St. Luke's Lutheran Church - New York City (ca. 1930 postcard)
 
Click on images to enlarge
St. Luke Lutheran Church
(Evangelical Lutheran Church in America)

308 West 46th Street
New York, N.Y. 10036
http://www.stlukesnyc.org/



Organ Specifications:
308 West 46th Street (since 1923):
► II/23 E.F. Walcker GmbH, Op. 5859 (1990)
► III/22 M.P. Möller, Inc., Op. 3508 (1923)
233 West 42nd Street (1875-1923):
• II/30 George Jardine & Son (1857)
318 West 43rd Street (1863-1875)
• unknown
Ninth Avenue and West 35th Street (1850-1863)
• unknown



 
233 West 42nd Street
  
The German Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. Luke was founded in 1850 to serve German immigrants near the Hudson River docks. Services were held in a chapel on Ninth Avenue and West 35th Street. The congregation relocated in 1863 to 318 West 43rd Street, near Eighth Avenue, where they remained until 1875, when they purchased the former Forty-second Street Presbyterian Church at 233 West 42nd Street.

As the theatres engulfed 42nd Street, the church sold its valuable property and moved to its fourth and present site at 308 West 46th Street. Tilton & Githens designed the neo-Gothic building which includes the church, adjoining parish house and rectory. The facade is faced with limestone, and features two castellated towers and some Art Moderne elements.
               
 

St. Luke's Lutheran Church - NYC (Photo: © Paul Solomon, 1990)
E. F. Walcker GmbH
Kleinblittersdorf, Germany – Opus 5859 (1990)
Mechanical key and stop action
2 manuals, 18 stops, 23 ranks




The present organ in St. Luke's Church was built in 1990 by E.F. Walcker of Germany. Walcker installed the fully encased, two-manual mechanical-action organ in front of and partially within the existing chamber on the left side of the chancel. Prior to the installation of the Walcker organ, the chancel and choir seating area were reconfigured to allow maximum flexibility, and the interior of the church was redecorated, replicating the original stenciling. At the same time, all carpet in the church was removed.
               
Hauptwerk (Manual I) – 61 notes
8
  Praestant
61
1 3/5
  Terz
61
8
  Rohrflöte
61
1 1/3
  Mixtur IV ranks
244
4
  Prinzipal
61
8
  Trompete
61
4
  Flöte
61
    Tremulant  
2 2/3
  Nasard
61
    Schwellwerk–Hauptwerk *  
2
  Waldflöte
61
   
Zimbelstern *
11 bells
               
Schwellwerk (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
  Gedeckt
61
2
  Oktavin
61
8
  Viola
61
1
  Scharf III ranks
183
8
  Schwebung (TC)
49
8
  Oboe
61
4
  Nachthorn
61
    Tremulant  
               
Pedal – 32 notes
16
  Subbaß
32
16
  Fagott
32
8
  Prinzipal
HW
8
  Trompete
HW
8
  Pommer
HW
 
  Hauptwerk–Pedal *  
4
  Choralbass
HW
 
  Schwellwerk–Pedal *  
               
           
* by drawknob and foot lever
Combinations
    Hauptwerk Plenum       Foot levers visibly add stops to engage the divisional plenum; couplers are unaffected. Combinations may be adjusted within the case.
    Schwellwerk Plenum      
    Pedal Plenum      
           
 

St. Luke's Lutheran Church - New York City (c. 1980)
  ca. 1980 interior showing Möller facades
M.P. Möller, Inc.
Hagerstown, Md. – Opus 3508 (1923)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 22 stops, 22 ranks


The original organ in the present church was built in 1923 by the M.P. Möller Company. This three-manual organ was totally enclosed and installed in chambers on either side of the chancel.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed with Choir (5" wind pressure)
8
  Open Diapason
73
8
  Gemshorn
73
8
  Gamba
73
4
  Wald Flute
73
8
  Doppel Flute
73
 
Chimes
20 tubes
               
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed (5" wind pressure)
16
  Bourdon
73
4
  Flute Harmonic
73
8
  Open Diapason
73
8
  Cornopean
73
8
  Gedeckt
73
8
  Oboe
73
8
  Salicional
73
8
   Vox Humana
61
8
   Vox Celeste (TC)
61
     Tremulant  
8
   Viole d'Orchestre
73
        
               
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed (4" wind pressure)
8
   English Open Diapason
73
4
   Flute d'Amour
73
8
   Melodia
73
8
   Clarinet
73
8
   Dulciana
73
     Tremulant  
               
Pedal Organ – 32 notes, enclosed (5" wind pressure)
16
  Double Open Diapason
44
8
  Octave Bass (D.O.Diap.)
—
16
  Bourdon
44
8
  Bass Flute (Bourdon)
—
16
  Lieblich Gedeckt
SW
8
  Dolce (Salicional)
SW
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal 8', 4'       Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4'  
    Swell to Pedal 8', 4'       Choir to Swell 16', 8', 4'  
    Choir to Pedal 8', 4'       Great to Great 4'  
    Pedal to Pedal 4'       Swell to Swell 16', 4'  
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'       Choir to Choir 16', 4'  
    Choir to Great 16', 8', 4'          
               
Mechanicals
    Swell Unison Cancel (placed in key-jamb)   Crescendo Indicator  
    Choir Unison Cancel (placed in key-jamb)   Current Indicator  
               
Adjustable Combinations
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 affecting Great, Pedal and Couplers
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 affecting Swell, Pedal and Couplers
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4 affecting Choir, Pedal and Couplers
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 affecting Pedal and Full Organ
               
Pedal Movements
    Balanced Swell Pedal   Great to Pedal Reversible
    Balanced Choir & Great Pedal   Swell to Pedal Reversible
    Crescendo Pedal   Full Organ  
 
 

1857 Jardine Organ in St. Luke's Lutheran Church (originally Forty-second Street Presbyterian) - New York City (photo: St. Luke's Lutheran Church)
Organ in church located at 233 West 42nd Street:

George Jardine & Son
New York City (1857)
Mechanical action
2 manuals, 30 stops




The American Musical Directory of 1861 shows that the organ in this church had "2 banks keys, 30 stops, 2 octaves pedals" and was "Built by Jardine & Son, in 1857."

Specifications of this organ have not yet been located.
           
Sources:
     Dunlap, David. From Abyssinian to Zion: A Guide to Manhattan's Houses of Worship. New York: Columbia University Press, 2004.
     Haberstroh, Richard. The German Churches of Metropolitan New York: A Research Guide. New York: The New York Genealogical & Biographical Society, 2000.
     St. Luke Lutheran Church web site: http://www.stlukesnyc.org/
     Scofield, Jeff. M.P. Möller, Inc. Opus List.
     Stern, Robert A.M., Gregory Gilmartin, Thomas Mellins. New York 1930: Architecture and Urbanism Between the Two World Wars. New York: Rizzoli, 1987.
     Trupiano, Larry. Factory Specifications of M.P. Möller Organ, Op. 3508 (1923).

Illustrations:
     St. Luke Lutheran Church. Postcard of interior (ca. 1980); 1857 Jardine organ case; 42nd Street church.
     Solomon, Paul. Photos of E. F. Walcker Organ, Op. 5859 (1990).