Roman Catholic Church of the Nativity


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Church of the Nativity
(Roman Catholic)

44 Second Avenue between 2nd and 3rd Streets
New York, N.Y. 10003

Organ Specifications:
Present building (since 1970)
• none
First building (1842-1970)
► III/39 E. &. G.G. Hook & Hastings Co., Op. 660 (1872)
– moved by M.P. Möller as Op. 1436 (1912)
• II/30 Henry Erben (1845) – burned (1912)

The Roman Catholic parish of the Nativity of Our Lord was established on June 5, 1842, to ease overcrowding in existing Catholic churches in Lower Manhattan. The Rev. Andrew Byrne, founder and first pastor, purchased the former Second Avenue Presbyterian Church, on Second Avenue between 2nd and 3rd Streets, for $13,000 and refitted the interior to include a high altar. Built in 1832, the Greek Revival edifice was believed to be the design of Alexander Jackson Davis, James H. Dakin, and James Gallier of Town & Davis. The Catholic church added the words, "AD MAJOREM DEI GLORIAM" (To the Greater Glory of God) to the entablature of the facade. At an unknown time, a tower was added above the entrance.

On January 20, 1912, a fire broke out in the church, destroying the "historic organ" and interior. In 1970, the magnificent Greek Revival building was razed and replaced by the present modern building, designed by Genovese & Maddalene, on the same site.

Organ in previous church: E. & G.G. Hook & Hastings Co. Boston, Mass. – Opus 660 (1874) – moved by M.P. Möller as Op. 1436 (1912) Mechanical action 3 manuals, 33 stops, 39 ranks Five months after fire destroyed the interior of the church and organ on January 20, 1912, a contract dated June 15, 1912 states that the M.P. Möller Company would "rebuild and overhaul said organ replacing all worn out and defective parts and to revoice and tone regulate the pipes to suit the needs of the new location." At the top of the contract is written "Second Hand" but no further information is available; the stoplist suggests that the organ may have been originally built by E. & G. G. Hook or Hook & Hastings of Boston. Möller indicated they would complete the organ by September 1, 1912, "or as soon thereafter as possible," for a consideration of $900. The organbuilder William Laws noted that this organ was a 3-33 with 2135 [or 2138?] pipes, which would indicate a manual compass of 58 notes and pedal compass of 27 notes. It seems likely, but has not been verified, that this organ was the three-manual organ with 33 stops built in 1874 by E. & G.G. Hook & Hastings of Boston for St. Andrew Episcopal Church in Harlem. Möller sold a new organ (Op. 1432) that same year to St. Andrew's Church and probably took their old Hook organ in trade.

Great Organ (Manual II) – 58 notes
16	Double Open Diapason	58	2 2/3	Twelfth	58
8	Open Diapason	58	2	Fifteenth	58
8	Viole d'Gamba	58		Acuta, 3 ranks	174
8	Doppel Flöte	58		Mixture, 3 ranks	174
4	Flute Harmonique	58	8	Trumpet	58
4	Octave	58

Swell Organ (Manual III) – 58 notes, enclosed
16	Bourdon Treble [TC]	46	4	Flauto Traverso	58
16	Bourdon Bass	12	4	Violina	58
8	Open Diapason	58	2	Flautina	58
8	Viola	58		Dolce Cornet, 3 ranks	174
8	Stopped Diapason	58	8	Oboe	58
8	Quintadena	58	8	Cornopean	58

Choir Organ (Manual I) – 58 notes
8	Geigen Principal	58	4	Flute d'Amour	58
8	Dulciana	58	2	Piccolo	58
8	Melodia	58	8	Clarinet	58
4	Fugara	58			406

Pedal Organ – 27 notes
16	Open Diapason	27	16	Trombone	27
16	Bourdon	27	8	Cello	27

Couplers
	Swell to Great			Great to Pedal
	Choir to Great			Swell to Choir
	Swell to Pedal			Great Separation
	Choir to Pedal

Pedal Movements
	2 Combinations affecting Great Organ			Great to Pedal Reversible
	2 Combinations affecting Swell & Pedals

Organ in previous church:

Henry Erben
New York City (1850)
Mechanical action

An article in the New York Times (Jan. 21, 1912), recounting the devastating fire the day previously, states that the church mourned the loss of its historic organ that had been "bought abroad during the War of 1812. The vessel on which it was coming here was captured by the British, and it was not until the close of the war that it was restored to its owner, a Catholic church in Brooklyn. It was purchased by the Nativity parish, and had been sixty years in the church."

Based on the above account, it may be that Henry Erben moved an older instrument to the Church of the Nativity. Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.

Organ in previous church:

Henry Erben
New York City (1845)
Mechanical action
2 manuals, 30 stops

The earliest known organ in the Church of the Nativity of Our Lord was built in 1843 by Henry Erben of New York City. According to the 1861 American Musical Directory, the organ had "2 banks keys, 30 stops, 2 octaves pedals" and was "Built by H. Erben, in 1845." Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.

Sources:
     American Musical Directory. New York: Thomas Hutchinson, 1861. Description of 1845 Henry Erben organ.
     Dunlap, David W. From Abyssinian to Zion: A Guide to Manhattan's Houses of Worship. New York: Columbia University Press, 2004.
     Nelson, George. Organs in the United States and Canada Database. Seattle, Wash.
     "100th Year to be Marked by Catholic Church," The New York Times (June 8, 1942).
     "Priest Braves Death in Church Blaze," The New York Times (Jan. 21, 1912).
     Shelley, Thomas J. The Bicentennial History of the Archdiocese of New York 1808-2008. Strasbourg: Éditions du Signe, 2007.
     Trupiano, Larry. Ledger book copy of Contract (June 15, 1912) for M.P. Möller Organ, Op. 1436 (1912).
     Trupiano, Larry. Note by William Laws concerning size of organ.

Illustrations:
     Shelley, Thomas J. The Bicentennial History of the Archdiocese of New York 1808-2008: drawing of early church; photo of present church.
     Trupiano, Larry. Undated photo of original church without tower.

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