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First United Methodist Church
38-24 149th Street
Flushing (Queens), N.Y. 11354
http://www.fumc.net
Organ Specifications:
38-24 149th Street at 38th Avenue (since 1952)
► III/32 Casavant Frères, Op. 2523 (1959)
136-43 Roosevelt Avenue (1875-1952)
• William B. Williams (c.1889)
• unknown
Main Street, north of Washington Street (1843-1875)
• unknown
Washington Street, between Main and Union (1822-1843)
• unknown |
The first sermon preached to a Methodist congregation in the village of Flushing took place in 1820. There were only twelve persons present to hear the words of the Rev. Samuel Cochrane, who was at that time in charge of the Jamaica Circuit of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Services were held in a small dwelling on Main Street. In 1822, the congregation erected their first church, located on the south side of Washington Street, between Main and Union Streets.
This church served until 1843, when a new edifice was built on Main Street, north of Washington Street. Extensive improvements were made to the building in 1859. By the 1870s the business area of Flushing had increased to such an extent that it was decided to move the church building to a new location on Amity Street (now Roosevelt Avenue). In 1889, the church was remodeled and rebuilt, and a new organ was purchased for $5,000.
In 1952, the present buildings were dedicated by Bishop Frederick B. Newell, assisted by the Rev. Norman A. Hall, minister of the church. As the demographics of Flushing evolved after the influx of a large number of Asian immigrants, the First Methodist Church also adapted to include many Asian members. Today, the majority of the members are Korean. |
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Console as updated (2010) |
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Original Console |
Casavant Frères, Limitée
St. Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada – Opus 2523 (1959)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 33 stops, 32 ranks
The present organ was built in 1959 by Casavant Frères of Canada. Casavant installed the organ in a chamber behind the choir stalls on the left side of the chancel. The detached three-manual drawknob console is recessed in a pit on the opposite side.
In 2010, after a half century of use, the console was updated with a new solid state combination system. The number of General pistons was increased from five to fifteen, and a piston sequencer and record/playback system were added. |
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Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes
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16 |
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Quintaton |
61 |
2 2/3 |
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Fifteenth |
61 |
8 |
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Principal |
61 |
2 |
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Fourniture III ranks |
183 |
8 |
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Bourdon |
61 |
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8 |
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Erzähler |
61 |
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Great Super |
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4 |
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Octave |
61 |
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MIDI |
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2 2/3 |
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Twelfth |
61 |
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Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
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8 |
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Spitzprincipal |
68 |
8 |
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Trompette |
68 |
8 |
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Holzgedeckt |
68 |
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Schalmei |
68 |
8 |
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Salcional |
68 |
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Tremulant |
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8 |
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Voix Celeste [GG] |
61 |
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Swell Sub |
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4 |
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Gemshorn |
68 |
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Swell Super |
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2 |
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Flautino |
61 |
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MIDI |
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Plein Jeu III ranks |
183 |
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Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
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8 |
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Cor de Nuit |
68 |
1 3/5 |
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Tierce |
61 |
8 |
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Dulciana |
68 |
8 |
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Krummhorn |
68 |
4 |
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Prestant |
68 |
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Tremulant |
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4 |
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Koppelflöte |
68 |
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Choir Sub |
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2 2/3 |
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Nazard |
61 |
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Choir Super |
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2 |
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Blockflöte |
61 |
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MIDI |
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Pedal Organ – 32 notes
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16 |
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Contrebass [unit] |
56 |
4 |
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Choralbass [ext.] |
— |
16 |
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Bourdon [unit] |
44 |
16 |
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Bombarde |
44 |
16 |
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Quintaton |
GT |
8 |
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Bombarde [ext.] |
— |
8 |
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Cello [ext.] |
— |
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MIDI |
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8 |
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Bass Flute [ext.] |
— |
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Couplers
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Great to Pedal 8', 4' |
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Swell to Great 16', 8', 4' |
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Swell to Pedal 8', 4' |
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Choir to Great 16', 8', 4' |
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Choir to Pedal 8', 4' |
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Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4' |
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Adjustable Combinations
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| 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) |
| Entire Organ |
Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15 (thumb; 1-5 dup. by toe) |
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General Cancel (thumb) |
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Adjustor (thumb) |
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Reversibles
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Great to Pedal (thumb & toe) |
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Choir to Great (thumb) |
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Swell to Pedal (thumb) |
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Swell to Choir (thumb) |
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Choir to Pedal (thumb) |
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Full Organ (toe) |
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Swell to Great (thumb) |
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Piston Sequencer
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PREV (thumb & toe) |
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NEXT (thumb & toe) |
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Accessories
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Balanced Pedal to Swell |
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Chimes Volume |
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Balanced Pedal to Choir |
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Record/Playback |
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Crescendo Pedal (adjustable) |
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Indicators
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Crescendo |
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Full Organ |
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Wind |
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Voltmeter |
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William B. Williams
New York City (c.1889)
Unknown action
A New York Times article (June 17, 1894) about the Methodists in Flushing note that the building had been extensively renovated "about five years earlier," and a new organ costing $5,000 was installed. The files of Louis F. Mohr & Company, an organ service company, show that they serviced an organ built by W.B. Williams. Specifications of this organ have not yet been located. |
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Sources:
"Church Buildings Dedicated," The New York Times (Oct. 6, 1952).
"Church is 135 Years Old," The New York Times (Oct. 14, 1946).
Driscoll, James, for the Voelker Orth Museum Bird Sanctuary, and Victorian Garden. Flushing 1880-1935. Chicago: Arcadia Publishing, 2005.
"Growth of Methodism in Flushing," The New York Times (Jun. 17, 1894).
Scheer, Stanley. Factory Specification (Apr. 16, 1958) of Casavant Frères Organ, Op. 2523.
Trupiano, Larry. Organ list from the files of Louis F. Mohr & Company.
Illustrations:
Driscoll, James, for the Voelker Orth Museum Bird Sanctuary, and Victorian Garden. Flushing 1880-1935. Undated postcard of early church.
Lawson, Steven E. Exterior and interior of present church; Casavant Frères organ, Op. 2523. |
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