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Basilica of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral
(Roman Catholic)
260 Mulberry Street
New York, N.Y. 10012
https://oldcathedral.org/
Organ Specifications:
260 Mulberry Street
Rebuilt building (since 1868)
► I/7 Hall & Labagh (1859)
– Chancel; inst. 2016
► III/46 Henry Erben (1866-68) –
Gallery
First building (1809-burned 1866):
• III/42 Henry Erben (1851)
• III/ Hall & Erben (1824)
• Thomas Hall (1820); enl. Redstone organ
• I/ William Redstone (1815)
See also St. Patrick's Cathedral. |
The original St. Patrick's Cathedral, located on Mulberry Street between Prince and Houston Streets, was built on land used as the cemetery of St. Peter's Church. On June 8, 1809, the cornerstone was laid, and the completed structure was dedicated six years later, on May 14,1815. Designed by Joseph-François Mangin, the architect also responsible for New York City Hall, the stone structure is over 120 feet long by 80 feet wide with side walls rising to a height of 75 feet. In its early years, St. Patrick's played vital social and political roles in the lives of young Irish immigrants, helping them adapt to their new home. The cathedral was the site of tension between nativist agitators and Irish Catholics. In 1836 a mob attempted to ransack the cathedral, but defenders cut holes in the wall for their muskets and posted sentries outside, successfully discouraging damage to the cathedral.
Although the cathedral was then the largest religious structure in the city, Archbishop John J. Hughes envisioned a new and grander cathedral uptown, to serve as a "public architectural monument of the present and prospective greatness of this metropolis." Land for a new cathedral on Fifth Avenue and 50th Street was purchased in 1852 and construction started in 1859. In 1866, the cathedral and organ were partially destroyed by fire. Before the new cathedral could be completed, the original cathedral was restored and rededicated by John Cardinal McClosky in 1868.
On May 25, 1879, the original cathedral ceased to be the seat
of the Archdiocese of New York and became a parish church known
as "St. Patrick's Old Cathedral."
In 1966, St. Patrick's Old Cathedral was one of the first sites to be named a landmark by the New York City Landmarks Commission. In 1977, St. Patrick's Old Cathedral and the Old Cathedral School were listed on the National Registry of Historic Landmarks.
On March 17, 2010, St. Patrick's Old Cathedral was declared a minor
basilica by Pope
Benedict XVI. |
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Chancel Organ
Hall & Labagh
New York City (1859); installed 2016
Mechanical action
1 manual, 7 stops, 7 ranks
The Chancel organ in St. Patrick's Old Cathedral was built by Hall & Labagh
in 1859 for St. George's Chapel, Episcopal, in Newburgh, N.Y. About 1885, it
was then moved to the Associate Reformed Church, Newburgh, N.Y., and later (ca.
1980) to the Convent of St. Helena, Vail's Gate, N.Y. At some point the organ
was put into storage; it was later purchased by the Basilica and restored in
2016 by Brunner & Associates, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
The recessed manual is enclosed behind a locked door. The interior console woodwork
is maple. Some of the graining is original on the case, and almost all of the
pipes are original (cone tuned). The pitch is A=435, set to a Victorian temperament.
The Hautboy stop actually controls a trumpet; this trumpet appears to be of New
York origin from the time period of the organ and likely was an early modification.
The machine stops were modified early on to not include the reed. It retains
the original bench. The organ was originally pumped from the back, then was changed
twice; it now pumps from the front. An electric blower was added in the 2016
restoration, and the organ is on a custom metal frame with wheels so it can be
moved as necessary. The organ was inaugurated at Mass on October 2, 2016. |
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Manual – 56 notes
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8
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Open Diapason (TF) |
39
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8
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St. Diapason Treble (TF) |
39
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8
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St. Diapason Bass |
17
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8
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Viol de Gamba (TF) |
39
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4
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Flute (TF) |
39
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4
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Principal Treble (TF) |
39
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4
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Principal Bass |
17
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2
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Fifteenth |
56
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8
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Hautboy (TF) |
39
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Pedal – 17
notes
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No stops |
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Pedal coupler |
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Accessories
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Piano |
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Forte |
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Hitch-down Swell |
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Gallery Organ
Henry Erben
New York City (1868)
Mechanical action
3 manuals, 40 stops, 46 ranks
The organ in St. Patrick's Old Cathedral was built from 1866-68
by Henry Erben of New York City. Erben installed the organ in a
Carpenter Gothic-style case that is grained to look like
walnut; the keydesk and components are walnut. The console is attached
and projecting, with overhanging manuals
flanked
by
round-shanked
stop-knobs arranged horizontally in terraced jambs.
Henry Erben arranged a public exhibition of the organ.
The New York Herald (April 30, 1869) reported:
The
performances
of these
gentlemen
fully
tested
the
capabilities
of
the instrument,
and
proved that
it was
excellent
in every respect—full
in tone, easy in touch and superior to many instruments
of similar range. The audience seemed spellbound
by
the excellent music.
In 1919, when such tracker instruments
were being discarded and replaced, the famous
international concert organist Lynnwood Farnam
(1885–1930) visited the Erben and wrote: “Very
interesting. Pleasant, though small, diapasons.
Very liquid,
pleasing flutes,
even Claribel Flute 4 on Ped.”
Fortunately, little work was ever done on the
instrument. Most of the work that was done on
the organ was
not up to Erben
standards: a few of the original ivory stop labels
were replaced with cheap
plastic; ciphers were fixed with duct tape; and
the materials and construction of the replacement
mixture
were not
consistent with
Erben's extraordinarily high level of craftsmanship.
Neglect has been this organ's friend – not
much has been done to it, and it is an exceptional
survivor
from that
age. This organ
is
the only example of an original, extant three-manual
Erben, and is a jewel of organbuilding in New
York City.
On October 24, 2004, The Organ Historical Society awarded its
distinguished Historical Citation No. 326 in recognition of
the Erben Organ as
an outstanding example of organbuilding and worthy of preservation. |
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Great Organ (Manual II) – 58 notes
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16 |
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Grand Open Diapason |
58 |
2 2/3 |
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Twelfth |
58 |
8 |
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Open Diapason |
58 |
2 |
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Fifteenth |
58 |
8 |
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Gamba * |
58 |
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Mixture 3 ranks ** |
174 |
8 |
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Melodia |
58 |
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Sesquialtera 3 ranks |
174 |
8 |
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Stopd. Diapason |
58 |
8 |
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Trumpet |
58 |
4 |
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Principal |
58 |
4 |
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Clarion |
58 |
4 |
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Wald Flute |
58 |
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Swell Organ (Manual III) – 58 notes, enclosed
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16 |
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Bourdon |
58 |
4 |
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Flute Harmonique |
58 |
8 |
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Open Diapason |
58 |
2 |
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Piccolo |
58 |
8 |
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Stopd. Diapason |
58 |
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Cornet 3 ranks |
174 |
8 |
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Dulciana |
58 |
8 |
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Cornopean |
58 |
8 |
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Viol d'Amour [1-12 Dulciana] |
46 |
8 |
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Oboe |
58 |
4 |
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Principal |
58 |
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Choir Organ (Manual I) – 58 notes
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8 |
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Pyramid Diapason [1-12 Mel.] |
46 |
4 |
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Principal + |
58 |
8 |
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Dolce |
58 |
4 |
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Flute Traverso |
58 |
8 |
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Keraulophon [1-12 Dolce] |
46 |
2 |
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Flageolet |
58 |
8 |
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Stopd. Diapason |
58 |
8 |
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Cremona [TC] ++ |
46 |
8 |
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Melodia |
58 |
8 |
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Bassoon [bass] |
12 |
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Pedal Organ – 30
notes
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16 |
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Double Open Diapason |
30 |
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* |
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Modern replacement |
** |
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Replaced 1878 by 4' Flute |
+ |
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Knob marked "Flautina" |
++ |
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Knob marked "Clarinet" |
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16 |
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Bourdon |
30 |
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16 |
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Contra Gamba |
30 |
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8 |
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Violon Cello |
30 |
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4 |
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Claribel Flute |
30 |
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16 |
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Trombone |
30 |
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Couplers
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Great to Pedal |
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Swell to Great |
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Swell to Pedal |
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Choir to Great |
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Choir to Pedal |
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Swell to Choir |
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Pedal to Pedal 8ves |
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Pedal Movements
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Swell Piano |
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Great to Pedal Reversible |
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Swell Forte |
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Swell Crescendo Lever |
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Great Piano |
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Great Mezzo |
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Great Forte |
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Henry Erben
New York City (1851)
Mechanical action
3 manuals, 42 stops, 2 octaves pedals
In 1851, Henry Erben was contracted to build a new organ for St. Patrick's Cathedral that had "3 banks keys, 42 stops, 2 octaves pedals." During the afternoon and evening of June 24, 1852, the completed organ was exhibited to the public. Participating at four o'clock were organists David R. Harrison, St. Patrick's Cathedral; Wm. Bergé, St. Xavier Church; John Loretz, St. Stephen's Church; Mr. Mayerhofer, Nativity Church; Mr. O'Connor, St. Bridget's Church; T. Stückler, St. James's Church; T. Augustus Hogan, St. Peter's Church; Wm. R. Bristow, St. Mark's church; and H.C. Griffiths, St. Paul's, London. At eight o'clock that evening, Mr. W. A. King of Grace Church performed works by Kuhlau, Rinck, Mendelssohn ("Wedding March"), and concluded with an "Extemporaneous Fantasie" on various themes to demonstrate the solo stops.
The organ was described in the Musical World and New York Musical Times (July 1, 1852):
Its measurement is 45 feet high, 28 feet wide, and 14 feet deep, and it contains over 2000 pipes. The diapasons are hardly full enough for so large a church, but the reeds and their stops are brilliant. A church as large as St. Patrick's would have borne pedals and diapasons of the largest and most full-voiced capacity; and no number of brilliant stops can possible make up for the deficiency."
In 1866, the cathedral interior and organ were destroyed by fire.
Specifications of this organ have not yet been located. |
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Hall & Erben
New York City (1824)
Mechanical action
3 manuals
A new three-manual organ was built in 1824 by Hall & Erben, a partnership of Thomas S. Hall and Henry Erben that existed from 1824-1847. Thomas Hall had married Maria Erben, Henry's sister, in 1824. Specifications of this organ have not yet been located. |
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Thomas Hall
New York City (1820)
Mechanical action
In 1820, Thomas S. Hall (1794-1874) of New York City altered and enlarged the 1815 Redstone organ. Specifications of this organ have not yet been located. |
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William Redstone
New York City (1815)
Mechanical action
1 manual
The first known organ for St. Patrick's Cathedral was a one-manual instrument built in 1815 by William Redstone (c.1768-1824) of New York City. Specifications of this organ have not yet been located. |
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Sources:
American Musical Directory. New York: Thomas Hutchinson, 1861.
Dunlap, David W. From Abyssinian to Zion: A Guide to Manhattan's Houses of Worship. New York: Columbia University Press, 2004.
Lamenzo, Jared. Specification
of Hall & Labagh organ.
Musical World and New York Musical Times (July 1, 1852). Exhibition of Henry Erben organ.
Ogasapian, John. Organ Building in New York City: 1700-1900. Braintree: The Organ Literature Foundation, 1977.
Illustrations:
Lamenzo, Jared. Henry Erben
case; Hall & Labagh case and keydesk.
Lawson, Steven E. Exterior; interior; Henry Erben organ. |
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