Undated postcard of the Barbizon-Plaza Hotel - New York City
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Barbizon-Plaza Hotel

106 Central Park South
New York, N.Y. 10019



The Barbizon-Plaza Hotel, located on Central Park South between Sixth and Seventh Avenues and extending through to 58th Street, was designed in a Modern Classical style by Laurence Emmons, architect and decorator, who worked with the architectural firms of Lloyd Morgan and Murgatroyd & Ogden. Built at a cost of $10 million, the 38-story building originally had a hipped roof that surmounted its relatively slender tower. The roof was constructed of narrow ribs of reinforced concrete that alternated with small glass tiles set on their edges; on a sunny day the tiles sparkled, and at night they were illuminated from within to create the illusion of moonlight. At some point, possibly during World War II when nighttime illumination was prohibited, the roof was redesigned to its present form with a gilded roof.

When it formally opened on May 12, 1930, the Barbizon-Plaza was noted as the first music-art residence center in the United States. In addition to 1,400 rooms with baths, the building also contained three separate halls for concerts, musicales, recitals, amateur dance and dramatic offerings. There were many studios for sculptors and artists, exhibition rooms, clubrooms, and a glass-enclosed roof for indoor and outdoor athletics. Art galleries, exhibition salons and a completely equipped library were also included.

With the onset of the Depression, the hotel management struggled to keep up with the mortgage, but after only two and a half years the property was foreclosed and sold at auction in July 1933 for $4,553,238.

In 1988, the hotel was acquired by Donald Trump who converted it into a 340-unit condominium known as the Trump Parc. Trump also purchased the adjacent smaller building at 100 Central Park South (on the southwest corner of Sixth Avenue) that is now known as Trump Parc East.
             
Aeolian Company
New York City – Opus 1779 (1930)
Electro-pneumatic action
2 manuals, 33 stops, 15 ranks


For the new Barbizon-Plaza Hotel, an organ was built by the Aeolian Company of New York City. The Aeolian contract, dated May 21, 1930 and signed July 12th, states that the organ was to be shipped on or about September 30, 1930, and would be installed by October 30 of the same year at a cost of $12,000. Aeolian installed the organ in a chamber prepared by the hotel, and provided a three-manual drawknob console and bench that were constructed of native wood and finished as decided by the hotel. No organ casework, screen or grilles were provided by Aeolian.

This organ enjoyed a very short stay at the Barbizon-Plaza. For unknown reasons (but quite likely related to the Depression), the Aeolian Company moved the organ (as Op. 1793) to the Auditorium of the American Woman's Association Clubhouse on West 57th Street in 1931.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Diapason
73
2
   Piccolo [from Con. Fl.]
—
8
  Dulciana
73
8
   Tromba
73
8
  Dolce Flute
73
8
   Clarinet
73
8
  Concert Flute [unit]
85
  Tremolo  
4
   Wald Flute [from Con. Fl.]
—
8
  
Harp )
61 Tones
Celesta )
2 2/3
  Nazard [from Con. Fl.]
—
4
  

     

     
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
  Lieblich Gedeckt [unit]
97
2
   Flageolet [from 16']
—
8
  Diapason
73
8
   Trumpet
73
8
  Viole
73
8
   Oboe
73
8
  Viole Celeste
73
8
   Vox Humana
73
8
  Salicional
73
  Tremolo
8
  Spanish Flute [from 16']
—
8
   Harp
GT
4
   Flute d'Amour [from 16']
—
4
   Celesta
GT
               
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes ("Derived from Great")
8
   Diapason
GT
8
   Tromba
GT
8
   Dulciana
GT
8
   Clarinet
GT
8
   Dolce Flute
GT
  Tremolo
GT
8
   Concert Flute
GT
8
   Harp
GT
4
   Wald Flute
GT
4
   Celesta
GT
2
   Piccolo
GT
        
               
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
16
  Violone
32
8
   Flute [from Concert Fl.]
GT
16
  Bourdon [ext. GT Concert Fl.]
12
8
   Gedeckt
SW
16
   Lieblich Gedeckt
SW
        
               
Couplers (tilting tablets)
    Great to Pedal 8', 4'   Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4'
    Swell to Pedal 8', 4'   Great 16', Unison Release, 4'
    Choir to Pedal 8'   Swell 16', Unison Release, 4'
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'   Choir 16', Unison Release, 4'
    Choir to Great 16', 8', 4'    
               
Combination Pistons
"Adjustable at the console and visibly affects the registers. Double touch pistons marked * affect pedal combination of same number on second touch. Pedal and General pistons duplicated by pedal plungers (except 0)."
   
Great Organ Pistons 1*-2*-3*-4*-5-0*
Swell Organ Pistons 1*-2*-3*-4*-5-0*
Choir Organ Pistons 1*-2*-3*-4*-5-0*
Pedal Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-0
General 1-2-3-4-0
  All Off
  Combination Set Piston, with Key Lock
               
Accessories
    Great-Choir Expression Pedal    
    Swell Expression Pedal    
    Crescendo Pedal with indicator light    
    Sforzando Reversible (piston & plunger) with indicator light
    Great to Pedal Reversible (piston & plunger)
    Swell to Pedal Reversible (piston & plunger)
    Harp and Celesta P and F
    Harp and Celesta with and without Dampers
             
Sources:
     "Bondholders Buy Big 6th Av. Hotel," The New York Times (July 15, 1933).
     Gray, Christopher. "Streetscapes /Readers' Questions; Echoes of a Union Hall; Artificial Sunlight," The New York Times (June 6, 1999).
     Horsley, Carter B. "Trump Parc," the City Review web site: http://www.thecityreview.com/cps/cps106.html.
     "New 40-Story Hotel On Sixth Av. Opens," The New York Times (May 12, 1930).
     Smith, Rollin. The Aeolian Pipe Organ and its Music. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1998.
     Stern, Robert A.M., Gregory Gilmartin, and Thomas Mellins. New York 1930: Architecture and Urbanism Between the Two World Wars. New York City: Rizzoli International Publications, 1987.
     Trupiano, Larry. Factory Specification (May 21, 1930) of Aeolian Company organ, Op. 1779.

Illustration:
     eBay.com. Undated postcard of Barbizon-Plaza Hotel.