Mount Olivet Baptist Church - New York City (photo: New York Architecture Images)
Mount Olivet Baptist Church

201 Lenox Avenue at 120th Street
New York, N.Y. 10027

Organ Specifications:
201 Lenox Avenue at 120th Street (since 1925)
► IV/43 Estey Organ Company, Op. 3253 (1958); rev.
► IV/42 Estey Organ Company, Op. 3253 (1958)
► III/30 Estey Organ Company, Op. 438 (1907)
161 West 53rd Street (c.1885-1925)
• Hutchings-Votey Organ Co. (c.1901-1908)
• William H. Davis (1868)
112 West 26th Street (1876-c.1885)
• unknown

Mount Olivet Baptist Church was founded as a mission in 1876 and formally organized two years later. For almost a decade the church held services at 112 West 26th Street in the area known as the Tenderloin district. About 1885, the congregation moved to the former Fifty-third Street Baptist Church, located at 161 West 53rd Street and built with bricks that had been salvaged from the Congregational Church of the Puritans on Union Square West.

In 1925, the congregation moved to its present location on Lenox Avenue at 120th Street, following the migration of African-Americans from midtown to Harlem. Mount Olivet's new church building was designed by Arnold W. Brunner and built in 1906-07 for Temple Israel, a Jewish congregation that occupied the building for only 13 years, after which it was briefly the home of a Seventh-day Adventist church.
             
  Estey Organ, Op. 3253 (1958) in Mount Olivet Baptist Church - New York City
Estey Organ Company
Brattleboro, Vt. – Opus 3253 (1958); rev.
Electro-pneumatic action
4 manuals, 47 registers, 34 stops, 43 ranks


At some point, the stoplist of the 1958 Estey organ was revised to incorporate a 16'-8' Tromba unit rank (playable from the Great, Positiv and Pedal), several stop changes, and the addition of MIDI controls. The specification which follows was recorded by Larry Trupiano about 2001.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes (3-1/4" pressure)
16
   Pommer
85
8
   Tromba
61
8
   Principal
61
    
Chimes
20 tubes
8
   Gemshorn
61
     Great to Great 16'  
4
   Octave
61
     Great Unison Off  
4
   Pommer (fr. 16')
—
     Great to Great 4'  
2
   Fifteenth
61
     MIDI 5  
8
   Fourniture IV ranks
244
     MIDI 6  

 

      

 

      
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed (3-3/4" pressure)
16
   Gedeckt
73
16
   Trumpet
73
8
   Gedeckt (fr. 16')
—
8
   Trumpet (fr. 16')
—
8
   Salicional
61
8
   Oboe
61
8
   Celeste (TC)
49
     Tremolo  
4
   Principal
61
     Swell to Swell 16'  
4
   Holzflöte
61
     Swell Unison Off  
2 2/3
   Nazard
61
     Swell to Swell 4'  
2
   Blockflöte
61
     MIDI 3  
1 3/5
   Tierce
61
     MIDI 4  
    Mixture IV ranks
244
        

     

     
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed (3-3/4" pressure)
8
   Concert Flöte
61
    
Tremolo
8
   Dulciana
61
     Choir to Choir 16'  
8
  
Unda Maris (TC)
preparation
    Choir Unison Off  
4
   Klein Flute
61
     Choir to Choir 4'  
2 2/3
   Nasard
61
     MIDI 7  
2
   Piccolo
61
     MIDI 8  
8
   Vox Humana
61
        
               
Positiv Organ (Manual IV)
16
   Tromba
GT
     4 blank knobs  
8
   Tromba
GT
        
4
   Tromba
GT
        
               
Solo Organ (Manual IV) – 61 notes, enclosed (4" pressure)
8
   Bombarde
61

  Solo to Solo 16'  
8
   Clarinet
61
     Solo Unison Off  
8
   English Horn
61
     Solo to Solo 4'  
    Tremolo       MIDI 9  
            MIDI 10  
               
Pedal Organ – 32 notes (4" pressure)
16
   Diapason
32
4
   Octave
44
16
   Bourdon
44
2
   Super Octave (fr. 4')
—
16
   Subbass
44
     Mixture IV ranks
128
16
   Gedeckt
SW
16
   Trombone (ext. GT)
12
8
   Principal
32
8
   Tuba
32
8
   Bourdon (fr. 16')
—
8
   Oboe
SW
8
   Flute (fr. Subbass)
—
     MIDI 1

8
   Gedeckt
SW
     MIDI 2  
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal 8'     Choir to Great 16', 8', 4'
    Swell to Pedal 8', 4'     Positiv to Great 8'
    Choir to Pedal 8'     Solo to Great 8', 4'
    Positiv to Pedal 8'     Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4'
    Solo to Pedal 8', 4'     Positiv to Choir 8'
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'     Solo to Choir 8', 4'
               
Mechanicals
    Solo "Off" Positiv Manual Reversible thumb piston  
    Positiv "Off" Positiv Manual Reversible thumb piston  
    1 Control connecting all Swells to Swell  
               
Adjustable Combination Pistons
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4 affecting Great Stops and Intra-Manual Couplers
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 affecting Swell Stops and Intra-Manual Couplers
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5 affecting Choir Stops and Intra-Manual Couplers
    Pistons No. 1-2-3 affecting Positiv Stops and Intra-Manual Couplers
    Pistons No. 1-2 affecting Solo Stops and Intra-Manual Couplers
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 affecting Pedal Stops
    Pistons No. 1-2-3 affecting Couplers
    Coupler Cancel  
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 affecting All Stops and All Couplers
    General Cancel  
               
Pedal Movements
    Balanced Swell Expression Pedal
    Balanced Choir Expression Pedal
    Balanced Crescendo Pedal (adjustable)
    Great to Pedal 8' Reversible toe stud duplicated by thumb piston
    Swell to Pedal 8' Reversible toe stud duplicated by thumb piston
    Choir to Pedal 8' Reversible toe stud duplicated by thumb piston
    Sforzando Reversible toe stud duplicated by thumb piston
    7 toe studs duplicating Pedal pistons
    7 toe studs duplicating General pistons
               
Estey Organ Company
Brattleboro, Vt. – Opus 3253 (1958)
Electro-pneumatic action
4 manuals, 45 registers, 32 stops, 42 ranks


In 1958, Mount Olivet Baptist contracted with the Estey Organ Company to build a new organ. The Estey Organ Company Shop Order shows that the four-manual instrument would have a total of forty-five stops—with preparations for a Positiv division of six stops—and would be completed by October 1958. Estey incorporated seventeen ranks from the 1922 Austin Organ (Op. 1069) and provided a new four-manual drawknob console. The specifications were drawn up by Georg Steinmeyer, director of the pipe organ division, in collaboration with Lorenzo F. Dyer, organist and choir director of the church. The organ was dedicated on Sunday evening, November 30, 1958, by Charles Ennis, organist and choirmaster of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in the Village of Flatbush, Brooklyn. Mr. Ennis was also the Estey representative who handled details of the sale.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes (3-1/4" pressure)
16
   Pommer *
85
     Fourniture IV ranks
244
8
   Principal
61
    
Chimes *
20 tubes
8
   Gemshorn
61
     Great to Great 16'  
4
   Octave
61
     Great Unison Off  
4
   Pommer * (fr. 16')
—
     Great to Great 4'  
2
   Super Octave
61
        
               
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed (3-3/4" pressure)
16
   Gedeckt *
73
     Plein Jeu III-V ranks
256
8
   Gedeckt * (fr. 16')
—
16
   Trompette
73
8
   Salicional *
61
8
   Trompette (fr. 16')
—
8
   Celeste * (TC)
49
8
   Oboe *
73
4
   Principal *
61
4
   Oboe Clarion * (fr. 8')
—
4
   Hohlflöte *
61
     Tremolo  
2 2/3
   Nasard
61
     Swell to Swell 16'  
2
   Blockflöte
61
     Swell Unison Off  
1 3/5
   Tierce *
61
     Swell to Swell 4'  

     

     
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed (3-3/4" pressure)
8
   Concert Flöte *
61
    
Scharf III ranks
preparation
8
   Dulciana *
61
8
   Vox Humana *
61
8
  
Unda Maris (TC)
preparation
    Tremolo  
4
   Kleingedeckt *
61
     Choir to Choir 16'
4
   Violina *
61
     Choir Unison Off  
2 2/3
   Nasat *
61
     Choir to Choir 4'  
2
   Flöte *
61
        
               
Positiv Organ (Manual IV) (console preparation)
8
   Rohrflöte       Cymbal III-IV ranks  
4
   Nachthorn  
8
   Krummhorn  
2
   Principal       Tremolo  
1 1/3
   Quinte          
               
Solo Organ (Manual IV) – 61 notes, enclosed (4" pressure)
8
   Bombarde *
61

  Tremolo  
8
   Clarinet *
61
     Solo to Solo 4'  
8
   English Horn
61
        
               
Pedal Organ – 32 notes (4" pressure)
32
   Resultant
—
4
   Choralbass *
44
16
   Diapason *
32
4
   Kleingedeckt
SW
16
   Subbass *
44
2
   Octav (fr. 4')
—
16
   Pommer
GT
     Mixture IV ranks *
128
16
   Lieblich Gedeckt
SW
16
   Trumpet
SW
8
   Octavbass * (fr. Subbass)
—
8
   Tuba *
32
8
   Pommer
GT
4
   Oboe Clarion
SW
               
     
* pipes reused from Austin Organ, Op. 1069 (1922)
Couplers
    Great to Pedal 8'     Choir to Great 16', 8', 4'
    Swell to Pedal 8', 4'     Positiv to Great 8'
    Choir to Pedal 8'     Solo to Great 8', 4'
    Positiv to Pedal 8'     Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4'
    Solo to Pedal 8', 4'     Positiv to Choir 8'
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'     Solo to Choir 8', 4'
               
Mechanicals
    Solo "Off" Positiv Manual Reversible thumb piston  
    Positiv "Off" Positiv Manual Reversible thumb piston  
    1 Control connecting all Swells to Swell  
               
Adjustable Combination Pistons
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4 affecting Great Stops and Intra-Manual Couplers
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 affecting Swell Stops and Intra-Manual Couplers
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5 affecting Choir Stops and Intra-Manual Couplers
    Pistons No. 1-2-3 affecting Positiv Stops and Intra-Manual Couplers
    Pistons No. 1-2 affecting Solo Stops and Intra-Manual Couplers
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 affecting Pedal Stops
    Pistons No. 1-2-3 affecting Couplers
    Coupler Cancel  
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 affecting All Stops and All Couplers
    General Cancel  
               
Pedal Movements
    Balanced Swell Expression Pedal
    Balanced Choir Expression Pedal
    Balanced Crescendo Pedal (adjustable)
    Great to Pedal 8' Reversible toe stud duplicated by thumb piston
    Swell to Pedal 8' Reversible toe stud duplicated by thumb piston
    Choir to Pedal 8' Reversible toe stud duplicated by thumb piston
    Sforzando Reversible toe stud duplicated by thumb piston
    7 toe studs duplicating Pedal pistons
    7 toe studs duplicating General pistons
             
Organ built for Temple Israel at 201 Lenox Avenue:

Estey Organ Company
Brattleboro, Vt. – Opus 438 (1907)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 31 registers, 28 stops, 30 ranks


For the new temple on Lenox Avenue, the Estey Organ Company built and installed a three-manual organ having thirty-one stops.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes
16
   Double Open Diapason
61
8
   Gross Flute
61
8
   Open Diapason I
61
8
   Clarabella (soft)
61
8
   Open Diapason II
61
4
   Flute Harmonic
61
8
   Viol d'Amour
61
8
   Tuba (leathered)
61
 
      
 
      
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
   Bourdon
61
     Dolce Cornet III ranks
183
8
   English Open Diapason
61
8
   Oboe
61
8
   Stopped Diapason
61
8
   Cornopean (leathered)
61
8
   Salicional
61
8
   Vox Humana
61
8
   Vox Celeste (TC)
49
     Tremolo  
4
   Flute d'Amour
61
        
               
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Horn Diapason
61
4
   Flauto Traverso
61
8
   Dolce
61
2
   Harmonic Piccolo
61
8
   Viol d'Orchestre
61
8
   Clarinet
61
8
   Concert Flute
61
     Tremolo  
               
Pedal Organ – 30 notes
16
   Open Diapason
30
16
   Lieblich Gedeckt
SW
16
   Open Diapason
GT
8
   Flute
—
16
   Bourdon
42
16
   Trombone (leathered, wood)
30
             
Organ in church located at 161 West 53rd Street:

Hutchings-Votey Organ Co.
Boston, Mass. (c.1901-1908)
Tubular-pneumatic action?


Louis F. Mohr & Co., a local organ service firm in the area, showed that there was a Hutchings-Votey organ in Mount Olivet Baptist Church. The Hutchings-Votey partnership existed from 1901-1908, so this organ would have been installed in the West 53rd Street location. Specifications of this organ have not yet been located.
             
Organ in church located at 161 West 53rd Street:

William H. Davis
New York City (1868)
Mechanical action


Specifications of this organ have not yet been located.
               
Sources:
     Carnahan, John. Factory Shop Order for Estey Organ, Op. 3253 (1958).
     "The Dedication of the Organ of the Mount Olivet Baptist Church" (Sunday, Nov. 30, 1958). Published by Mount Olivet Baptist Church.
     Dunlap, David. From Abyssinian to Zion: A Guide to Manhattan's Houses of Worship. New York: Columbia University Press, 2004.
     The Estey Pipe Organ website: www.esteyorgan.com
     "Four-Manual Estey Ordered by N.Y. Church," The Diapason (Apr. 1, 1958).
     Lewis, James. Stoplist of Estey Organ, Op. 438 (1907).
     Trupiano, Larry. Organ list from the files of Louis F. Mohr & Company.
     Trupiano, Larry. Specification of Austin Organ, Op. 1069 (1922).

Illustration:
     Glück, Sebastian M. Interior showing Estey Organ, Op. 3253.
     New York Architecture Images website. Exterior.