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  Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church - Astoria (Queens), NY
  Click on images to enlarge
Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
(Roman Catholic)

23-25 Newtown Avenue at Crescent Street
Astoria (Queens), N.Y. 11102
http://www.mountcarmelastoria.org/

Organ Specifications:
23-25 Newtown Avenue at Crescent Street (since 1873)
► II/37 Meloni & Farrier (2016)
► II/28 Eifert & Stoehr (1915)
• II/ George Jardine & Son (1873)
Trowbridge Street and Van Alst Avenue (1841-1873)
• unknown


The Parish of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is one of the oldest parishes in Long Island, having been organized in 1841. Prior to that time, Father Michael Curran, who was assigned to St. Paul's Church in Harlem, made semi-monthly trips by ferry across the East River to missions in Astoria, Flushing, Jamaica and the Rockaways. In 1835, he celebrated the first Mass in Astoria on Cambridge Street in the home of Mr. Tobin. By 1840, there were enough Catholics in Astoria to warrant the building of a Catholic church, and on August 20, Father Michael Curran organized the church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, known as St. John’s in the early days. On July 3, 1841, the trustees secured property at Trowbridge Street (26th Avenue) and Van Alst Avenue (21st Street) to build the church.The two plots of land on which the church was built came from John Shea, a New York teacher, and his wife, Mary Ann. These lot were secured for $1.00. The first Mass was said in September 1841. Subsequent land donations came from Mr. Andersen, a prominent Episcopalian, who donated a half lot, and the Riker family provided another half lot for use as the cemetery, which is still in existence. Stephen Halsey donated the stone for the foundation of the church building.
1871 building of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church - Astoria (Queens), NY  
1871 building  
Our Lady of Mount Carmel grew steadily and by 1869 the church building was inadequate. Funds were raised to purchase the current site at the corner of Newtown Avenue and Crescent Street and construction began on a new and larger church. The cornerstone was laid September 9, 1871, and the completed church was dedicated by Bishop Loughlin on August 7, 1873. On May 1, 1881, an acre adjoining the church was purchased to build a rectory. Father Walsh, pastor since 1883, oversaw construction of the school and convent on Astoria Boulevard at Crescent Street, the basement of the church, the rectory on Newtown Avenue. The parish school was opened on September 14, 1891, with 300 children and a staff of six Sisters of St Joseph of Brentwood, L.I. The Parish Center, or "Institute," a two-story and basement structure designed by F. J. Berlenbach of Brooklyn, was erected across the street from the rectory and opened in 1910.
  Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church - Astoria (Queens), NY
Father Walsh died in 1910, and was succeeded by the Rev. Charles F. Gibney in 1911. Father Gibney lengthened the church at the main entrance and behind the altar. In 1915, renovation of the church included the installation of twelve stained glass windows depicting St. Paul and eleven other apostles. Rededication took place on May 14, 1916, with Bishop Charles McDonnell and dozens of diocesan priests in attendance.

On January 30, 1951, Monsignor Kelaher presided over the groundbreaking to renovate and enlarge the rectory. Under his leadership, the new school was built on property adjacent to the rectory. It opened in September 1954, and in December of that year, the Sisters moved into the new convent. The 125th Anniversary of the parish was celebrated in 1966; at that time the parish buildings were renovated and modernized, and air conditioning was installed. Sadly, despite heroic efforts at recruitment, fundraising and alumni development, the parish school closed in June 2005, along with more than twenty others in the diocese.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel has welcomed all members of the community throughout its history. Starting in 1971, masses in the Czech and Slovak languages were offered in the Lower Church, and the Spanish Mass began in 1977.
         
  Organ Gallery - Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church - Astoria (Queens), NY
   
  Meloni & Farrier organ (2016) - Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church - Astoria (Queens), NY
Meloni & Farrier
Port Chester, N.Y. (2016)
Electro-pneumatic action
2 manuals, 35 registers, 28 stops, 37 ranks






In 2015, Meloni & Farrier was contracted to build a new organ.The project was originally intended by the church to be a restoration. After careful examination and consideration, it was decided by Meloni & Farrier that an effectively new instrument should be installed. Two ranks of the original 1871 Jardine were found to be worth keeping, as they were the only complete original ranks.

Most of the instrument consists of new or repurposed pipework, All windchests were constructed new and utilize either electric slider or electro-pneumatic systems. The windchests which accommodate the large Double Open Diapason (10 pipes wood, 20 pipes zinc) were built in 1915 and were rebuilt with new electro-pneumatic actions.

The organ was completed in December 2016. The dedication recital will take place in May 2017.
               
Great Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes
16
   Principal (1-12 from 1915)
61
2
   Fifteenth
61
8
   Open Diapason
61
  Mixture IV ranks
244
8
   Rohr Flute
61
  Cornet V ranks (c13-d51)
195
8
   Bell Gamba
61
8
   Trumpet
61
4
   Octave
61
  Tremulant
4
   Flute Harmonique
61
8
  
Trompette en Chamade
preparation
 
     
 
     
Swell Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
   Gedeckt (1-12 from 1915)
61
2
   Piccolo
61
8
  Violin Diapason
61
1 3/5
   Tierce
61
8
   Bourdon
61
  Mixture III ranks
183
8
   Salicional
61
16
   Basson (ext. Oboe)
12
8
   Voix Celeste (TC)
49
8
   Trompette Harmonique
61
4
   Principal
61
8
   Oboe
61
4
   Gedeckt
61
8
   Cromorne
61
2 2/3
   Nazard
61
  Tremulant
               
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
32
   Resultant
—
8
  Violoncello
32
16
   Double Open Diapason
32
4
   Choral Bass
32
16
   Principal
GT
16
   Double Trumpet (ext. GT)
12
16
   Bourdon
44
8
   Trumpet
GT
16
   Gedeckt
SW
4
   Clarion
SW
8
   Bourdon (fr. 16')
—
   
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal 8', 4'   Great to Great 4'
    Swell to Pedal 8', 4'   Swell to Swell 4'
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'   Tutti
               
Adjustable Combinations (128 levels of memory)
    General Pistons 1-10
               
Piston Sequencer
    Next & Prev pistons (thumb & toe)
               
Pedal Movements
    Balanced Swell Pedal    
    Crescendo Pedal  
               
Accessories
    Transposer          
    Record/Playback          
           
  Eifert & Stoehr organ - Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church - Astoria (Queens), NY
Eifert & Stoehr
Steinway, L.I. (1915)
Tubular-pneumatic action
2 manuals, 25 registers, 24 stops, 28 ranks


In 1915, Eifert & Stoehr of Steinway, L.I., built a new organ with tubular-pneumatic action. In the 1950s, the tubular-pneumatic chests were discarded in the 1950s and replaced with Klann direct-electric chests. The following specification was recorded (Nov. 4, 1972) in an "Organ Notebook" by Charles Scharpenger, an organ serviceman in the area. Scharpenger noted that the organ was divided and had a detached console.
               
Great Organ (Manual I) – 58 notes
16
   Double Diapason
58
4
   Principal
58
8
   Open Diapason
58
2 2/3
   Twelfth
58
8
   Gamba
58
2
   Fifteenth
58
8
   Crialophone [sic] *
58
     Mixture, 3 ranks
174
8
   Dulciana
58
8
   Trumpet
58
4
   Harmonic Flute
58
    
* "Melodia" is written to the right
 
     
 
     
Swell Organ (Manual II) – 58 notes, enclosed
16
   Bourdon
58
4
   Flute
58
8
  Open Diapason
58
4
  Violina
58
8
   Gedeckt
58
     Cornet, 3 ranks
174
8
   Viol d'Amour
58
8
   Bassoon
12
8
   Vox Celeste
58
8
   Oboe (TC)
46
8
   Aeoline
58
     Tremolo  
               
Pedal Organ – 30 notes
16
   Double Open Diapason
30
8
  Violoncello
30
16
   Bourdon
30
        
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal 8', 4'    
    Swell to Pedal 8', 4'    
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'    
               
Adjustable Combinations
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4 affecting Great Organ stops
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4 affecting Swell Organ stops
               
Pedal Movements
    Balanced Swell Pedal       Great to Pedal Reversible
    Crescendo Pedal  
         
George Jardine & Son
New York City (1873)
Mechanical action
2 manuals


The first organ in the present church was built ca. 1873 by George Jardine & Son of New York City. Specifications of this organ have not yet been located.
           
Sources:
     The Catholic Church in the United States of America: Undertaken to Celebrate the Golden Jubilee of His Holiness, Pope Pius X, Vol. III (New York: The Catholic Editing Company, 1914).
     LaRose, Matt, Stephen Leone, and Richard Melnick. Long Island City (Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2007).
     Meloni, Anthony. Specification of Meloni & Farrier organ (2015).
     Our Lady of Mount Carmel website: http://www.mountcarmelastoria.org/
     Scharpenger, Charles. "Organ Notebook" (Nov. 4, 1972) with specifications of George Jardine & Son Organ (c.1873) as rebuilt by Eifert & Stoehr (1915). Courtesy Larry Trupiano.

Illustrations:
     Google.com street view. Exterior.
     Meloni, Anthony. Photos (2017) of interior, organ gallery, Meloni & Farrier organ console.
     Our Lady of Mount Carmel website. 1871 church exterior.
           
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