Loew's 83rd Street Theatre - New York City (Cinema Treasures)
Loew's 83rd Street Theatre

2309 Broadway at 83rd Street
New York, N.Y. 10024


Organ Specifications:
► III/32 M.P. Möller, Op. 4373 (1926)
► III/17 M.P. Möller, Op. 2889 (1921)





The Loew's 83rd Street Theatre opened on September 26, 1921, with a policy of vaudeville and a feature movie. Thomas W. Lamb designed the 2,633-seat auditorium that was similar to his design for Loew's State Theatre in Times Square that opened on August 9th of the same year. Over the years, Loew's 83rd was rebuilt as a triplex and later, a quadplex. On March 15, 1984, the Loew's 84th Street Sixplex opened on the same block, and demolition of Loew's 83rd began in June 1984. A hi-rise apartment building now occupies the original site.
     
  Console of M.P. Möller organ, Op. 4373 (1925) in Loew's 83rd Street Theatre - New York City
  Click on image to enlarge
M.P. Möller, Inc.
Hagerstown, Md. – Opus 4373 (1926)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 154 registers, 32 ranks



The last organ to be installed in the Loew's 83rd Street Theatre was built in 1926 by the M.P. Möller company of Hagerstown, MD, replacing a smaller organ (Op. 2889) installed by Möller in 1921. The price of the new organ was $18,390, discounted by $6,450 for the trade-in of the existing Möller organ. The new organ was one five identical organs built by Möller for Loew's theatres in New York City. Each of the five organs had three manuals and 32 ranks, and had a wing-style mahogany console with 154 registers. Wind pressures were 7" and 12".

The identical organs were Op. 4373, installed in Loew's 83rd Street Theatre in Manhattan; Op. 4376, installed in Loew's Alhambra Theatre in Brooklyn; Op. 4377, installed in Loew's Astoria Theatre in Astoria, Queens; Op. 4378, installed in Loew's Spooner Theatre in the Bronx; and Op. 4379, installed in Loew's Rio Theatre in Manhattan.

Click here to view the Möller Factory Specifications of Op. 4373 in the Loew's 83rd Street Theatre.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes
8
  Open Diapason
73
8
  Tuba
—
4
  Octave Principle [sic]
—
4
  Clarion
—
8
  Gross Flute
73
16
   Cor Anglais [TC]
—
8
  Doppel Flute
73
8
   English Horn
73
8
  Clarabella
73
16
  Corno de Bassetto [sic]
OR
8
  Flute Celeste [TC]
61
8
  French Trumpet
73
8
   Stopped Flute
OR
8
   Kinura
73
4
   Solo Flute
—
8
   Major Vox Humana
73
4
   Claribel Flute
—
    
Cathedral Chimes
25 Tubes
4
   Flute d'Amour
OR
    
Xylophone [TC]
49 Bars
    Mixture III ranks
derived
     Tremulant  
16
   Violin
97
     Two Blank Stop Keys  
8
   Solo Violin
—
        
4
   Violina
—
     Second Touch  
2 2/3
   String Twelfth
—
8
   Gross Flute  
2
   String Fifteenth
—
8
   Major Violin  
8
   Orchestral Violin
73
8
   Tuba  
8
   Viole Celeste [TC]
61
8
   English Horn  
8
   Major Violin
73
8
   French Trumpet  
16
   Bass Tuba
85
     Xylophone  

 

     

 

     
Orchestral Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes
16
   Bourdon
97
8
   English Horn
GT
8
   Stopped Diapason
—
4
   Horn Octave
GT
4
   Flute d'Amour
—
16
   Sub Vox Humana [TC]
—
2 2/3
   Octave Quint
—
8
   Vox Humana
73
2
   Flautina
—
8
   Concert Harp [TC]
—
8
   Orchestral Oboe (Syn.)
—
4
  
Octave Harp
61 Bars
8
   Saxaphone [sic] (Syn.)
—
     Glockenspiel
—
8
   Harmonic Flute
73
     Bells
—
4
   Flute
—
     Snare Drum  
8
   Major Violin
GT
     Castanets  
8
   Mezzo Violin
GT
     Tambourine  
4
   Violina
GT
     Tom Tom  
2
   String Fifteenth
GT
     Sleigh Bells  
8
   Orchestral Violin
GT
     Indian Block  
8
   Viole Celeste
GT
     Triangle  
8
   Quintadena
73
     Tremulant  
8
   Tuba
GT
     Two Blank Stop Keys  
8
   Clarinet
73
        
               
Solo Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes
8
  Stentorphone *
73
16
   Fagotto
85
8
  Gross Flute *
73
8
   Oboe
—
16
  Tibia Sub *
97
4
   Oboe Clarion
—
8
  Tibia Clausa
—
16
   Sub Vox Humana [TC]
—
4
  Tibia Super
—
8
   Mezzo Vox Humana
73
2 2/3
  Quint
—
    
Concert Marimba (Repeat)
49 Bars
2
   Flautina
—
     Single Stroke Marimba
—
8
   Concert Flute
73
    
Orchestra Bells (Single Stroke)
37 Bars
4
   Flute Harmonic
73
     Orchestra Bells (Repeat)  
2
   Piccolo
—
     Tremulant  
4
   Fern Flute
—
        
8
   Gross Gamba *
73
     Second Touch  
8
   Gross Gam. Celeste [TC] *
61
8
   Tibia Plena  
8
   Violin d'Orchestre [sic]
73
8
   Tibia Clausa  
8
   Viole Celeste [TC]
61
8
   Gross Gamba  
4
   Violina
—
8
   Cornopean  
8
   Cornopean *
73
8
   French Horn  
4
   Corno
—
     Marimba (Repeat)  
8
   French Horn *
73
        

 

     

 

     
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
32
  Resultant
—
8
   Cello
SO
16
  Open Diapason * [ext. GT]
12
8
   Tuba
GT
16
  Tibia * [ext. Tibia Plena]
12
     Chimes  
16
  Contra Tibia Clausa
SO
    
Bass Drum
16
  Bourdon
OR
     Snare Drum  
16
  Bass Violin
GT
     Tympany Roll [Bass Drum]  
16
  Tuba
GT
     Triangle  
16
   Contra Fagotto
SO
     Cymbal  
8
  Tibia Plena
SO
     Tom Tom  
8
   Gross Flute
GT
     Castanets  
8
   Flute Dolce
OR
     Tambourine  
8
   Major Violin
GT
     Sleigh Bells  
           
* stops on 12" wind pressure
               
Affected by Pistons
    Thunder Sheet       Song Birds (2)  
    Cymbal Crash       Chinese Gong  
    Grand Crash       Tubular Bell (Sharp)  
    Indian Block       Tubular Bell (Flat)  
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal 8', 4'   Orchestral to Solo 16', 8', 4'
    Solo to Pedal 8', 4'   Great 16', 4', Unison Separation
    Orchestral to Pedal 8'   Swell 16', 4', Unison Separation
    Solo to Great 16', 8', 4'   Orch. 16', 4', Unison Separation
    Orchestral to Great 16', 8', 4'    
    Solo to Orchestral 16', 8', 4'   Compound Coupler [Released by Pistons]
               
Adjustable Combinations
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6   affecting Solo
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6   affecting Great
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6   affecting Orchestral
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6   affecting Pedal
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4   affecting Full Organ
         
    Corresponding Pedal to Manuals Pistons [by switch in jambs, left side]
               
Pedal Movements
    Great to Pedal Reversible
    Solo to Pedal Reversible
    Balanced Solo Expression Pedal
    [Balanced Great-Orchestral Expression Pedal] – not on contract
    Grand Crescendo Pedal, Super and Sub Couplers Sforzando on double touch
     
M.P. Möller, Inc.
Hagerstown, Md. – Opus 2889 (1921)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 17 ranks


The original organ in Loew's 83rd Street Theatre was built in 1921 by M.P. Möller of Hagerstown, Md. Möller's III/17 theatre organ (with occasional modifications) was a standard model for the company. This organ was replaced by Möller in 1926 with their Op. 4373.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
   Violin Diapason [TC]
73
2
   Piccolo [Fl. Harm.]
OR
8
   Open Diapason
85
    Mixture III ranks
derived
8
  Viol d'Orchestre
73
16
   Bass Clarinet [TC]
OR
8
  Doppel Flute
73
8
   French Horn
73
4
   Octave [Op. Diap.]
—
4
   Octave Horn
—
4
   Zart Flute [Quintadena]
OR
    
Cathedral Chimes
20 Notes

 

     

 

     
Orchestral Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Violin Diapason
GT
16
   Fagotto [TC]
—
8
   Horn Diapason (syn)
—
8
   Orchestral Oboe
73
8
   Viol d'Orchestre
GT
8
   Clarinet
73
8
   Viol Celeste [TC]
73
    
Orchestral Bells
25 Notes
8
   Quintadena
73
    
Concert Harp
49 Notes
4
   Flute Harmonic
73
    
Glockenspiel
37 Notes
               
Solo Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Gross Flute
85
4
   Gemshorn [TG]
—
8
   Concert Flute
73
16
   Bass Tuba [TC]
—
8
   Gemshorn
85
8
   Tuba
73
8
   Violoncello
73
     Vox Humana
73
4
   Flute Overte [TG] [Gross Fl.]
—
    
Xylophone
37 Notes

 

     

 

     
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
16
   Open Diapason [ext. Gross Fl.]
12
16
   Lieblich Gedeckt [lo-press.]
—
16
   Sub Bass
32
8
   Violoncello
SO
16
   Gemshorn [ext.]
12
8
   Flute
SO
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal 8', 4'       Orch. to Solo  
    Orch. to Pedal 8'       Solo to Orch. 8' 8'  
    Solo to Pedal 8'       Great 4'  
    Orch. to Great 16', 8', 4'       Orch. 16', 4'  
    Solo. to Great 16', 8', 4'       Solo 16', 4'  
               
Mechanicals
    Orchestral Tremulant   Crescendo Indicator
    Solo Tremulant    
               
Adjustable Combinations
   
Orchestral Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb)
Great Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb)
Solo Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4 (thumb)
Pedal Organ Pistons 1-2-3 (thumb)
               
Piston Couplers
    Corresponding Orchestral and Solo Pistons to Great Pistons
    Corresponding Pedal Pistons to Manual Pistons
               
Pedal Movements
    Balanced Solo Pedal   Great to Pedal Reversible
    Balanced Orchestral Pedal   Orchestral to Pedal Reversible
    Grand Crescendo Pedal   Thunder Pedal
     
Sources:
     Cinema Treasures website: http://www.cinematreasures.org
     Gill, John Freeman."Through a Glass Brightly," The New York Times, May 14, 2006.
     Junchen, David L. Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ, Vol. 1. Pasadena: Showcase Publications, 1985.
     Trupiano, Larry. Factory Specifications of M.P. Möller organ, Op. 3037 (1921), the firm's standard III/17 theatre organ.
     Trupiano, Larry. Factory Specifications of M.P. Möller organ, Op. 4373 (1926).

Photos:
     Cinema Treasures: old exterior.
     Junchen, David L. Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ, Vol. 1: console of M.P. Möller, Op. 4373 (1926).