Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew, United Methodist - New York City (photo: Steven E. Lawson)
 
Click on images to enlarge
Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew
(United Methodist)

263 West 86th Street at West End Avenue
New York, N.Y. 10024
http://www.spsanyc.org

Organ Specifications:
263 West 86th Street (since 1897
► III/42 William W. Laws Company (1938)
► III/37 J.H. & C.S. Odell, Op. 333 (1895)
Fourth Avenue at 22nd Street (1857-1893):
• IV/43s George Jardine & Son (1872)
• III/37s George Jardine & Son (1858)
305 Mulberry Street at Bleecker Street (1834-1857):
• Henry Erben (1843)


The Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew, a congregation affiliated with the United Methodist Church, is the result of a merger in 1937 of St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church and St. Andrew's Methodist Episcopal Church.

St. Paul Methodist Episcopal Church on Fourth Avenue at 22nd Street - New York City  
St. Paul's M.E. Church
  
St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church was founded in 1834 as the Mulberry Street Methodist Episcopal Church at 306 Mulberry Street. In 1857, the congregation moved to Fourth Avenue and 22nd Street, where a new church had been designed by Ebenezer L. Roberts. As their members moved uptown, the church relocated to the present building on West End Avenue and 86th Street, designed by R.H. Robertson and opened in 1897. Robertson's church and adjoining parish house are an eclectic mix of Romanesque Revival style influenced by Classical and Renaissance-inspired forms. The exterior is noted for its two towers, one being an octagonal campanile and the other a square tower set at an angle, and a main entrance with its tri-partite porch. Inside, the large sanctuary is flanked by galleries on three sides, and large windows that flood the interior with natural light.



Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew, United Methodist - New York City (photo: Steven E. Lawson)   Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew, United Methodist - New York City (photo: Steven E. Lawson)


St. Andrew's Methodist Episcopal Church was founded in 1875, and had as its first permanent home a church at 123 West 71st Street. This church, designed by Stephen D. Hatch and built from 1880-81, is now home to Grace and St. Paul's Lutheran Church.

  Interior of St. Andrew Methodist Episcopal Church - New York City
St. Andrew's Methodist Episcopal Church - New York City (Cady, Berg & See)  
St. Andrew's M.E. Church
120 West 76th Street
  
In 1889, St. Andrew's moved five blocks uptown to a new edifice designed by Cady, Berg & See at 120 West 76th Street. The Romanesque-inspired limestone church had a low bell tower and a 1000-seat sanctuary surmounted by a dome.

In 1937, after St. Andrew's congregation merged with and into St. Paul's Church, the building was acquired by the West Side Institutional Synagogue.
           
  William Hall Organ (1938) at St. Paul and St. Andrew United Methodist Church - New York City (photo: Steven E. Lawson)
   

William Hall Organ (1938) at St. Paul and St. Andrew United Methodist Church - New York City (photo: Steven E. Lawson)
William W. Laws Company
Beverly, Mass. (1938)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 53 stops, 42? ranks









The organ in St. Paul & St. Andrew's Church is the work of William W. Laws of Beverly, Mass., who was contracted to reconfigure the previous 1895 organ by J.H. & C.S. Odell when the front of the sanctuary was reconfigured to accomodate a divided chancel. Laws rebuilt the 1895 Odell organ by converting its action to electro-pneumatic and providing a new three-manual stop-key console. Many of the original stops were retained, several more were added, and the Choir division was enclosed. In 2007, the organ was found to be partially playable.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
   Open Diapason
73
2 2/3
  Twelfth
61
8
   First Open Diapason
73
2
   Fifteenth
61
8
   Second Open Diapason
73
     Mixture III ranks
183
8
   Doppel Flute
73
16
   Tuba [unit]
85
8
   Gamba
73
8
   Tuba
—
8
   Dolce
73
4
   Clarion
—
4
   Principal
73
     Tremolo  
4
   Octave
73
     Chimes
CH
4
   Harmonic Flute
73
        
               
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
   Bourdon
73
2
   Fifteenth
61
8
   Open Diapason
73
     Dolce Cornet III ranks
183
8
   Gedeckt
73
16
   Fagotto
73
8
   Salicional
73
8
   Cornopean
73
8
   Voix Celeste [TC]
61
8
   Flugel Horn
73
8
   Aeoline
73
8
   Vox Humana
73
8
   Quintadena
73
     Tremolo  
4
   Flute Traverso
73
     Chimes
CH

     

     
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Geigen Principal
73
2
   Piccolo
61
8
   Concert Flute
73
8
   Clarinet
73
8
   Dulciana
73
8
   English Horn
73
8
   Unda Maris [TC]
61
     Tremolo  
4
   Chimney Flute
73
     Chimes  
               
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
32
   Resultant
—
8
   Violoncello
—
16
   Open Diapason [unit]
56
8
   Stopped Flute
—
16
   Second Open Diapason
GT
8
   Still Gedeckt
SW
16
   Violone [unit]
44
4
   Flute
—
16
   Bourdon
56
16
   Tuba
GT
16
   Lieblich Gedeckt
SW
8
   Tuba
GT
10 2/3
  Quint
—
4
   Clarion
GT
8
   Major Flute
—
     Chimes
CH
8
   Diapason
GT
        
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal 8', 4'   Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4'
    Swell to Pedal 8', 4'   Great 16', 4', Unison Off
    Choir to Pedal 8', 4'   Swell 16', 4', Unison Off
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'   Choir 16', 4', Unison Off
    Choir to Great 16', 8', 4'      
               
Adjustable Combinations (hold and set)
   
Swell Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 & Cancel (thumb)
Great Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6 & Cancel (thumb)
Choir Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6 & Cancel (thumb)
Pedal Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb & toe) & Cancel (thumb)
Couplers Pistons 1-2-3-4 (thumb)
Entire Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 (thumb & toe) & Cancel
               
Accessories
    Balanced Great Expression Pedal   Great to Pedal Reversible (toe)
    Balanced Choir Expression Pedal   Sforzando Reversible * (toe)
    Balanced Swell Expression Pedal   Master Swell On & Off * (thumb)
    Crescendo Pedal *  
* with Indicator Lights
           
  J.H. & C.S. Odell Organ, Op. 333 (1895) formerly in St. Paul Methodist Episcopal Church - New York City (Odell Company brochure, 1896)
J.H. & C.S. Odell
New York City – Opus 333 (1895)
Tubular-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 35 stops, 37 ranks


The J.H. & C.S. Odell company was selected to build the original organ for the new St. Paul's Methodist Church. Odell provided two identical facades at the front of the sanctuary, one at each side of the choir gallery, behind which were the organ chambers.

The following specification was recorded by F.R. Webber, whose "Organ Scrapbooks" are in the possession of The Organ Historical Society Archives in Princeton, N.J.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes
16
   Double Open Diapason
61
4
  Flute Harmonique
61
8
   Open Diapason
61
2 2/3
   Octave Quint
61
8
   Viola di Gamba
61
2
   Super Octave
61
8
   Doppel Flöte
61
     Mixture III ranks
183
4
   Octave
61
8
   Trumpet
61

     

     
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
   Bourdon bass  }
61
4
   Flute Traverso
61
16
   Bourdon treble }
2
   Flageolet
61
8
   Open Diapason
61
     Dolce Cornet III ranks
183
8
   Salicional
61
8
   Cornopean
61
8
   Vox Celestis
61
8
   Oboe
61
8
   Aeoline
61
8
   Vox Humana
61
8
   Stopped Diapason
61
     Tremulant  
4
   Fugara
61
        
               
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes
8
   Geigen Principal
73
2
   Piccolo Harmonique
61
8
   Concert Flute
73
8
   Orchestral Clarinet
61
8
   Dulciana
73
    
Carillons
20 notes
4
   Wald Flöte
61
        
               
Pedal Organ – 30 notes
16
   Open Diapason
30
16
   Bourdon
30
16
   Violone
30
8
   Violoncello
30
               
Couplers
    Swell to Great       Great to Pedal  
    Swell to Great octaves       Swell to Pedal  
    Choir to Great       Choir to Pedal  
    Swell to Choir       Swell to Great reversible piston
               
Pedal Movements
    Full Organ, to draw all manual and pedal stops  
    Piano Organ, with appropriate pedal stops  
    Pedal Organ forte  
    Pedal Organ piano  
    Great to Pedal reversible  
    16 pneumatic composition knobs  
           
Organ in St. Paul's M.E. Church on Fourth Avenue at 22nd Street:

George Jardine & Son
New York City (1872)
Mechanical action
4 manuals, 43 stops


In 1872, Jardine enlarged their 1858 instrument by adding a fourth manual with six stops. The organ was enlarged again in 1881, as reported in The Musical Courier (Oct. 22, 1881): "Jardine & Son have recently renovated and improved the organ belonging to St. Paul's M. E. Church. The improvements include the addition of saxophone, and bells ... new action, and two wings to the case, making it sixteen feet wider."

The New Music Review reported that in 1892 the organ 'was moved to Olivet Memorial Church at 63 East 2nd Street, and the case went to the Jewish Temple in Los Angeles.' In fact, the organ case was installed at Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles.

Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.
           
  J.H. & C.S. Odell Organ, Op. 333 (1895) formerly in St. Paul Methodist Episcopal Church - New York City (Odell Company brochure, 1896)
Organ in St. Paul's M.E. Church on Fourth Avenue at 22nd Street:

George Jardine & Son
New York City (1858)
Mechanical action
3 manuals, 37 stops, 30 ranks




According to the American Musical Directory (1861), this organ had "3 banks keys, 37 stops, 2 octaves pedals" and was "Built by Jardine & Son, in 1858." Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.
           
Organ in Mulberry Street M.E. Church at 305 Mulberry Street at Bleecker Street:

Henry Erben
New York City (1843)
Mechanical action


Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.
           
Sources:
     American Musical Directory. New York: Thomas Hutchinson, 1861.
     Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew website: http://www.spsanyc.org/
     Dolkart, Andrew S. and Matthew A. Postal. Guide to New York City Landmarks (Third Edition). New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2004.
     Dunlap, David W. From Abyssinian to Zion: A Guide to Manhattan's Houses of Worship. New York: Columbia University Press, 2004.
     Gray, Christopher. "Streetscapes: The Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew; A Landmark With an Unwanted Status," The New York Times (Apr. 19, 1987).
     The Musical Courier (Oct. 22, 1881). Article about rebuild and additions to Geo. Jardine & Son organ. Courtesy Martin R. Walsh and James Lewis.
     The New Music Review (Vol. 9, No. 106, p.5). Item about moving the Jardine organ to Olivet Memorial Church in New York City. Courtesy Larry Trupiano.
     J.H. & C.S. Odell & Company brochure, "Metropolitan Churches," 1896. Courtesy Jeff Scofield.
     "St. Paul's M.E. Church...History of the Society Since 1833..." The New York Times (Sep. 14, 1874).
     Stern, Robert A.M., Thomas Mellins, and David Fishman. New York 1880: Architecture and Urbanism in the Gilded Age. New York City: The Monacelli Press, 1999.
     Webber, F.R. "Organ scrapbook" at Organ Historical Society Archives, Princeton, N.J. Specifications of J.H. & C.S. Odell organ, Op. 333 (1895). Courtesy Jonathan Bowen.

Illustrations:
     Cady, Berg & See. Architectural drawing of St. Andrew's M.E. Church (1889). From eBay.com.
     Lawson, Steven E. Color exterior; interior; William W. Laws organ.
     J.H. & C.S. Odell & Company brochure, "Metropolitan Churches," 1896. Interior showing J.H. & C.S. Odell organ, Op. 333 (1895). Courtesy Jeff Scofield.
     Walsh, Martin R. Undated photo of George Jardine & Son organ (1858). Courtesy James Lewis.