St. Peter's Episcopal Church - New York City (photo: John Rust)
 

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St. Peter's Episcopal Church

346 West 20th Street
New York, N.Y. 10011
http://www.stpeterschelsea.com


Organ Specifications:
► II/16 Frank Roosevelt, Op. 515 (1892) – Chancel
► III/35 Henry Erben (?1838) – Gallery
• II/22 Henry Erben – Chapel?








St. Peter's Episcopal Church - New York City (photo: John Rust)

  
St. Peter's Episcopal Church was established in May of 1831. Clement Clarke Moore, famous for his poem, "A Visit from Saint Nicholas" ('Twas the Night Before Christmas), leased and later donated the land from his family estate – known as "Chelsea" – for the church complex; he also donated the land for the General Theological Seminary, located a block away. Moore served as warden, vestryman and organist for St. Peter's Church where his father, the Rev. Benjamin I. Moore, was rector. In 1832, St. Peter's Chapel, a Greek Revival building which is now the rectory, was erected. By the time the church was built between 1836-38, ecclesiastical tastes had changed, resulting in a Gothic Revival building as designed by James W. Smith. The church buildings have fallen into disrepair over the years due to declining membership and resources. A capital campaign has been launched to finance the restoration of the church fabric.
           
 

Roosevelt Organ, Op. 515 (1892) - St. Peter's Episcopal Church - New York City (photo: John Rust)
   
 

Roosevelt Organ, Op. 515 (1892) - St. Peter's Episcopal Church - New York City (photo: John Rust)
Frank Roosevelt
New York City – Opus 515 (1892)
Tracker-pneumatic action; elec. by Wilfrid Lavallée (1930)
2 manuals, 15 stops, 16 ranks





In 1892, the Roosevelt Organ Company, which had in 1891 opened a new factory covering an entire block at Park Avenue and 131st Street, built a new organ for St. Peter's Church. This small tracker-pneumatic organ was installed in the gallery to the left of the chancel. The organ is encased by stencilled, non-speaking façade pipes. In 1930, the organ was rebuilt and electrified by Wilfrid Lavallée; it is possible that the chimes were added at this time.

As of 2005, the organ was not playable, but a note dated 1984 and taped to the music rack lists instructions for handling the registrations.
               
Great Organ (Manual I) – 58 notes
8
   Open Diapason
58
4
   Gemshorn
58
8
   Salicional
58
8
   Trumpet
58
8
   Doppel Flote
58
        
               
Swell Organ (Manual II) – 58 notes, enclosed
16
   Bourdon Bass
12
4
   Flute Harmonique
58
16
   Bourdon Treble [TC]
46
     Cornet, 3 ranks
174
8
   Violin Diapason
58
8
   Oboe
58
8
   Dolce
58
     Tremulant  
8
   Stopped Diapason
58
        

     

     
Pedal Organ – 30 notes
16
   Open Diapason
30
8
   Violoncello
30
16
   Bourdon
30
        

     

     
Accessories
    Great to Pedal       4 Combination Pistons
    Swell to Pedal       Crescendo Pedal [with indicator]
    Swell to Great       Bellows Signal
    Swell to Great 8ves       Chimes [added later]
               

Roosevelt Organ, Op. 515 (1892) - St. Peter's Episcopal Church - New York City (photo: John Rust)

  

Roosevelt Organ, Op. 515 (1892) - St. Peter's Episcopal Church - New York City (photo: John Rust)

   Roosevelt Organ, Op. 515 (1892) - St. Peter's Episcopal Church - New York City (photo: John Rust)

Chimes installed in the gallery

  

Roosevelt Organ Case

  

Roosevelt Console
           
  Erben Organ (ca.1838) - St. Peter's Episcopal Church - New York City
   
Henry Erben
New York City (1838?)
Mechanical key and stop action
3 manuals, 30 stops, 35? ranks





The first organ in St. Peter's Church was built by Henry Erben of New York City. Two of Erben's Opus Lists (1874 and 1880) indicate that the organ was built in 1838, yet parish records state that the Erben organ was sold to the General Seminary in 1843 for $400, and that same year a new and larger organ was purchased for $5,000. However, a September 3, 1838 entry in Philip Hone's diary mentions a visit to St. Peter's, where he found an organ which was "too large for the church." It may be that a smaller organ had been used by the church or chapel until the 1838 Erben was installed, at which time the earlier organ was sold to General Seminary. In the 1870s, L.C. Harrison rebuilt the Erben organ, but it is not known if any changes were made.

Erben Organ (ca.1838) - St. Peter's Episcopal Church - NYC (Photo: John Rust)  
In 1892, a new Roosevelt organ was installed in the chancel and the Erben organ was no longer used for services. In 1927, organist Lynnwood Farnam visited the church and recorded the following stoplist and noted the organ's vandalized state. Today, the Gothic case remains, but the gallery pews and aisles are littered with sundry organ parts and crushed pipes.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 58 notes [GG-f3, lacking GG#]
8
   Open Diapason
58
2 2/3
   Twelfth
58
8
   Violoncello
58
2
   Fifteenth
58
8
   Stop'd Diapason
58
     Sesquialtera, 2 ranks [bass]
?
8
   Melodia
58
     Cornet, 3 ranks [treble]
?
4
   Principal
58
8
   Trumpet
58
4
   Night Horn
58
        
               
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 37 notes [f-f3], enclosed
16
   Bourdon
37
4
   Flute
37
8
   Open Diapason
37
     Cornet, 3 ranks
111
8
   Stop'd Diapason
37
8
   Trumpet
37
8
   Dulciano
37
8
   Hautboy
37
4
   Principal
37
        
               
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 58 notes [GG-f3, lacking GG#]
8
   Open Diapason
58
4
   Flute
58
8
   Stop'd Diapason ?
58
2
   Fifteenth
58
8
   Dulciano
58
8
   Bassoon [bass]
12
4
   Principal
58
8
   Cremona [treble]
46
               
Pedal Organ – 25 notes [CCC-c]
16
   Double Open Diapason
30
8
   Open Diapason [wood]
30
16
   Bass Dulciano
30
        

     

     

Erben Organ (ca.1838) - St. Peter's Episcopal Church - NYC (Photo: John Rust)

  

Erben Organ (ca.1838) - St. Peter's Episcopal Church - NYC (Photo: John Rust)
           
Henry Erben
New York City
Mechanical action
2 manuals, 22 stops


The 1861 American Musical Directory stated that the organ in "St. Peter's, W. 20th st. bet Eighth and Ninth ave.," had "2 banks keys, 22 stops, 2 octaves pedals. Built by H. Erben; revoiced by Engelfried, in 1860." This organ may have been in the first building (Chapel), as related in the entry above, but the note about Engelfried revoicing the organ in 1860 could only be for the organ in the large church. Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.
           
Sources:
     American Musical Directory. New York: Thomas Hutchinson, 1861.
     Dunlap, David. From Abyssinian to Zion: A Guide to Manhattan's Houses of Worship. New York: Columbia University Press, 2004.
     Farnam, Lynnwood. "Organ Notebook" with specification of Henry Erben organ (c.1838). John de Lancie Library, The Curtis Institute of Music, Philadelphia; Sally Branca, Archivist. Courtesy Jonathan Bowen.
     Ogasapian, John. Organ Building in New York City: 1700-1900. Braintree: The Organ Literature Foundation, 1977.
     St. Peter's Episcopal Church web site: www.stpeterschelsea.com

Illustrations:
     The American Organist (Sept. 1949). Henry Erben organ case (b&w).
     Rust, John: exterior; interior; Henry Erben organ (c. 1838); Frank Roosevelt organ, Op. 515 (1892).