Episcopal Church of St. Matthew and St. Timothy - New York City
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Church of St. Matthew & St. Timothy
(Episcopal)

26 West 84th Street
New York, N.Y. 10024
http://www.smstchurch.org

Organ Specifications:
Present building (since 1969)
► III/34 Austin Organs, Inc., Op. 2497 (1969)
Original building (1894-burned 1965):
► III/26 Skinner Organ Company, Op. 554 (1925)
► II/20 Reuben Midmer & Son (c.1894)


1893 Drawing of St. Matthew P.E. Church - New York City  
St. Matthew's P.E. Church  
The Episcopal Church of St. Matthew & St. Timothy was formed in 1922 by the merger of the financially strapped St. Matthew's Protestant Episcopal Church with the much wealthier Zion and St. Timothy P.E. Church. The latter congregation had been located at 382 West 57th Street until its Victorian Gothic building was destroyed by fire in 1921.

Following the merger, the combined congregation worshipped in the edifice built in 1893-94 for St. Matthew's Church. As designed by William Halsey Wood of Newark, N.J., the Gothic-style structure was 50 feet wide by 124 feet deep, and was constructed of mottled firebrick with white sandstone trimmings. At the right corner of the facade was a small tower. The interior of the high, well-ventilated auditorium was described as "bright and cheerful," finished in light wood and exposed brick, and could accomodate 600 people (another source states 800). In the basement were rooms for the Sunday school and parish. The completed church cost $40,000, plus $31,000 for the land, and was opened with appropriate ceremonies on March 7, 1894. This building was destroyed by a five-alarm fire on December 1, 1965.

In 1969, the congregation opened its present building, a Brutalist-style concrete structure designed by Victor Christ-Janer & Associates of New Canaan, Conn.
               
  Austin Organ, Op. 2497 (1969) in Episcopal Church of St. Matthew and St. Timothy - New York City (photo: Ken Stein)
   
  Episcopal Church of St. Matthew and St. Timothy - New York City (photo: Ken Stein)
Austin Organs, Inc.
Hartford, Conn. – Opus 2497 (1969)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 31 registers, 25 stops, 34 ranks







For their new church building following the fire, the congregation commissioned Austin Organs of Hartford, Conn., to build a new organ. Installed in 1969, the organ's pipes are located on a concrete shelf and cantilevered on a second level wall. Specifications were drawn up by Bassett Hough, organist of the church, in cooperation with Charles Neill, Austin's area representative. The following stoplist is as of September 2015; it varies slightly from that listed in the February 1968 issue of The Diapason.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes
8
   Principal
61
  Swell to Great 16'  
8
   Bourdon
61
  Swell to Great 8'  
4
   Octave
61
  Swell to Great 4'  
2
   Super Octave
61
  Choir to Great 16'  
  Sesquialtera II ranks
122
  Choir to Great 8'  
  Mixture IV ranks
244
  Choir to Great 4'  
  Great Unison Off
 
Chimes
preparation
               
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Rohrgedeckt
61
8
   Trompette
61
8
   Viola
61
4
   Rohrschalmei
61
8
   Viola Celeste (TC)
49
  Tremolo
4
   Prestant
61
  Swell 16'
4
   Spitzflöte
61
  Swell to Unison Off  
2
   Waldflöte
61
  Swell 4'  
  Plein Jeu III ranks
183
  Choir to Swell 8'  
 
      
 
      
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Gedackt
61
  Choir 16'  
8
   Erzähler
61
  Choir 4'  
4
   Koppelflöte
49
  Choir Unison Off  
2
   Principal
61
  Swell to Choir 16'  
1 1/3
   Quint
61
  Swell to Choir 8'  
  Cymbal III ranks
183
  Swell to Choir 4'  
8
   Krummhorn
61
  Great to Choir 8'  
  Tremolo
     
               
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
16
   Principal
44
4
   Choralbass
32
16
   Viola (ext. SW)
12
     Rauschquint II ranks
64
16
   Gedackt (ext. CH)
12
16
   Trompette (ext. SW])
12
8
   Octave (fr. 16' Princ.)
—
8
   Krummhorn
CH
8
   Gedackt
CH
        
               
Adjustable Combinations
   
Great Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb)
Swell Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb)
Choir Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb)
Pedal Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6 (toe)
General Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 (thumb & toe)
         
Reversibles
    Great to Pedal (thumb & toe)   Choir to Pedal (thumb & toe)
    Swell to Pedal (thumb & toe)   Tutti (thumb & toe)
               
Expression
    Balanced Pedal – Swell      
    Balanced Pedal – Choir      
    Crescendo Pedal      
               
Austin Organ, Op. 2497 (1969) in Episcopal Church of St. Matthew and St. Timothy - New York City (photo: Ken Stein)   Austin Organ, Op. 2497 (1969) in Episcopal Church of St. Matthew and St. Timothy - New York City (photo: Ken Stein)
             
  Skinner organ, Op. 554 (1925) in St. Matthew & St. Timothy Episcopal Church - New York City (Sketch, Charles H. Atkins)
  Charles H. Atkins sketches of possible Skinner organ facade
  Skinner organ, Op. 554 (1925) in St. Matthew & St. Timothy Episcopal Church - New York City (Sketch, Charles H. Atkins)
Organ in original church building:

Skinner Organ Company
Boston, Mass. – Opus 554 (1925)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 25 registers, 21 stops, 26 ranks





In 1925, the Skinner Organ Company of Boston installed a new organ having three manuals and 26 ranks. Prior to the installation, Charles H. Atkins, an employee with Skinner, drew preliminary sketches of how the new organ might fit into the existing space. Skinner installed the Great and Swell divisions behind the existing Midmer case on the left side of the chancel, and built an exact match of the Midmer case for the right side, behind which were the Choir and Pedal divisions. The three-manual console was located on the right side.

This organ burned with the church in 1965.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes (6" pressure)
8
   Diapason
61
4
   Octave
61
8
   Waldflöte
61
4
   Flute
61
               
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed (6" pressure)
16
   Bourdon
73
     Mixture V ranks
305
8
   Diapason
73
16
   Fagotto
73
8
   Gedeckt
73
8
   Cornopean
73
8
   Salicional
73
8
   Oboe
73
8
   Voix Celeste
73
8
   Vox Humana
73
8
   Flute Celeste II ranks
134
     Tremolo  
4
   Flute
73
        
               
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed (6" pressure)
8
   Concert Flute
73
8
   Clarinet
73
8
   Dulciana
73
     Tremolo  
4
   Flute
73
     Harp  
               
Pedal Organ – 32 notes (5" pressure)
16
   Bourdon
44
8
   Still Gedeckt
SW
16
   Echo Lieblich
SW
16
   Fagotto
SW
8
   Gedeckt (fr. 16')
—
        
             
  Reuben Midmer & Son organ (c.1894) in St. Matthew & St. Timothy Episcopal Church - New York City (Sketch, Charles H. Atkins)
  Charles H. Atkins sketches (1922)
of Midmer organ & chancel
  Sketch (C.H. Atkins) of Rebuen Midmer & Son organ in St. Matthew & St. Timothy Episcopal Church - New York City
Organ in original church building:

Reuben Midmer & Son
Brooklyn, N.Y. (c.1894)
Mechanical action
2 manuals, 18 stops, 20 ranks





The first organ in the original church building was built by Reuben Midmer & Son of Brooklyn. It seems likely that this organ was contemporary with the opening of the building in 1894. This organ was documented in March 1926 by Charles H. Atkins, an employee of Ernest M. Skinner, who wrote: "The present organ in St. Matthew & St. Timothy is a 2 manual of nineteen stops and 4 couplers and 6 combination toe pedals. The action is tracker and it is blown by a 2 H.P. Kinetic blower which furnishes 1250 cu. ft. per minute at 4 inch pressure and has a speed of 950 r.p.m. The motor is D.C. and takes 220 volts and 8 amp." Atkins noted that the organ was located on the left side of the chancel, and recorded the specification that follows. Compasses and pipecounts were not given but are suggested below, based on similar Midmer & Son organs of the era.
               
Great Organ (Manual I) – 58 notes
8
   Diapason
58
4
   Octave
58
8
   Viol d'Gamba
58
4
   Flute Harmonique
58
8
   Dulciana
58
2
   Super Octave
58
8
   Doppel Flute
58
8
   Trumpet
58
               
Swell Organ (Manual II) – 58 notes, enclosed
16
   Bourdon Bass
12
4
   Flauto Traverso
58
16
   Bourdon Treble [TC]
46
     Cornet III ranks
174
8
   Open Diapason
58
8
   Cornopean
58
8
   Aeoline
58
8
   Oboe
58
8
   Stopped Diapason
58
     Tremolo  
8
   Viol d'Orchestre
58
        
               
Pedal Organ – 27 notes
16
   Open Diapason
27
        
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal       Swell to Great *  
    Swell to Pedal       Swell to Great at 8ves *  
           
* Push Buttons under Swell Keys
Toe Pedals
    Swell Forte   Great Piano
    Swell Piano   Great Mezzo
    Swell 'fold' shoe   Great Forte
               
Sources:
     Aeolian-Skinner Archives web site: http://aeolianskinner.organsociety.org/Specs/Op00554.html. Stoplist of Skinner Organ Company organ, Op. 554 (1925).
     Atkins, Charles H. Specification of Reuben Midmer & Son organ (c.1894). Courtesy Larry Trupiano.
     The Diapason (Feb. 1968). Article announcing Austin Organ contract with specifications. Courtesy Jeff Scofield.
     "5-Alarm Fire Destroys W. 84th St. Church," The New York Times (Dec. 2, 1965).
     "For a New Up-Town Church," The New York Times (Sept. 22, 1893).
     Glück, Sebastian. Specification of Austin Organ, Op. 2497 (1969) as of 2007.
     Kinzey, Allen, and Sand Lawn, comps. E.M. Skinner/Aeolian-Skinner Opus List. New Rev. Ed. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1997.
     "New St. Matthew's Church Opened," The New York Times (Mar. 8, 1894).
     Ochse, Orpha. Austin Organs. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 2001.
     Russotto, Nicholas. Electronic correspondence (Sept. 6, 2015) with current specification.
     St. Matthew and St. Timothy web site: http://www.smstchurch.org/
     Trupiano, Larry. Chest layout for Ernest M. Skinner organ, Op. 554 (1925).

Illustrations:
     Atkins, Charles H. Sketch (1922) of Reuben Midmer & Son organ; sketch of Ernest M. Skinner organ, Op. 554 (1925). Courtesy Larry Trupiano.
     The New York Times (Sept. 22, 1893). Drawing of St. Matthew's P.E. Church.
     Stein, Ken. Present church and Austin Organ, Op. 2497 (1969).