimes P and F Control
    Organ Motor Switch
    Six Duo-Art Records (Standard selection of The Aeolian Company)
         
The Duo-Art Player (Entirely Automatic)
    By means of the Duo-Art Player, in conjunction with Aeolian Duo-Art Records, the stops, tempo, expression, etc., are automatically operated, reproducing the playing of distinguished organists.
         
The Solo Player (Semi-Automatic)
    By means of the Solo Player, in conjunction with Aeolian Solo Organ Rolls, or Duo-Art Records, the stops, tempo, expression, etc., are controlled by the performer. (Suggestive use of stops, tempo, expression, etc., is indicated on the Music Rolls and Records.)
         
Duo-Art and Solo Music Controls
   
Tempo } Duo-Art and Solo Music  
Reroll }  
       
Reroll and Repeat Duo-Art Music (permitting the automatic continuous playing of Records)
    Pistons permitting choice of registration, allowing the Duo-Art Player to be used without use of forte combinations of stops at discretion of performer.
           
Sources:
     "Anthony Campagna Estate." New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission: Nov. 16, 1993, Designation List 255, LP-1887.
     "Anthony Campagna Dies at 84; Led School Building Program," The New York Times (May 9, 1969).
     "Antonio Campagna," La Basilicata nel Mondo" (1934 -1937).
     "Campagna Gets Title As An Italian Count," The New York Times (Jan. 21, 1931).
     "Mrs. Campagna," The New York Times (Aug. 23, 1967).
     The New York Preservation Archive Project website: http://www.nypap.org/content/anthony-campagna
     Smith, Rollin. The Aeolian Pipe Organ and its Music. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1998.
     Trupiano, Larry. Factory Specifications (Aug. 30, 1929) of Aeolian Organ, Op. 1756 (1929).

Illustrations:
     Gottscho, Samuel H. (New York). Black & white photos (1933) of Campagna Residence. Collection of the Museum of the City of New York.
     Lopez, Ana. http://www.flickr.com/photos/arciteka/2204863957/ Color exterior (2008). Used by permission.
           
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