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St. Augustine Presbyterian Church
838 East 165th Street at Prospect Avenue
The Bronx, N.Y. 10459
St. Augustine Presbyterian Church was founded in 1938 by the Rev. Edler Garnet Hawkins. During the 1940s and 1950s, the congregation grew to more than a thousand members, which included mostly African-Americans and Puerto Ricans. In 1964, Rev. Hawkins was elected the first African-American moderator of the United Presbyterian Church, and served St. Augustine until his death in 1977. The brick neo-Gothic building was constructed in 1906 for the Woodstock Presbyterian Church; that congregation merged into the Home Street Presbyterian Church in 1938. |
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Austin Organ Company
Hartford, Conn. – Opus 1788 (1931)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 49 registers, 15 stops, 15 ranks
This theatre organ was built in 1931 by the Austin Organ Company for station WHK of the Radio Air Service Corp. in Cleveland, Ohio. Austin's Op. 1778 was known as a "unified" (theatre) model, and it included a three-manual Art Deco console and an automatic player. The organ cost $16,500. In 1950, the organ was donated to the Bethel Home of the World Headquarters of the Jehovah's Witnesses in Brooklyn, where it was installed in new building addition then underway. The organ was used there until about 1960, at which time the organ was in need of major repairs. The Witnesses decided that pipe organs did not fit into their religious profile and, in 1961, the organ was sold and moved to St. Augustine Presbyterian Church in The Bronx.
Charles Scharpeger recorded the following specifications for Louis F. Mohr & Co., on two occasions: once in February 1962, and the following on January 7, 1963. Pipecounts are suggested, based on typical specifications by Austin of that time.
As of 2009, the organ is unplayable as the console appears to be disconnected and the pedalboard has been detached and placed in a corner. The pipework in the chambers is in good shape, but the unenclosed Tibia (centered under the window) is in bad condition. |
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Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed with Choir
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16 |
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Tibia (TC) |
— |
2 2/3 |
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Concert Flute |
— |
16 |
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Concert Flute (TC) |
— |
2 |
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Concert Flute |
— |
16 |
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Viole d'Orchestre * |
73 |
16 |
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Vox Humana (TC) |
— |
8 |
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Diapason |
61 |
8 |
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Tuba |
61 |
8 |
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Tibia |
85 |
8 |
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Trumpet |
61 |
8 |
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Concert Flute |
85 |
8 |
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8 |
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Gemshorn |
61 |
8 |
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Vox Humana |
61 |
8 |
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Viole d'Orchestre (fr. 16') |
— |
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Tremolo |
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8 |
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Viole Celeste (TC) |
49 |
8 |
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Harp |
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8 |
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Violoncello |
61 |
4 |
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Celesta |
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4 |
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Tibia |
— |
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4 |
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Concert Flute |
— |
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* unenclosed |
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Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes (73-note chests), enclosed
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16 |
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Bourdon |
97 |
4 |
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Muted Viole |
73 |
8 |
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Diapason |
73 |
2 2/3 |
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Nazard |
— |
8 |
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Stopped Flute |
— |
2 |
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Piccolo |
— |
8 |
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Viole d'Orchestre |
GT |
8 |
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Trumpet |
GT |
8 |
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Viole Celeste |
GT |
8 |
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Oboe |
73 |
8 |
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Violoncello |
GT |
8 |
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Vox Humana |
GT |
4 |
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Flute d'Amour |
— |
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Tremolo |
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Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
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8 |
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Tibia |
GT |
8 |
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Tuba |
GT |
8 |
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Concert Flute |
GT |
8 |
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Trumpet |
GT |
8 |
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Gemshorn |
GT |
8 |
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Clarinet |
73 |
8 |
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Violoncello |
GT |
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Harp |
GT |
4 |
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Concert Flute |
GT |
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Celesta |
GT |
2 2/3 |
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Nazard |
GT |
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Chimes |
GT |
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Pedal Organ – 32 notes
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32 |
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Resultant Bass |
— |
8 |
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Tibia |
GT |
16 |
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Open Diapason (ext. GT) |
12 |
8 |
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Flute |
GT |
16 |
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Violone |
GT |
8 |
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Violoncello |
GT |
16 |
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Bourdon |
SW |
16 |
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Trombone (ext. GT Tpt.) |
12 |
8 |
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Open Diapason |
GT |
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Couplers
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Great to Pedal 8', 4' |
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Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4' |
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Swell to Pedal 8', 4' |
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Choir to Swell 16', 8', 4' |
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Choir to Pedal 8' |
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Great 16', 4', Unison |
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Swell to Great 16', 8', 4' |
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Swell 16', 4', Unison |
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Choir to Great 16', 8', 4' |
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Choir 16', 4', Unison |
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Adjustable Combinations
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Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 |
affecting Full Organ (1-6 dup. by toe studs) |
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Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 |
affecting Great stops and couplers |
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Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 |
affecting Swell stops and couplers |
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Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 |
affecting Choir stops and couplers |
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Cancel |
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Pedal Movements
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Balanced Swell Pedal |
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Great to Pedal Reversible |
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Balanced Great & Choir Pedal |
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Swell to Great Reversible |
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Crescendo Pedal |
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Swell to Choir Reversible |
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Toe Studs No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 (Generals) |
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Sforzando Pedal |
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Sources:
Bornias, Steven E. Electronic mail correspondence regarding the organs in Bethel Home.
Ochse, Orpha. Austin Organs. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 2001.
"Presbytery Vote Closes 2 Churches," The New York Times, March 16, 1938.
"St. Augustine's Presbyterian Church 1930-1970," Bronx African American History Project, The Bronx County Historical Society; courtesy Larry Trupiano.
Scharpeger, Charles. Specifications of Austin Organ, Op. 1788 (1931); courtesy Larry Trupiano.
Illustrations:
Google.com street view of exterior.
Schmauch, David: photos of Austin Organ, Op. 1788 (1931). |
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