Church of St. John the Evangelist
(Roman Catholic)

351 East 55th Street at First Avenue
New York, N.Y. 10022


Organ Specifications:
351 East 55th Street at First Avenue (since 1881)
Present building (since 1974)
► III/37 Hellmuth Wolff & Assoc., Op. 14 (1974)
First building (1881-1974)
• III/ Geo. Kilgen & Son, Op. 4207 (1928)
• unknown (c.1887) – Upper Church (opened 1887)
• II/15 William M. Wilson (1881) – Lower Church
East 50th Street & Madison Avenue (1859-1881)
Second building (1871-1881)
• IV/54 George Jardine & Son (1871)
First building (1859-burned 1871)
► III/46 George Jardine & Son (1864)
Fifth Avenue & 50th Street (1840-1859)
• unknown
  1871 building of St. John the Evangelist R.C. Church - New York City
  50th St. & Madison Ave. (1871-1881)
  1871 building of St. John the Evangelist R.C. Church - New York City
  1887 Church and 1908 School
 
  Interior (1930)



         
 

Helmuth Wolff & Associés Organ, Op. 14 (1974) at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church - New York City (Photo: Steven E. Lawson)
Hellmuth Wolff & Associés Ltée
Laval, Québec – Opus 14 (1974)
Mechanical key and stop action
3 manuals, 26 stops, 37 ranks


The organ in St. John the Evangelist was built in 1974 by Hellmuth Wolff & Associés of Laval, Canada. Wolff installed the organ in a freestanding case that is located at the left side of the nave. The three-manual keydesk is at the base of the case, above which are the horizontal pipes of the Trompette en Chamade. The organ was designed by Mr. Wolff in collaboration with Will Carter, organist and choirmaster.

A series of inaugural concerts included performances by Will Carter, Cherry Rhodes, Barbara Blegen, Bernard Lagacé, James Litton, and Grant Johannesen.
               
Grand-Orgue (Manual I) – 56 notes
8
   Montre
56
2
   Cor de chamois
56
8
   Flûte à cheminée
56
 
   Fourniture IV-V ranks
268
4
   Prestant
56
8
   Trompette
56
2
   Doublette
56

     
               
Récit expressif (Manual II) – 56 notes, enclosed
8
   Bourdon
56
1 3/5
   Tierce
56
8
   Flûte à fuseau
56
1 1/3
   Larigot
56
4
   Prestant
56
 
   Cymbale III ranks
168
4
   Flûte à cheminée
56
8
   Cromorne
56
2 2/3
   Nazard
56

  Tremblant ajustable  
2
   Petit Bourdon
56

     
               
Bombarde (Manual III) – 56 notes
8
   Flûte en Montre
56
16
   Douçaine
56

  Cornet IV [f2-g6]
156
8
   Trompette en chamade 
56
       

  Anti-secousses  
               
Pédale – 30 notes
16
   Soubasse
30
     Fourniture IV ranks
120
8
   Montre
30
16
   Bombarde
30
8
   Flûte à cheminée
G-O
8
   Trompette
G-O
4
   Prestant
30
        
               
Helmuth Wolff & Associés Organ, Op. 14 (1974) at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church - New York City (Photo: Steven E. Lawson)
  
Helmuth Wolff & Associés Organ, Op. 14 (1974) at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church - New York City (Photo: Steven E. Lawson)
  
Helmuth Wolff & Associés Organ, Op. 14 (1974) at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church - New York City (Photo: Steven E. Lawson)
         
Organ in church located at 351 East 55th Street at First Avenue:

Geo. Kilgen and Son
St. Louis, Mo. – Opus 4207 (1928)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals


Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.
         
Organ in church located at 351 East 55th Street at First Avenue:

Unknown Builder
(c.1886)


It is not yet known who built the organ in the Upper Church of the first building at 351 East 55th Street, but it may be that the 1871 Jardine & Son organ for the previous church was moved.
         
Organ in church located at 351 East 55th Street at First Avenue:

William M. Wilson
New York City (1881)
Mechanical action
2 manuals, 15 stops


William M. Wilson (c.1802-1884) built an organ in 1881 for the Basement Church. Wilson was a partner with Henry Erben & Co. of New York City from 1874-1879, after which he operated his own firm as successor to Henry Erben & Co. He retired in 1883 and died in April 1884 at the age of 81.

The Musical Courier (Apr. 6, 1881) reported on the activities of Wm. M. Wilson:
"An organ has also been placed in St. John the Evangelist Church, 55th St. and First Avenue, used at the recent dedication of the basement; Great 6, Swell 7, Pedal Bourdon and Violoncello."
Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.
         
Organ in second church at East 50th Street and Madison Avenue:

George Jardine & Son
New York City (1871)
Mechanical action
4 manuals, 47 stops, 54 ranks


After the 1871 fire destroyed the 1864 Jardine & Son organ and church at 50th Street and Madison Avenue, a new edifice was erected on the same site. Jardine & Son built an even larger organ costing $30,000 for the new church. Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.
         
  Jardine Organ (1864) at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church - New York City
Organ in first church at East 50th Street and Madison Avenue

George Jardine & Son
New York City (1864)
Mechanical action
3 manuals, 38 stops, 46 ranks



In the first church building at 50th Street and Madison Avenue was an organ built in 1864 by George Jardine & Son of New York City. This organ was notable because it lacked a traditional wooden case: above the impost level were seen painted display pipes with the largest metals at the sides and the smallest in the center. A framed Gothic arch that supported fanned trumpet pipes with flared resonators stood behind the center pipes, and behind this arch was the swell box. This organ was reported to cost $9,000.

On October 16, 1864, the organ was exhibited to the public, and a few days later a review and the following specification appeared in Watson's Weekly Art Journal (Oct. 22, 1864). The unenthusiastic account stated that the church was "not well adapted to display a grand organ with pleasing effect, being low studded, long and narrow. A correct judgement of its qualities cannot, therefore, be obtained, and the voicing appears hard and ungracious."

This organ burned with the church in 1871.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes
16
   Double Open Diapason
61
4
   Principal
61
8
   Open Diapason
61
3
   Twelfth
61
8
   Stop Diapason
61
2
   Fifteenth
61
8
   Gamba
61
     Mixture, 5 ranks
305
8
   Melodia
61
8
   Trumpet
61
4
   Flute Harmonic
61
4
   Clarion
61
               
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
   Bourdon
61
4
   Principal
61
8
   Open Diapason
61
2
   Picolo [sic]
61
8
   Stop Diapason
61
 
   Cornet, 5 ranks
305
8
   Dolce
61
8
   Cornopean
61
8
   Clariana
61
8
   Hautbois
61
4
   Pyramid Flute
61

     
               
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes
8
   Pyramid Diapason
61
4
   Principal
61
8
   Stop Diapason
61
4
   Flute
61
8
   Clarabella
61
2
   Flageolet
61
8
   Dulciana
61
8
   Clarinet and Bassoon
61
8
   Keraulophon
61
  Vox Tremolo
               
Pedal Organ – 30 notes
16
   Open Diapason
30
8
   Violoncello
30
16
   Contra Basso
30
32
   Diaocton [free reed?]
30
16
   Contra Gamba
30
16
   Trombone
30
               
Couplers – none listed; probably:
    Swell to Great   Choir to Pedal
    Choir to Great   Great to Pedal
    Swell to Choir   Swell to Pedal
         
Sources:
     The Musical Courier (Apr. 6, 1881). Item about Wm. M. Wilson organ (1881). Courtesy Larry Trupiano.
     "New Organs," Music / The AGO-RCCO Magazine, February 1975.
     Ogasapian, John. Organ Building in New York City: 1700-1900. Braintree: The Organ Literature Foundation, 1977. Specification of George Jardine & Son organ (1864).
     Shea, John Gilmary, ed. The Catholic Churches of New York With Sketches of Their History and Lives of the Present Pastors. New York: Lawrence G. Goulding & Co., 1878.

Illustrations:
     The Catholic Churches of New York. Drawing of 1871 building.
     Gottscho, Samuel H. Interior (1930). Collection of the Museum of the City of New York.
     Lawson, Steven E. Hellmuth Wolff organ.