Church of St. Luke-in-the-Fields - New York City
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Church of St. Luke-in-the-Fields
(Episcopal)

487 Hudson Street near Barrow Street
New York, N.Y. 10014
http://www.stlukeinthefields.org

Organ Specifications:
► II/34 Casavant Frères, Op. 3550 (1986)
► I/4 Casavant Frères, Op. 3376 (1986) – Continuo
► II/34 Casavant Frères, Op. 3412 (1979)
► III/43 M.P. Möller, Inc., Op. 5762 (1930)
• L.C. Harrison (1886)
• II/ George W. Earle (1871)
• II/18 Henry Erben (1830)
• Thomas Redstone (1824)


On October 22, 1820, a small group of residents of the riverfront village of Greenwich gathered at the home of Catherine Ritter to organize an Episcopal church for their growing community. They named the church after St. Luke, the physician evangelist, in recognition of the village's role as a refuge from the yellow fever epidemics that plagued New York City during the summers.

Church of St. Luke-in-the-Fields - New York City  
One of the founding wardens was Clement Clarke Moore, a gentleman scholar of biblical Hebrew and Greek who also penned "Twas the night before Christmas." The first eucharist of The Church of Saint Luke-in-the-Fields was celebrated in a prison watch house on the corner of Christopher and Hudson street on Christmas of that year. In 1821, the cornerstone to the church was laid on a site on Hudson Street donated by Trinity Church. The new church was consecrated on Ascension Day, May 16, 1822. In 1845, St. Luke's became a leading proponent of Anglo-Catholic worship in the United States, offering daily services of the Divine Office as well as weekly Sunday eucharists. One of the first professions of monastic vows in the Anglican Communion since the Reformation occurred at St. Luke's in 1847.

In 1891, St. Luke's became a chapel of Trinity Church. In the following years, the block was expanded to serve the increasing number of neighborhood ministries, including extensive outreach to neighborhood children. In 1927, a new gymnasium was added to the block. In 1956, deteriorating houses surrounding the chapel were razed, and a school building, playground and garden were constructed. In 1976, Trinity Parish decided to divest itself of all but one of its chapels, and St. Luke's once again became an independent parish of the Episcopal Church. In 1979, St. Luke's was among the first churches in the Anglican Communion to appoint a woman as an assistant priest. On March 6, 1981, a fire destroyed much of the church, the second such fire since the church's founding. In 1985, after four years of fundraising and rebuilding, St. Luke's was reconsecrated.

Since the 1980s, St. Luke's has been deeply affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The AIDS Project of St. Luke's has served Saturday dinner and weekend teas to over 35,000 persons with AIDS since its founding in 1987. Since the 1990s, St. Luke's has opened its doors to the Greenwich Village community with a festive Gay Pride evensong celebration, and in recent years it has participated with a sizeable parish contingent in the annual New York City Lesbian and Gay Pride Parade.
           
 

Casavant Organ, Op. 3550 (1986) at Church of St. Luke-in-the-Fields - New York City (Photo: Casavant Frères, Limitée)
Casavant Frères, Limitée
St. Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
Opus 3550 (1986)
Mechanical key action, electric stop action
2 manuals, 25 stops, 34 ranks




The two-manual-and-pedal Casavant organ at St. Luke-in-the-Fields was installed in 1986. It was designed by William Entriken, Director of Music at the church from 1976 to 1988, in collaboration with the builders. A previous Casavant, Opus 3412, installed in 1979, was destroyed by fire with the church building 18 months later. The present organ is a replica of its predecessor, but with one tonal change on the Hauptwerk: an 8' Spitzgamba replaces the 2' Principal. An electric stop action and combination action were also provided in this organ.
               
Hauptwerk (Manual II) – 56 notes
8
  Praestant [1-4 wood]
56
1 3/5
  Terz
56
8
  Hohlflöte
56
    Mixtur IV ranks
224
8
  Spitzgamba
56
16
  Dulzian
56
4
  Oktave
56
8
  Trompete
56
4
  Spitzflöte
56
    Tremulant  
2 2/3
  Nasat
56
 
  Zimbelstern  
2
  Gemshorn
56
 
     
               
Rückpositiv (Manual I) – 56 notes
8
  Gedackt
56
    Sesquialtera II ranks
112
4
  Praestant
56
    Scharf III ranks
168
4
  Rohrflöte
56
8
  Krummhorn
56
2
  Oktave
56
    Tremulant  
2 2/3
  Quinte
56
       
               
Pedal – 30 notes
16
  Subbass
30
    Mixtur IV ranks
120
8
  Oktave
30
16
  Posaune
30
4
  Oktave
30
8
  Trompete
30
               
Couplers
    Hauptwerk to Pedal      
    Rückpositiv to Pedal      
    Rückpositiv to Hauptwerk      
               
Adjustable Combinations (capture system)
   
Hauptwerk Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb)
Rückpositiv Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb)
Pedal Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6 (toe)
Full Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb & toe)
               
Reversible Pistons
    Hauptwerk to Pedal (thumb & toe)  
    Rückpositiv to Pedal (thumb & toe)  
    Rückpositiv to Hauptwerk (thumb & toe)  
    Zimbelstern (toe)  
           
Continuo

Casavant Frères, Limitée
St. Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
Opus 3376 (1981)
Mechanical key and stop action
1 manual, 4 stops, 4ranks, 200 pipes
               
Manual – 50 notes
8
  Holzgedackt
50
       
4
  Gedackflöte
50
       
2
  Prinzipal
50
       
1 1/3
  Quinte
50
       
           
Casavant Frères, Limitée
St. Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
Opus 3412 (1979)
Mechanical key and stop action
2 manuals, 25 stops, 34 ranks


In 1986, the electro-pneumatic organ in the gallery was replaced by a new two-manual and pedal mechanical action organ built by Casavant Frères. The organ was designed by William Entriken, Director of Music at the church from 1976 to 1988, in collaboration with the builders. Only eighteen months after its installation, the organ and church were destroyed by fire in 1981.
               
Hauptwerk (Manual II) – 56 notes
8
  Praestant *
47
2
  Gemshorn
56
8
  Hohlflöte
56
1 3/5
   Terz
56
4
   Oktave
56
    Mixtur IV ranks
24
4
  Spitzflöte
56
16
   Dulzian [1-7 L/2]
56
2 2/3
   Nasat
56
8
   Trompete
56
2
  Oktave
56
 
 
* 1-7 from Hohlflöte
               
Rückpositiv (Manual I) – 56 notes
8
  Gedackt
56
2 2/3
   Quinte
56
4
  Praestant **
56
    Sesquialtera II ranks
112
4
  Rohrflöte
56
  Scharf III ranks
168
2
  Oktave
56
8
   Krummhorn
56
   
   
** 1-4 from Rohrflöte
Pedal – 30 notes
16
  Subbass
30
    Mixtur IV ranks
120
8
  Oktave
30
16
  Posaune [1-12 L/2]
30
4
  Oktave
30
8
  Trompete
30
               
Couplers
    Hauptwerk to Pedal      
    Rückpositiv to Pedal      
    Rückpositiv to Hauptwerk      
               
Accessories
    General Tremulant  
    Zimbelstern  
           
M.P. Möller, Inc.
Hagerstown, Md. – Opus 5762 (1930)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 85 stops, 43 ranks



This organ was installed behind a pipe fence in the rear gallery of the church, and was noted for its Italian nomenclature. In 1953, the Aeolian-Skinner Company tonally renovated the organ as their Opus 1277.
               
Organo Primo (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
  Principale Doppio
73
  Ripieno, 3 ranks
183
8
  Principale Maggiore
73
16
   Tromba Profunda
85
8
  Principale Minore [from 16']
—
8
  Tromba Mirabile
—
8
  Melodia
73
4
  Trombette
—
8
  Viola da Gamba
73
8
   Corno Francese
73
4
  Ottavo Maggiore
73
 
  Cariglione [Deagan Class A]
4
  Flauto Armonico
73
8
  Arpa  
2 2/3
   Duodecima
61
4
   Celesta  
               
Organo Secondo (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
  Dulciana Doppia [unit]
85
4
   Flauto Traverso
73
8
  Principale Maggiore
73
8
   Salicionale
73
8
  Dulciana
—
8
  Salicionale Celeste [TC]
61
8
  Unda Maris [TC]
61
8
   Clarinetto
73
8
   Flauto Celeste [TC]
61
8
   Arpa
GT
8
   Flauto Doppio
73
4
   Celesta
GT
4
   Dulciana Ottava
—
     Cariglione
GT
    Dulciana Armonia Eterea, 5 rks
305
        
               
Organo Processionale (playable from Manual I) – 61 notes
8
   Principale di Violino [TC]
49
        
               
Organo Terzo (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
   Bordone
73
4
   Flauto d'Amora
73
8
   Principale Maggiore
73
2
   Flageoletta
61
8
   Principale Chiuso
73
     Cornetto Dolcissimo, 3 ranks
219
8
   Viola d'Orchestra
73
8
   Cornetta
73
8
   Voce Celeste
73
8
   Oboe
73
8
   Flauto Conico
73
8
   Corno Ingless or Eolina
73
               
Pedale – 32 notes
16
  Principale Grande
44
8
   Tromba Mirabilis
OP
16
  Principale Dolce
OP
8
  Ottava Principale
—
16
  Bordone [unit]
56
8
  Flauto Basso
—
16
   Flautone Chiuso
OT
8
   Violoncello
OP
16
   Dulciana
OS
4
   Trombetta
OP
16
   Tromba Profunda
OP
4
   Flauto Chiuso
—
           
George W. Earle
Riverhead, N.Y. (1871)
Mechanical action
2 manuals



Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.
           
Henry Erben
New York City (1830)
Mechanical action
2 manuals, 18 stops


The 1861 American Musical Directory stated that the organ had "2 banks keys, 18 stops, 1½ octaves pedals. Built by H. Erben, in 1830; revoiced by L.U. Stuart, in 1859." Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.
           
Sources:
     American Musical Directory. New York: Thomas Hutchinson, 1861.
     The Diapason (April 1930). Specifications of M.P. Möller Organ, Op. 5762 (1930). Courtesy Jonathan Bowen.
     St. Luke in-the-Fields web site: http://www.stlukeinthefields.org/
     Scheer, Stanley. Factory Specification (May 26, 1978) of Casavant Frères Organ, Op. 3412 (1979).
     Scheer, Stanley. Factory Specification (Apr. 14, 1981) of Casavant Frères Organ, Op. 3376 (1981).
     Scheer, Stanley. Factory Specification (May 31, 1983) of Casavant Frères Organ, Op. 3550 (1986).
     Tuttle, Mrs. H. Croswell. "History of Saint Luke's Church in the City of New York 1820-1920." New York: Apeal Printing Company, 1926.

Illustrations:
     Scheer, Stanley. Casavant Frères Organ, Op. 3550 (1986).
     New York Architecture Images web site: http://www.nyc-architecture.com