Mount Neboh Synagogue - New York City (Wurts Bros., 1928)
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Mount Neboh Synagogue

130 West 79th Street
New York, N.Y. 10024


Organ Specifications:
130 West 79th Street (1930-1978)
► III/47 Austin Organ Company, Op. 1577 (1928)
562 West 150th Street (1917-1930)
► II/19 J.H. & C.S. Odell & Co., Op. 505 (1916)






Mount Neboh Synagogue (150th Street) - New York City (photo: Christopher Gray)  
562 West 150th Street (1917–1930)
credit: Christopher Gray Collection 		 
The building more familiarly known as Mount Neboh Synagogue existed only 56 years. It was built in 1927-28 for the Unity Synagogue, as designed by Walter S. Schneider. Unity Synagogue was formed by the merger of Congregation Peni-El of 525 West 147th Street, and Congregation Mount Zion of 37 West 119th Street. The newly created synagogue was short-lived, however, and the building was acquired in 1930 by Mount Neboh Synagogue, which had been located since 1917 at 562 West 150th Street. In 1978, the synagogue went out of existence and the building was purchased by the Crossroads Seventh-day Adventist Church, which remained until 1981. The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the building in 1982, despite objections by the church owners. After much public controversy over the survival of this building, the Commission decided that the designation had caused an undue financial hardship, and allowed the building to be razed in 1984.
           
  Mount Neboh Synagogue - New York City (Wurts Bros., 1928)
Austin Organ Company
Hartford, Conn. – Opus 1577 (1928)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 48 registers, 42 stops, 47 ranks



The Austin organ built in 1928 for Unity Synagogue was installed behind a case in the choir loft above the Bima.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed with Choir
8
  First Open Diapason *
73
4
   Flute Harmonique
73
8
  Second Open Diapason *
73
2
   Fifteenth
61
8
  Violin Diapason
73
  Mixture, 4 ranks
244
8
  Salicional
73
8
   Trumpet
73
8
   Double Flute
73
8
  
Harp
61 bars
8
   Gedeckt
73
4
   Celesta  
4
  Octave *
73
 
* unenclosed
 
     
 
     
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
  Bourdon
73
4
   Flauto Traverso
73
8
  Diapason Phonon
73
4
   Principal
73
8
  Open Diapason
73
2
   Flautino
61
8
  Stopped Diapason
73
     Dolce Cornet, 3 ranks
183
8
  Viola da Gamba
73
8
   Cornopean
73
8
   Voix Celeste (TC)
61
8
   Oboe
73
8
   Aeoline
73
8
   Vox Humana [sep. box & trem.]
61
               
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Open Diapason
73
2
   Harmonic Piccolo
61
8
   Melodia
73
8
   Clarinet
73
8
   Dulciana
73
8
   English Horn
73
8
   Unda Maris (TC)
61
8
   Harp
GT
4
   Flute d'Amour
73
4
   Celesta
GT
               
Echo Organ (playable from Great and Choir manuals) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Viole Aetheria
73
4
   Flute
73
8
   Vox Angelica (TC)
61
8
   Vox Humana [sep. box & trem.]
61
8
   Gedeckt
73
        
     
 
     
Pedale Organ – 32 notes
32
  Resultant Bass
—
8
   Flute (fr. Op. Diap.)
—
16
  Open Diapason
44
8
   Dolce Flute (fr. Bourdon)
—
16
   Bourdon
44
8
   Violoncello (fr. Violone)
—
16
   Violone
44
16
   Trombone
44
16
   Gedeckt
SW
8
   Tromba (fr. Trombone)
—
           
Organ in synagogue located at 560 West 150th Street:

J.H. & C.S. Odell & Co.
New York City – Opus 505 (1916)
"Electro-magnetic" action
2 manuals, 19 stops, 19 ranks
               
Great Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes
8
  Open Diapason
61
4
   Flute Harmonique
61
8
  Gamba
61
4
   Octave
61
8
  Dulciana
61
8
   Horn
61
8
  Melodia
61
        
 
     
 
     
Swell Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
  Bourdon
61
8
   Stopped Diapason
61
8
  Violin Diapason
61
4
   Rohr Flöte
61
8
  Salicional
61
2
   Piccolo Harmonique
61
8
  Vox Celestis (TC)
49
8
   Oboe
61
8
  Aeoline
61
        
               
Pedal Organ – 30 notes
16
  Bourdon
30
8
   Bass Flöte
30
16
  Lieblich Gedeckt
30
        
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal   Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'
    Swell to Pedal   Swell to Swell 16', 4'
    Pedal to Pedal Octaves   Great to Great 16', 4'
         
Piston Combinations (Visible)
(Adjustable at organ bench to three positions, "on", "off", "neutral", and electrically moving stop registers.)
1.
2.
3.
  }
} Affecting all Swell and Pedal Organ stops, and all Swell Organ couplers.
}
     
1.
2.
3.
   }
} Affecting all Great and Pedal Organ stops, and all Great Organ couplers.
}
               
Full Organ Combinations (Non-visible)
1.
   All strings
}
        
2.
   All flutes
}
    With appropriate couplers.
3.
   All diapasons and reeds
}
4.
   Release
}
        
               
    In operating Pedal Pistons all stop action is automatically canceled, thereby allowing the performer to prepare in advance and while playing, any combination desired, which may be brought into operation at the desired moment by pressing Release piston.
           
Sources:
     The Diapason (Jan. 1928). Stoplist of Austin Organ, Op. 1577 (1928). Courtesy Jeff Scofield.
     Dunlap, David. From Abyssinian to Zion: A Guide to Manhattan's Houses of Worship. New York: Columbia University Press, 2004.
     Trupiano, Larry. Factory Specification of J.H. & C.S. Odell organ, Op. 505 (1916).

Illustrations:
     Christopher Gray Collection. Undated exterior of West 150th Street synagogue. Used by permission.
     Wurts Bros. (New York). Exterior and interior (1928) of West 79th Street synagogue.