Click on images to enlarge St. Martin Episcopal Church 230 Malcolm X Boulevard (Lenox Avenue) at 122nd Street New York, N.Y. 10027 Organ Specifications: ► IV/46 Ernest M. Skinner & Son, Op. 653 (1940) ► II/39 Estey Organ Company, Op. 2765 (1928)
St. Martin's Episcopal Church was designed by William A. Potter and was built from 1887-89 as Holy Trinity Protestant Episcopal Church of Harlem. The Landmarks Preservation Commission named this granite structure "undoubtedly the handsomest example" of the Romanesque Revival architectural style in all of Manhattan. Two fires, the latest in 1939, caused extensive damage to the building, leaving only the stone walls standing, but the strong resolve of the congregation saw to it that their church was rebuilt. In the late 1940's, the members of the church commissioned the manufacture and installation of a 42-bell carillon in the tower. This largest of percussion instruments, manufactured in the Netherlands and installed in 1949, is the second largest in New York City, after the carillon at the Riverside Church. Concerts on the carillon are featured each June as part of the Mount Morris Park Historic House Tour. The church involves itself with the secular side of neighborhood life as well — the St. Martin's Federal Credit Union is the oldest such institution affiliated with a church. The Credit Union was founded in 1937 by Reverend John H. Johnson to make it possible for African-Americans to obtain mortgages and acquire real property, thus empowering them in a segregated society.
Ernest M. Skinner & Son Company Methuen, Mass. – Op. 653 (1940) Electropneumatic stop and chest action 4 manuals, 53 registers, 37 stops, 46 ranks The organ in St. Martin's Church was originally built by the Skinner Organ Co. in 1927 (Op. 653) for St. John's Church, Lafayette Square, Washington, D.C. It was purchased by St. Martin's Church in 1940 and moved by the Ernest M. Skinner & Son Company of Methuen, Mass. At some point, a second-hand three-manual Austin console replaced the original Skinner console.                 Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes 16   Bourdon (ext. Ped) 17 4   Flute 61 8   First Diapason 61 2   Fifteenth 61 8   Second Diapason 61     Mixture III ranks 183 8   Waldflöte 61 8   Tromba 61 4   Octave 61     Chimes SO           Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Bourdon 73 2   Piccolo 61 8   Diapason 73     Mixture V ranks 305 8   Gedeckt 73 16   Waldhorn 73 8   Salicional 73 8   Cornopean 73 8   Voix Celeste 73 8   Oboe 73 8   Flute Celeste II ranks 134 8   Vox Humana 73 4   Octave 73 4   Clarion 73 4   Flute Triangulaire 73     Tremolo             Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Dulciana 73 2   Fifteenth (fr. Gemshorn) — 8   Concert Flute 73 1 3/5   Tierce (fr. Gemshorn) — 8   Gamba 73 1 1/7   Septieme (fr. Gemshorn) — 8   Dulciana (fr. 16') 73 8   Clarinet 73 4   Gemshorn 85 8   Harp (TC) — 4   Flute Harmonique 73 4   Celesta 61 bars 2 2/3   Nazard (fr. Gemshorn) —     Tremolo             Solo Organ (Manual IV) – 61 notes, enclosed 8   Orchestral Flute (Ped) — 8   French Horn 73 8   Gamba 73 8   English Horn 73 8   Gamba Celeste 73 8   Chimes 25 tubes 8   Tuba 73     Tremolo               Pedal Organ – 32 notes 32   Diapason (Resultant) — 8   Still Gedeckt (Sw) — 16   Major Bass 44 4   Flute (fr. Bourdon) — 16   Bourdon 56 16   Trombone 32 16   Dulciana (Ch) — 16   Waldhorn (Sw) — 16   Echo Lieblich (Sw) — 8   Tromba (Sw. Waldhorn) — 8   Octave (fr. Major Bass) —     Chimes (So) 8   Gedeckt (fr. Bourdon) —
Estey Organ Company Brattleboro, Vt. – Opus 2765 (1928) Electro-pneumatic key action 3 manuals, 53 registers, 37 stops, 39 ranks This organ was originally Estey's Op. 1690 (1919), installed in the Estey Studio, but in 1928 the organ was rebuilt and sold to St. Martin's Church as Op. 2765.                 Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed 8   Open Diapason * 73 4   Octave 73 8   Gross Flute * 73 4   Wald Flute (fr. Melodia) — 8   Tibia Clausa 73 2 2/3   Twelfth (fr. Octave) — 8   Melodia 73 2   Fifteenth (fr. Octave) — 8   Gamba * 73 8   Tuba 73 8   Gemshorn * 73 8   French Trumpet 73 8   Gemshorn Celeste (TC) 61     Chimes F * 30 notes 4   Flute Harmonic 73     Chimes P * —                 Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Bourdon 97 2   Flautino (fr. Bdn) — 8   English Diapason * 73     Dolce Cornet III ranks 183 8   Stopped Diapason (fr. Bdn) — 16   Double Trumpet 85 8   Silver Flute 73 8   Cornopean (fr. Dbl. Tpt) * — 8   Viol d'Orchestre * 73 4   Clarion (fr. Dbl. Tpt) * — 8   Salicional * 73 8   Oboe * 73 8   Voix Celeste (TC) * 61 8   French Horn 73 8   Aeoline 73 8   Vox Humana * 73 8   Quintadena 73     Harp * 49 notes 4   Flute d'Amour (fr. Bdn) —                         Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Contra Viol 85 8   Dulciana 73 8   Clarabella * 73 4   Flauto Traverso * 73 8   Unda Maris (TC) * 61 2   Piccolo (fr. Fl. Trav.) * — 8   Spitz Flute 73 8   Orchestral Oboe 73 8   Spitz Flute Celeste (Gem.Cel.) GT 8   Clarinet 73 8   Viol — 8   Saxophone * 73 8   Viol Celeste 61 8   Muted Viol * 73                 Pedal Organ – 32 notes 16   Double Open Diapason * 32 8   Dolce Flute (Sw) — 16   Bourdon * 32 8   Cello * (Ch) — 16   Bass Viol * (Ch) — 16   Double Trumpet (Sw) — 16   Gedeckt (Sw) —                     * ranks retained from Estey Op. 1690 (1919)
Sources:      Aeolian-Skinner Archives website: http://aeolianskinner.organhistoricalsociety.org/      Dunlap, David W. 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      Holden, Dorothy. The Life and Work of Ernest M. Skinner. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1987, pp.193, 280-81.      Lewis, James. Stoplist of Estey Organ, Op. 2765 (1928).      New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission Designation Report, 1970, page 3. Illustrations:      Schmauch, David. Austin console on E.M. Skinner Organ, Op. 653 (1927).
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