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Church of the Epiphany
(Episcopal)
1393 York Avenue at 74th Street
New York, N.Y. 10021
http://www.epiphanynyc.org
On the Feast of the Epiphany, January 6, 1833, in a small dark room over an engine-house, six adults met for worship. They were joined by "a few ragged children who were persuaded to enter." This mission was appropriately named the Mission Church of the Epiphany, and was the first church of the New York Protestant Episcopal City Mission Society and was free, that is, there were to be no pew rentals. The cornerstone for a new building was laid at 130 Stanton Street on August 26, 1833. In 1874, the Church of the Epiphany exchanged property with the Church of the Reformation, and moved to 228 East 50th Street. In 1881, Epiphany purchased the Church of St. Alban's, on East 47th Street, west of Lexington Avenue. By 1892, the church was having financial difficulties, so it consolidated with and moved into the Church of St. John the Baptist, located at 257 Lexington Avenue at 35th Street, but retaining the name Church of the Epiphany.
In the 1920s and 1930s, the congregation was feeling the effects of families moving to the suburbs, and talked of a merger with the Church of the Incarnation, which was only two blocks away on 35th Street and Madison Avenue, but the proposal was rejected by Bishop Manning. In 1935, Epiphany finalized plans for a merger with the Church of the Resurrection, on 74th Street east of Park Avenue, but Bishop Manning insisted, against the Vestry's wishes, that the Church of the Epiphany would remain independent, and would build a new home near the East Side hospitals. The current site on York Avenue at 74th Street was selected, and the new and present church was built. Wyeth & King designed the unusual building, which was completed in 1939. The stark building features a large tower which functions as the chancel.
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Aeolian-Skinner Organ Co., Inc.
Boston, Mass. – Opus 1412 (1962)
Electro-pneumatic key and stop action
Solid state combination action
3 manuals, 54 registers, 36 stops, 50 ranks
The organ in Church of the Epiphany was built in 1962 by the Aeolian-Skinner Organ Co. of Boston. Pipes of the Récit expressif and Positif divisions are located in a chamber on the left side of the chancel, while the Hauptwerk and Pedal pipes are visible on cantilevered chests. Several stops and the Chimes were retained from the previous J.W. Steere and Son organ. Over the years the organ has been altered slightly. The drawknob console is located behind choir stalls on the right side of the chancel. |
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Hauptwerk (Manual II) – 61 notes (2-3/8" pressure)
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16 |
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Quintade |
61 |
2 |
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Blockflöte |
61 |
8 |
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Prinzipal |
61 |
1 3/5 |
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Terz |
61 |
8 |
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Bordun |
61 |
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Mixtur III ranks |
183 |
4 |
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Oktav |
61 |
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Scharf III ranks |
183 |
4 |
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Rohrflöte |
61 |
8 |
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Bombarde (ext. PED) |
17 |
2 2/3 |
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Nasat |
61 |
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2 |
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Super Oktav |
61 |
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Récit (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed (3-5/8" pressure)
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8 |
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Viole de Gambe |
68 |
16 |
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Fagot |
68 |
8 |
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Viole Céleste |
68 |
8 |
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Trompette |
68 |
8 |
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Flûte à Cheminée |
68 |
4 |
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Clairon |
68 |
4 |
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Montre |
68 |
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Tremblant |
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4 |
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Flûte Harmonique |
68 |
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Récit 4 * |
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2 |
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Octavin |
61 |
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Récit Unison * |
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Plein Jeu III ranks |
183 |
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Récit 16 * |
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Cymbale III ranks |
183 |
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* by tablets on coupler rail |
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Positiv Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes (2-3/8" pressure)
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16 |
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Dulciana (ext.) + |
12 |
1 1/3 |
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Larigot |
61 |
8 |
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Pommer Gedackt |
61 |
1 |
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Sifflöte |
61 |
8 |
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Unda Maris II ranks * + |
146 |
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Zimbel III ranks |
183 |
4 |
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Prinzipal |
61 |
8 |
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Cromorne + |
61 |
4 |
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Koppelflöte |
61 |
4 |
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Chalumeau + |
61 |
4 |
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Unda Maris II ranks (ext.) * + |
— |
8 |
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Bombarde |
PED |
2 |
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Lieblich Prinzipal |
61 |
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+ in Récit box |
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Pedal Organ – 32 notes (4" pressure)
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32 |
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Untersatz (resultant) |
— |
4 |
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Choralbass (fr. Con Bs) |
— |
16 |
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Contre Basse |
56 |
4 |
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Bourdon * (fr. 16') |
— |
16 |
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Bourdon * |
56 |
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Mixture IV ranks |
128 |
16 |
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Quintade |
HW |
16 |
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Bombarde |
56 |
16 |
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Dulciana |
POS |
16 |
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Fagot |
RÉC |
8 |
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Octave (fr. Con Bs) |
— |
8 |
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Bombarde (fr. 16') |
— |
8 |
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Bourdon * (fr. 16') |
— |
8 |
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Cromorne |
POS |
8 |
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Flûte à cheminée |
RÉC |
4 |
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Bombarde (fr. 16') |
— |
8 |
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Quintade |
HW |
4 |
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Chalumeau |
POS |
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* from previous J. W. Steere & Son organ |
Couplers
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Récit to Pedal 8', 4' |
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Récit to Hauptwerk 16', 8', 4' |
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Hauptwerk to Pedal 8' |
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Positiv to Hauptwerk 16', 8' |
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Positiv to Pedal 8' |
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Récit to Positiv 16', 8', 4' |
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Adjustable Combinations (two memory levels)
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| Récit |
Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb) |
| Hauptwerk |
Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb) |
| Positiv |
Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb) |
| Pedal |
Pistons 1-2-3-4 (toe) |
| General |
Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 (thumb & toe) |
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Accessories
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Récit Expression Pedal |
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Full Organ Reversible (thumb & toe) |
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Crescendo Pedal |
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Wind Indicator |
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Hauptwerk to Pedal Reversible (toe) |
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J. W. Steere & Son
Springfield, Mass. (1916)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 42 registers, 35 stops, 37 ranks
This organ was built in 1916 for the church building located at Lexington Avenue and Thirty-fifth Street, of which Sam Dyer Chapin was the organist and choirmaster. In 1939, the organ was moved to the present building. The specification that follows is from The New Music Review (Jan. 1916). Pipecounts were not given but are suggested, based on similar J.W. Steere & Son organs of the era. |
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Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes
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16 |
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Diapason |
61 |
4 |
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Harmonic Flute |
61 |
8 |
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Diapason |
61 |
4 |
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Principal |
61 |
8 |
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Gamba |
61 |
2 |
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Fifteenth |
61 |
8 |
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Clarabella |
61 |
8 |
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Trumpet |
61 |
8 |
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Doppel Floete |
61 |
8 |
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Diapason [in Choir Room] |
61? |
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Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
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16 |
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Bourdon |
73 |
4 |
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Violina |
73 |
8 |
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Diapason |
73 |
2 |
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Flautino |
61 |
8 |
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Salicional |
73 |
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Mixture III ranks |
183 |
8 |
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Aeoline |
73 |
16 |
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Fagotto |
73 |
8 |
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Voix Celeste (TC) |
61 |
8 |
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Cornopean |
73 |
8 |
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Gedackt |
73 |
8 |
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Oboe |
73 |
4 |
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Echo Flute |
73 |
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[Tremolo] |
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Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
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16 |
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Contra Viole |
73 |
8 |
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Quintadena |
73 |
8 |
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Diapason |
73 |
4 |
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Flute d'Amour |
73 |
8 |
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Dulciana |
73 |
8 |
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Clarinet |
61 |
8 |
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Viole d'Orchestre |
73 |
8 |
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Vox Humana |
73 |
8 |
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Concert Flute |
73 |
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[Tremolo] |
8 |
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Unda Maris (TC) |
61 |
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Pedal Organ – 32 notes
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16 |
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First Diapason |
44 |
10 2/3 |
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Quint (fr. Bourdon) |
— |
16 |
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Second Diapason |
GT |
8 |
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Octave (fr. First Diap) |
— |
16 |
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Bourdon |
44 |
8 |
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Flute (fr. Bourdon) |
— |
16 |
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Gedackt |
SW |
8 |
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Violoncello |
CH |
16 |
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Gamba |
CH |
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Couplers (Oscillating Tablets)
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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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Swell to Swell 16', 4' |
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Choir to Pedal |
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Swell Unison Off |
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Swell to Great 16', 8', 4' |
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Choir to Choir 16', 4' |
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Choir to Great 16', 8', 4' |
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Choir Unison Off |
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Adjustable Combinations (visibly affecting Registers)
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| Swell & Pedal |
Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-0 |
Pedal stops On & Off pistons |
| Great & Pedal |
Pistons 1-2-3-4-0 |
Pedal stops On & Off pistons |
| Choir & Pedal |
Pistons 1-2-3-4-0 |
Pedal stops On & Off pistons |
| Entire Organ |
Pistons 1-2-3-4-0 |
(Not affecting the Registers) |
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Pedal Movements
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Balanced Swell Pedal |
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Balanced Choir Pedal |
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Balanced Crescendo Pedal (adjustable) |
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Sforzando (Full Organ) Reversible |
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Reversible Great to Pedal |
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Pedal to raise Chime Dampers (Reversible) |
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All Couplers Reversible |
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Unison Couplers (Reversible) |
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Organ in former St. John the Baptist Church at 257 Lexington Avenue at 35th Street:
George Jardine & Son
New York City (1860)
Mechanical action
2 manuals, 30 stops
The 1861 American Musical Directory stated that this organ had "2 banks keys, 30 stops, 2 octaves pedals. Built by Jardine & Son, in 1860." Specifications for this organ have not yet been located. |
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Organ in former St. Alban's Church at 116 East 47th Street at Lexington Avenue:
William A. Johnson
Westfield, Mass. – Opus 192 (1865)
Mechanical action
1 manual, 22 stops
Specifications for this organ have not yet been located. |
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Organ in former church at 130 Stanton Street:
Henry Erben
New York City (1835)
Mechanical action
Specifications for this organ have not yet been located. |
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Sources:
American Musical Directory. New York: Thomas Hutchinson, 1861.
The Church of the Epiphany: A Brief History of the Parish from 1833 to the Present. New York: Church of the Epiphany. (date unknown)
Church of the Epiphany website: http://www.epiphanynyc.org
Dunlap, David. From Abyssinian to Zion: A Guide to Manhattan's Houses of Worship. New York: Columbia University Press, 2004.
Kinzey, Allen, and Sand Lawn, comps. E.M. Skinner/Aeolian-Skinner Opus List. New Rev. Ed. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1997.
The New Music Review and Church Music Review (Jan. 1916): 25-26. Specifications of J.W. Steere & Son organ (1916). Courtesy Jonathan Bowen.
Trupiano, Larry. Factory Specifications (June 14, 1962) of Aeolian-Skinner organ, Op. 1412.
Illustrations:
Steven E. Lawson |
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