Waldorf=Astoria Hotel - New York City


	The Waldorf=Astoria Hotel with St. Bartholomew's Church in the foreground.

	photo by Richard Averill Smith (1935)

Waldorf=Astoria Hotel

301 Park Avenue at 49th Street
New York, N.Y. 10022
www.waldorfastoria.com

Organ Specifications:
301 Park Avenue at 49th Street (since 1931)
► IV/75 M.P. Möller, Inc., Op. 5795 (1931) – Grand Ballroom
► III/22 M.P. Möller, Inc., Op. 5796 (1931) – Le Perroquet Suite
Fifth Avenue at 34th Street (1893-1929)
► II/20 Estey Organ Company, Op. 1692 (1919)
► II/15 Estey Organ Company, Op. 822 (1910)


Old Waldorf=Astoria Hotel

The roots of this New York institution go back to 1893, when millionaire William Waldorf Astor opened the 13-story Waldorf Hotel on the former site of his mansion at Fifth Avenue and 33rd Street. A private bathroom in every guest chamber and electricity throughout were two on a long list of Waldorf firsts.

Four years later, the Waldorf was joined by the 17-story Astoria Hotel, erected on an adjacent site by Waldorf's cousin, John Jacob Astor IV. The corridor connecting the two buildings became an enduring symbol of the combined Waldorf and Astoria hotels, represented by the quirky "=" the Waldorf=Astoria uses instead of a hyphen in its official logo. In 1929 the original Waldorf=Astoria was demolished to make way for the Empire State Building.

The new hotel cost $42 million and was the largest and tallest hotel at the time, having 1,852 rooms and 42 stories.






	Dr. Sigfrid Karg-Elert at the Möller Organ in the Waldorf=Astoria Hotel

M.P. Möller, Inc.
Hagerstown, Md. – Opus 5795 (1931)
Electro-pneumatic action
Equipped with Artiste Reproducing Roll Player
4 manuals, 98 registers, 63 stops, 75 ranks

In 1931, the M.P. Möller Company built a large organ, Op. 5795, for the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf=Astoria Hotel on Park Avenue. The organ had 76 ranks controlled by a movable four-manual drawknob console or an Artiste Reproducing Roll Player. A 25 h.p. Kinetic blower provided the wind.

Dr. Sigfrid Karg-Elert, the noted German organist, dedicated the organ on January 6, 1932. A series of Sunday inaugural afternoon recitals was given by organists Warren D. Allen, Edward Eigenschenk, Fernando Germani, Rollo F. Maitland, and Alexander McCurdy.

In 1952, the organ was removed and rebuilt for installation in Montclair State College (now Montclair State University) in Montclair, N.J.

Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed (6" wind pressure)

Violone

2 2/3

Octave Quint

Major Diapason

Super Octave

Minor Diapason

Mixture V ranks

305

Violone (fr. 16')

—

Trombone

Major Flute

Tromba

Harmonic Flute ^

Clarion (fr. 16')

—

Violoncello

Tremulant

Violoncello Celeste

Harp [Deagan]

61 bars

Gemshorn

Harp

Gemshorn Celeste

Chimes [Deagan]

25 bells

Octave

Piano [Knabe]

73 notes

Violone Octave (fr. 16')

—

Piano

73 notes

Harmonic Flute (fr. 8')

—

Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed (8" wind pressure)

Bass Violin

2 2/3

Nazard (fr. 16' Bdn) ^

Bourdon

Fifteenth (fr. 16' Bdn) ^

Geigen Diapason

1 3/5

Tierce (fr. 16' Bdn) ^

Stopped Diapason (fr. 16')

—

Cornet IV ranks [draws ^ stops]

Traverse Flute

Double Trumpet

Solo Violins II ranks

146

Orchestral Trumpet

First Violin

Oboe d'Amore

First Violin Celeste II ranks

146

English Horn

Second Violins

Vox Humana

Muted Violins

Clarion

Muted Violins Celeste

Tremulant

Geigen Octave

Xylophone [Deagan]

49 bars

Harmonic Flute

Xylophone

—

Stopped Flute (fr. 16')

—

Chimes

Violin (fr. 16')

—

Piano

Dolce Violin II ranks (fr. 8')

—

Piano

Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed (8" wind pressure)

English Diapason

Viole Cornet III ranks

183

Concert Flute

Clarinet

Quintadena

Orchestral Oboe

Dulciana

Tremulant

Unda Maris (TC)

Orchestral Bells

37 bars

Violin

Xylophone

Violin Celeste II ranks

134

Harp

Violas II ranks

134

Harp

Chimney Flute

Chimes

Violas II ranks (fr. 8')

—

Piano

2 2/3

Flute Twelfth

Piano

Flageolet (fr. 4' Ch. Fl)

—

Solo Organ (Manual IV) – 61 notes, enclosed (12" wind pressure)

Contra Tibia Clausa

Post Horn

Stentorphone

French Horn

Tibia Clausa (fr. 16')

—

Solo Vox Humana

Orchestral Cellos II ranks

122

Tremulant

Orchestral Violins II ranks

122

Xylophone

Tibia Octave (fr. 16')

—

Xylophone

2 2/3

Tibia Twelfth (fr. 16')

—

Chimes

Solo Piccolo (fr. 16')

—

Piano

Tuba Mirabilis

Piano

Pedal Organ – 32 notes (8" wind pressure)

Resultant

—

Violin

Open Diapason

Viole Dolce (fr. 16')

—

Viole Diaphone

Tibia Clausa

Violone

Flute (fr. 16' Bdn)

—

Bass Violin

Gedeckt (fr. 16')

—

Viole Dolce

Super Octave (fr. 16')

—

Tibia Clausa

Flute (fr. 16' Bdn)

—

Bourdon

Bombarde

Gedeckt

Trombone

Lieblich Gedeckt

Trumpet

Octave (fr. 16')

—

Tuba

Violone

Trombone

Violoncellos II ranks

Clarion

Couplers

"38 Couplers"

Adjustable Combinations

Solo Organ	Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6-0 (thumb)
Swell Organ	Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6-0 (thumb)
Great Organ	Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6-0 (thumb)
Choir Organ	Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6-0 (thumb)
Pedal Organ	Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6-0 (thumb)
Full Organ	Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6-0 (thumb)

Mechanicals

Reversibles:

On or Offs:

Great to Pedal

Gt. Diapasons

Swell to Pedal

Reg. Crescendo

Full Organ

All Shutters to Swell Shoe

Chime Dampers

Cancels:

Harp Dampers

Percussion

Piano Dampers are operated by

16' Couplers

pressure device attached to

the Great shoe.

Expression

Balanced Pedal – Great

Balanced Pedal – Solo

Balanced Pedal – Swell

Grand Crescendo Pedal

Balanced Pedal – Choir


	A room in Le Perroquet Suite (1935)

M.P. Möller, Inc.
Hagerstown, Md. – Opus 5796 (1931)
Electro-pneumatic action
Equipped with Artiste Reproducing Roll Player
3 manuals, 44 registers, 21 stops, 22 ranks

Along with the large organ for the Grand Ballroom, M.P. Möller was commissioned in 1931 to build a three-manual organ with 22 ranks, and an Artiste Reproducing Roll Player. This organ was installed in the three-room "Le Perroquet Suite" used for smaller social events and located on the fourth floor. In 1952, the organ was removed from the hotel, after which it was rebuilt and enlarged by Möller (as Op. R-442) with a new four-manual console for installation in Salem Methodist Episcopal Church, Manhattan, where it is extant. The original three-manual theatre-style console was acquired by the American Organ Institute (University of Oklahoma, Norman, Okla.) where it controls a portion of Möller's Op. 5819, originally in Convention Hall, Philadelphia.

Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed with Choir

Open Diapason

Harmonic Flute

Doppel Flute

Flute (fr. Con. Fl.)

—

Concert Flute

Piccolo (fr. Con. Fl.)

—

Viola

Tromba

Viola Dolce

Tremulant

Vox Angelica

Harp [Deagan]

61 bars

Octave (fr. Eng. Diap.)

Chimes

21 tubes

Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed

Bass Flute

Orchestral Flute (fr. 16')

—

Geigen Principal

Violin (fr. Orch. Violin)

—

Traverse Flute (fr. 16')

—

2 2/3

Flute Twelfth (fr. 16')

—

Orchestral Violin II ranks

134

Flautina (fr. 16')

—

Violin

Oboe

Salicional

Vox Humana

Vox Celeste (TC)

Tremulant

Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed

English Diapason

2 2/3

Flute Quint (fr. Con. Fl.)

Concert Flute

Piccolo (fr. Con. Fl.)

Viola

French Horn

Viola Celeste (TC)

Clarinet

Viole Dolce

Tremulant

Vox Angelica

Harp (TC)

Flute (fr. Con. Fl.)

Harp

Pedal Organ – 32 notes

Resultant

—

Viola

Violone

Dolce Flute

Bourdon (ext. GT Dop. Fl.)

Vox Angelica

Lieblich Gedeckt

Tromba

Major Flute (Dop. Fl.)

Couplers

Normal compliment of couplers

Mechanicals

Chime Dampers

Crescendo Indicator

Harp Dampers

Adjustable Combinations

Swell Organ	Pistons 1-2-3-4-5 (thumb)
Great Organ	Pistons 1-2-3-4-5 (thumb)
Choir Organ	Pistons 1-2-3-4-5 (thumb)
Pedal Organ	Pistons 1-2-3-4-5 (thumb)
Full Organ	Pistons 1-2-3-4-5 (thumb)

Pedal Movements

Balanced Pedal – Great-Choir Organ

Great to Pedal Reversible

Balanced Pedal – Swell Organ

Sforzando Pedal

Grand Crescendo Pedal

Organ in Waldorf=Astoria Hotel located at Fifth Avenue at 34th Street: Estey Organ Company Brattleboro, Vt. – Opus 1692 (1919) Electro-pneumatic action 2 manuals, 19 registers, 18 stops, 20 ranks

Great Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
8	First Open Diapason	61	8	Unda Maris (TC)	49
8	Second Open Diapason	61	8	Clarinet	61
8	Gamba	61	8	Tuba	61
8	Clarabella	61		Tremolo

Swell Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed
16	Double Dulciana	61		Flute Mixture, 3 ranks	183
8	Salicional	61	8	Cornopean	61
8	Vox Celeste (TC)	49	8	Oboe	61
8	Concert Flute	61		Tremolo
4	Traverse Flute	61

Pedal Organ – 30 notes
16	Double Open [FF]	30	16	Dulciana	SW
16	Bourdon [MF]	30	4	Choralflute	30


	Waldorf=Astoria Ballroom (1917)

Organ in Waldorf=Astoria Hotel located at Fifth Avenue at 34th Street:

Estey Organ Company
Brattleboro, Vt. – Opus 822 (1910)
Electro-pneumatic action
2 manuals, 16 registers, 13 stops, 15 ranks

The first known organ to be installed in the hotel was originally built for the residence of George C. Boldt. The Estey Shop Order for this organ shows that the mahogany console was detached and movable. A "New Style" A.G.O. pedalboard with 32 notes was provided.

Great Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed

Dulciana

Dolce (fr. 16')

—

Open Diapason

Flauto Traverso

Concert Flute

Clarinet

Swell Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed

Grand Flute (fr. Ped. O.D.)

Flute d'Amour

Salicional

Echo Cornet III ranks

183

Voix Celeste (TC)

Horn

Echo Muted Viol

Pedal Organ – 32 notes

Open Diapason

Flauto Dolce (fr. Con. Fl.)

Dulciana

Couplers

Swell to Pedal 8', 4'

Swell to Swell 16', 4', Release

Great to Pedal 8'

Great to Great 16', 4', Release

Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'

Accessories

Balanced Swell Pedal for Great

Great Organ Tremolo

Balanced Swell Pedal for Swell

Sforzando Pedal

Sources:
     "A New Waldorf Against the Sky", Old and Sold Antiques Digest, 1931.
     American Organ Institute website: http://aoi.ou.edu/
     The American Organist (unknown date). Specification of M.P. Möller organ, Op. 5796 (1931). Courtesy Jonathan Bowen.
     Comet, Jason. Electronic correspondence regarding Waldorf=Astoria organs.
     The Diapason (Feb. 1, 1932). Specification of M.P. Möller organ, Op. 5766 (1931). Courtesy Jonathan Bowen.
     Estey Pipe Organs website: http://esteyorgan.com. Specifications of Estey organ, Op. 822 (1910).
     Junchen, David L. Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ, Vol. 2. Pasadena: Showcase Publications, 1985.
     Leonard, Laurence W. Stoplist of Estey Organ, Op. 1692 (1919).
     Smith, Richard Averill. The Waldorf-Astoria. New York: Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, 1935.
     Stimmel, Phil. Estey Organ Company Shop Order with specification of Estey Organ, Op. 822 (1910).
     Trupiano, Larry. Factory Specification of M.P. Möller organ, Op. 5796 (1931).

Illustrations:
     The American Organist (July 1946): Console of M.P. Möller organ, Op. 5795 (1931).
     The Diapason (Nov. 1, 1931): Console of M.P. Möller organ, Op. 5795 (1931). Courtesy Larry Trupiano.
     Lewis, James. Photo (1917) of Ballroom and Estey Organ, Op. 822 (1910).
     Smith, Richard Averill. The Waldorf-Astoria. Exterior and Le Perroquet Suite (1935).

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