Magna-Chordia Studio

10 East 44th Street
New York, N.Y. 10017


The Magna-Chordia Studio was a combination studio/home for organist Hugh McAmis, and was also used by Gustaf F. Döhring to demonstrate organs for Hillgreen, Lane & Company. Döhring (1873-1956), a native of Germany, immigrated to the United States when he was 13 years old. At the age of 18 he began to work for the Roosevelt Organ Works, and then worked in the New York City area. In 1918, he opened his own organ shop in Edgewater, N.J., and in 1924 would become a representative of Hillgreen, Lane & Company of Alliance, Ohio.
               

Hillgreen, Lane & Co.
Alliance, Ohio – Opus 556 (1919)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 27 registers, 24 stops, 24 ranks
Automatic Player in cabinet with separate console


The Agreement, dated August 1, 1919, shows that this organ was designed by and sold to G.F. Döhring of Edgewater, N.J., for the sum of $7,250. This organ was fully enclosed and also included two enclosures for the Swell Organ, plus a separate enclosure for the Vox Humana. In addition to the detached, three-manual drawknob console, there was also a separate console with knobs for the stops and tabs for the couplers (but without manuals or pedals) that controlled the automatic Solo Player in a separate cabinet. The Harp had 49 bars, playable on 61 notes with the lowest octave repeating the tenor octave.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed with Pedal (4½" pressure)
8
   Diapason
61
8
   Flute (open)
61
8
  Gamba
61
4
   Gambette
61
8
   Gamba Celeste (TC)
49
 
Chimes
20 tubes
8
   Dulciana
61
  Tremolo
 
     
 
     
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed (3½" pressure)
8
   Violin Diapason *
73
8
   Oboe **
73
8
  Viole d'Orchestre *
73
8
   Cornopean **
73
8
  Viole Celeste (TC) *
61
8
   Vox Humana ** (in sep. box)
73
8
   Aeoline *
73
 
Harp **
49 bars
8
   Stopped Flute *
73
  Tremolo
4
   Harmonic Flute *
73
  Vox Tremolo
    * in Swell Box #1      
** in Swell Box #2
               
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed (3½" pressure)
8
   Viol
73
8
   Concert Flute
73
8
   Unda Maris (TC)
61
4
   Flute d'Amour
73
8
   Dolce
73
  Harp
SW
8
   Quintadena
73
     Tremolo  
               
Pedal Organ – 32 notes, enclosed with Great (4½" pressure)
32
   Resultant Bass (ext. Bdn. Minor)
7
8
   Violoncello
32
16
   Bourdon, Major
44
8
   Flute * (fr. Bdn. Minor)
—
16
   Bourdon, Minor
44
   
8
   Octave Bass (fr. Bdn. Major)
—
   
               
Echo Organ – 61 notes, enclosed [console preparation]
  5 blank knobs
   
     
     
Couplers
    Great to Pedal 8'       Pedal to Pedal 8'
    Swell to Pedal 8', 4'       Pedal Tenor
    Choir to Pedal 8'        
               
Combinations (adjustable at keyboard, moving stops)
    Pistons No. 1-2-3 affecting Great stops and couplers
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4 affecting Swell stops and couplers
    Pistons No. 1-2-3 affecting Choir stops and couplers
    Pistons No. 1-2 affecting Pedal stops and couplers
    Pistons No. 1-2 affecting Full Organ stops and couplers
               
Pedal Movements
    Great to Pedal, Reverse    
    Coupler Cancel    
    Great and Pedal Expression    
    Swell Expression – Box #1    
    Swell Expression – Box #2    
    Choir Expression    
    Full Organ and Crescendo    

               
Sources:
      Roberts, Jon Olin. Electronic correspondence (July 15, 2015) regarding location of Magna-Chordia Studio.
     Trupiano, Larry. Factory Specifications of Hillgreen, Lane & Co. Organ, Op. 556 (1919).