Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church - New York City (Photo: Steven E. Lawson)
 
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Church of the Holy Name of Jesus
(Roman Catholic)

740 Amsterdam Avenue at West 96th Street
New York, N.Y. 10025
http://holynamenyc.org/


Organ Specifications:
740 Amsterdam Avenue at West 96th Street (since 1891)
► IV/77 M.P. Möller, Inc., Op. 6570 (1937)
• Müller & Abel (c.1900)
• II/ Midmer-Losh Organ Company (1928) – Lower Church
• II/8 Frank Roosevelt, Op. 518 (1892) – Lower Church
Bloomingdale Road at 97th Street (1868-1891)
• unknown


The Church of the Holy Name of Jesus was organized in 1868 in the area then known as Bloomingdale. A wood-frame church was erected on Bloomingdale Road at what is now Broadway and 97th Street. Thomas H. Poole designed the present Gothic Revival church, located on the northwest corner of Amsterdam Avenue and 96th Street, which was built in stages from 1891 to 1900. The steeple was added in 1918. The large interior is noted for its hammer-and-beam ceiling, stained glass windows, terrazzo floor, and beautiful marble altars.
 
Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church - New York City (Photo: Steven E. Lawson)   Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church - New York City (Photo: Steven E. Lawson)
 
  M. P. Möller Organ, Op. 6570 (1937) at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church - New York City (Photo: Steven E. Lawson)
   
M.P. Möller, Inc.
Hagerstown, Md. – Opus 6570 (1937)
Electro-pneumatic action
4 manuals, 68 registers, 58 stops, 77 ranks





The large Möller organ at Holy Name of Jesus Church was designed by Richard O. Whitelegg, in consultation with Albin D. McDermott, organist of the church. At the time of its installation, this organ was remarkable for its brilliance and clarity of ensembles, multiple mixture stops, an independent Pedal division, and fiery French chorus reeds. Whitelegg was given free reign to express his tonal ideals, perhaps in response to the similarly sized Aeolian-Skinner organ designed in 1932 by G. Donald Harrison for the Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Times Square. Whitelegg's only restriction was to retain several ranks from the previous Müller & Abel organ, all of which were revoiced, rescaled and extended for the new organ. Sadly, the organ has suffered both water and smoke damage, the latter from a devastating fire originating in the blower area c.1998. Many portions of this notable organ, including the Solo and Choir divisions and console, are not functioning properly or at all; hopefully, this Whitelegg masterpiece will someday be restored to its original glory.
 
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes (3-3/4" pressure)
16
   Double Diapason (1-12 *)
61
2 2/3
   Octave Quint
61
8
   Diapason
61
2
   Super Octave
61
8
   Harmonic Flute
61

  Cornet III-V ranks
269
8
   Keraulophon
61

  Mixture III ranks
183
4
   Octave
61

  Harmonics IV ranks
244
4
   Hohl Flute *
61

  Chimes
SO

 

   
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed (4½" and 6" pressure)
16
   Bourdon *
73
  Plein-Jeu V ranks [6" w.p.]
305
8
   Diapason *
73
16
   Double Trumpet [6" w.p.]
73
8
   Stopped Flute *
73
8
   Trumpet [6" w.p.]
73
8
   Gamba *
73
8
   Oboe [6" w.p.]
73
8
   Salicional *
73
4
   Clarion [6" w.p.]
73
8
   Voix Celeste *
73
8
   Vox Humana * [sep. box & trem.]
73
8
   Aeoline *
73
  Tremolo
4
   Gemshorn
73
  Swell 16'
4
   Flauto Traverso * [6" w.p.]
73
  Unison Off
2
   Flageolet [6" w.p.]
61
  Swell 4'

 

       
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed (5" pressure)
8
   Diapason *
73
     Sesquialtera II ranks
122
8
   Spitz Flute *
73
     Mixture III ranks
183
8
   Concert Flute *
73
16
   English Horn
73
8
   Unda Maris
73
8
   Clarinet
73
8
   Dolce *
73
     Tremolo  
4
   Principal
73
     Choir 16'  
4
   Flute d'Amour *
73
     Unison Off  
2 2/3
   Lieblich Nasard
61
     Choir 4'  
2
   Piccolo *
61
        

 

         
Solo Organ (Manual IV) – 61 notes, enclosed (10" pressure)
8
   Gamba
73
8
   Harmonic Trumpet
73
8
   Gamba Celeste
73
8
   Vox Humana [sep. box & trem.]
73
8
   Doppel Flute *
73
     Tremolo  
8
 Viole Sourdine
73
    
Chimes (Deagan "A")
21 bells
8
   Viole Sourdine Celeste
73

  Solo 16'  
4
   Orchestral Flute
73

  Unison Off  
8
   French Horn
73

  Solo 4'  
               
Pedal Organ – 32 notes (5" and 10" pressure)
32
   Resultant Bass
—
4
   Super Octave *
32
16
   Diapason *
32
4
   Piccolo *
—
16
   Second Diapason
GT
     Sesquialtera II ranks
64
16
   Bourdon *
56
     Mixture III ranks
96
16
   Lieblich Bourdon
SW
16
  

Bombarde * [10" w.p.]
56
10 2/3
   Quint [orig. 16' Contra Bass] *
32
16
   Double Trumpet
SW
8
   Octave
32
16
   English Horn
CH
8
   Flute (fr. 16' Bourdon) *
—
8
   Bombarde (fr. 16') *
—
8
   Gedeckt
SW
4
   Clarion (fr. 16' Bombarde) *
—
8
   Cello
32
      
           
* from c.1900 Müller & Abel Organ
Couplers
    Great to Pedal 8', 4'   Solo to Great 16', 8', 4'
    Swell to Pedal 8', 4'   Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4'
    Choir to Pedal 8', 4'   Solo to Choir 16', 8', 4'
    Solo to Pedal 8', 4'   Great to Solo 8'
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'   Swell to Solo 8'
    Choir to Great 16', 8', 4'   Solo to Swell 16', 8', 4'
               
Adjustable Combinations
   
Solo Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 (thumb)
Swell Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 (thumb)
Great Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 (thumb)
Choir Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 (thumb)
Pedal Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 (thumb & toe)
Couplers Pistons 1-2-3 (thumb)
Entire Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 (thumb & toe)
               
Reversibles
    Solo to Pedal (thumb)   Choir to Pedal (thumb)
    Swell to Pedal (thumb)   Full Organ (thumb & toe)
    Great to Pedal (thumb & toe)   All Shutters to Solo Shoe (thumb)
               
Mechanicals
    General Cancel (thumb)   Tremulants off Crescendo (thumb)
    All 16' stops & couplers off manual (thumb)   Solo to Great off Crescendo (thumb)
               
Expression
    Balanced Pedal – Choir Organ   Balanced Pedal – Solo Organ
    Balanced Pedal – Swell Organ   Register Crescendo Pedal
               
M. P. Möller Organ, Op. 6570 (1937) at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church - New York City (Photo: Steven E. Lawson)
  
Gallery Window - Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church - New York City (Photo: Steven E. Lawson)
 
Müller & Abel
New York City (c.1900)


The original organ for Holy Name of Jesus Church was built by Müller & Abel of New York City. Oscar Müller and George Abel, both German immigrants, were employed in the Roosevelt Organ Works of New York, Philadelphia and Boston, the preeminent organ builders from 1870 through 1893. When the Roosevelt firm ceased operations, Müller and Abel established their own factory in New York City, building sixty-two organs between 1893 and 1902.

Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.
 
Organ in the Lower Church:

Midmer-Losh Organ Company
Merrick, N.Y. (1928)
Electro-pneumatic action
2 manuals


Details about this organ are not available, but it is possible that Midmer-Losh rebuilt the existing Frank Roosevelt organ in the Lower Church. Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.
 
Organ in the Lower Church:

Frank Roosevelt
New York City – Opus 518 (1892)
Mechanical action
2 manuals, 8 stops


This organ was installed in the Lower Church. Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.
 
Sources:
     Barnes, William H. "Two Four-Manual Mollers: No. 1", the American Organist, (1938).
     Dunlap, David W. From Abyssinian to Zion: A Guide to Manhattan's Houses of Worship. New York: Columbia University Press, 2004.
     Trupiano, Larry. Factory Specifications of M. P. Möller Organ, Op. 6570 (1937).

Illustrations:
     Lawson, Steven E. Exterior; interior; M.P. Möller organ, Op. 6570 (1937).