The Church of the Village (United Methodist) - New York City (Photo: John Rust)
The Church of the Village
(United Methodist)

201 West 13th Street at Seventh Avenue
New York, N.Y. 10011
http://www.churchofthevillage.org/

Organ Specifications:
201 West 13th Street (since 1932):
► III/29 Skinner Organ Company, Op. 880; rev. (1995)
► III/29 Skinner Organ Company, Op. 880 (1932)
50 Seventh Avenue (1856-1928):
• II/ Estey Organ Company, Op 611 (1908)
• II/ Ferris & Stuart (1860)


The Church of the Village is the result of a merger in 2005 of three United Methodist churches: All Nations (Iglesia de Todas Las Naciones), Metropolitan-Duane, and Washington Square. This combined congregation meets in the former Metropolitan-Duane United Methodist Church, a Collegiate Gothic sanctuary designed by Louis E. Jallade and built in 1932 as the Metropolitan Temple Church. The building is similar to Broadway Presbyterian Church, built in 1925 on Broadway at 114th Street, which was also designed by Jallade.

Metropolitan Temple Methodist Episcopal Church - New York City  
Metropolitan Temple
  
   
Metropolitan-Duane United Methodist Church can trace its roots back to 1833 with the founding of The First Wesleyan Chapel on Vestry Street. Francis Hall and others organized the chapel, which was the first "pewed" Methodist church in New York. The name was later changed to the Central Church, and in 1856 a sanctuary was built at 50 Seventh Avenue, between 13th and 14th Streets. Ulysses S. Grant attended Central Church at this time. After the appointment in 1896 of the Rev. Samuel Parkes Cadman (for whom Cadman Plaza in Brooklyn was named), Central Church was renamed Metropolitan Temple. In 1928 the church burned down, and was replaced by the current building in 1932.

The Duane Street Methodist Episcopal Church, founded in 1797, was absorbed into Metropolitan Temple in 1939, and the combined church was renamed Metropolitan-Duane Methodist Episcopal Church.
               
Skinner Organ Company
Boston, Mass. – Opus 880 (1932), rev. John Klauder (1994)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 29 stops, 29 ranks


In 1994, revisions were made to the original Skinner organ, under the direction of Dr. Hampson Sisler, then organist of the church. The status of this organ in 2014 is unknown.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes
8
   Second Diapason
61
4
   Flute
61
8
   Flute Harmonic
61
 
   Grave II ranks
122
8
   Gemshorn
61
8
   Tromba [removed]
—
4
   Octave
61
    
Chimes
20 tubes

     

     
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
   Contra Gamba
73
4
   Flute Triangulaire
73
8
   Geigen Diapason
73
     Mixture III ranks
183
8
   Rohrflote
73
8
   Trumpet
73
8
   Salicional
73
8
   Oboe
73
8
   Voix Celeste
73
8
   Vox Humana
73
8
   Flute Celeste II ranks
134
 
   Tremolo  

 

      

 

      
Choir Organ(Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Gamba
73
8
   Clarinet
73
8
   Dulciana
73
 
   Tremolo  
8
   Unda Maris [TC]
61
8
  
Harp
61 bars
8
   Melodia
73
4
   Celesta  
4
   Flute
73
 
      

     

     
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
16
   Contrabass
32
8
   Cello
SW
16
   Bourdon
32
8
   Flute [ext.]
12
16
   Gamba
SW

  Chimes
GT
8
   Octave [ext.]
—
        
               
Couplers
    Swell to Pedal 8', 4'   Choir to Great 16', 8', 4'
    Great to Pedal 8'   Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4'
    Choir to Pedal 8', 4'   Swell to Swell 16', 4'
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'   Choir to Choir 16', 4'
               
Adjustable Combinations
   
Swell Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4 Ped. to Man. Comb. (Double Touch)
Great Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4 Ped. to Man. Comb. (Double Touch)
Choir Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4 Ped. to Man. Comb. (Double Touch)
Pedal Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4  
General Pistons 1-2-3  
General Cancel    
               
Mechanicals
    Swell Expression   Great to Pedal Reversible
    Choir Expression   Sforzando
    Crescendo    
             
Skinner Organ Company
Boston, Mass. – Opus 880 (1932)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 29 stops, 29 ranks


A new organ built by the Skinner Organ Company was installed in 1932. Skinner provided a detached three-manual drawknob console that had 9" wind pressure for the pneumatics. The following information is taken from the Skinner Factory Specifications (Feb. 8, 1932).
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes (5" pressure)
8
   First Diapason
61
4
   Flute
61
8
   Second Diapason
61
4
   Octave
61
8
   Flute Harmonic
61
    
Chimes [in SW box]
20 tubes
8
   Gemshorn
61
      

     

     
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed (7½" pressure)
16
   Contra Gamba
73
4
   Flute Triangulaire
73
8
   Geigen Diapason
73
     Mixture III ranks
183
8
   Rohrflute
73
8
   Oboe
73
8
   Salicional
73
8
   Trumpet
73
8
   Voix Celeste
73
8
   Vox Humana
73
8
   Flute Celeste II ranks
134
 
   Tremolo  
               
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed (6" pressure)
8
   Gamba
73
8
   Clarinet
73
8
   Dulciana
73
     Tremolo  
8
   Unda Maris [TC]
61
8
  
Harp
61 bars
8
   Melodia
73
4
   Celesta  
4
   Flute
73
        

     

     
Pedal Organ – Augmented – 32 notes (5" pressure)
16
   Contra Basse
44
8
   Flute [ext.]
—
16
   Bourdon
44
8
   Cello
SW
16
   Gamba
SW
 
   Chimes
GT
8
   Octave [ext.]
—
        
               
Couplers
    Swell to Pedal 8', 4'   Choir to Great 16', 8', 4'
    Great to Pedal 8'   Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4'
    Choir to Pedal 8', 4'   Swell to Swell 16', 4'
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'   Choir to Choir 16', 4'
               
Adjustable Combinations
   
Swell Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4 Ped. to Man. Comb. (Double Touch)
Great Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4 Ped. to Man. Comb. (Double Touch)
Choir Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4 Ped. to Man. Comb. (Double Touch)
Pedal Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4  
General Pistons 1-2-3  
General Cancel    
               
Mechanicals
    Swell Expression   Great to Pedal Reversible
    Choir Expression   Sforzando
    Crescendo    
               
  Dedication of Estey Organ, Op. 611 (1908) in the Metropolitan Temple Methodist Episcopal Church - New York City
 
Dedication of Estey Organ
Organ in Metropolitan Temple at 50 Seventh Avenue:

Estey Organ Company
Brattleboro, Vt. – Opus 611 (1908)
Tubular-pneumatic action?
2 manuals






President-elect William H. Taft was the principal speaker at the dedicatory exercises of the new William McKinley Memorial Organ.  This instrument was built by the Estey Organ Company and cost $8000; Andrew Carnegie contributed largely to the fund for the purchase of the instrument. An article in The Music Trades (Dec. 19, 1908) stated:

The organ occupies a space of 30 feet in width and 28 feet in height. The base below the pipes is 13 feet high, of quartered oak, and the highly burnished pipes rise above for an additional 15 feet. Suitable spaces have been provided for either a bronze tablet or a statue to the late President's memory, to be placed later. The great organ consists of 488 pipes, the swell 842 and the pedal 90, which, together with the other pipes, make a total of 2000. The couplers are ample, consisting of six, with six pedal movements and eleven mechanical accessories.

This organ burned with the church in 1928. Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.
               
Organ in Metropolitan Temple at 50 Seventh Avenue:

Ferris & Stuart
New York City (1860)
Mechanical action
2 manuals, 24 stops


The first known organ for Central Methodist Church (aka Metropolitan Temple) was built in 1860 by Ferris & Stuart of New Yortk City. This organ had two manuals, twenty-four stops, and two octaves of pedals. Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.
               
Sources:
     Aeolian-Skinner Archives web site: http://aeolianskinner.organsociety.org/Specs/Op00880.html
     American Musical Directory. New York: Thomas Hutchinson, 1861.
     The Church of the Village web site: http://www.churchofthevillage.org/
     The Diapason (March 1932). Specification of Skinner Organ, Op. 880 (1932). Courtesy Steve Bournias.
     Dunlap, David W. From Abyssinian to Zion: A Guide to Manhattan's Houses of Worship. New York: Columbia University Press, 2004.
     The Estey Pipe Organ web site: www.esteyorgan.com
     Kinzey, Allen, and Sand Lawn, comps. E.M. Skinner/Aeolian-Skinner Opus List. New Rev. Ed. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1997.
     Ochse, Orpha. "A Glimpse of the 1860s," The American Organist (Nov. 1969).
     Trupiano, Larry. Factory Specification (Feb. 8, 1932) of Skinner Organ Co. organ, Op. 880 (1932).

Illustrations:
     The Estey Pipe Organ web site. Estey Organ, Op. 611 (1908).
     Rust, John. Exterior.