St. Luke's Episcopal Church - Forest Hills (Queens), NY
St. Luke's Church
(Episcopal)

85 Greenway South
Forest Hills (Queens), N.Y. 11375
http://www.stlukesforesthills.org


Organ Specifications:
► II/25 Gress-Miles Organ Company, Op. 57 (1975)
► III/24 Austin Organ Company, Op. 1636 (1928)


Saint Luke's parish began in 1913 with fifteen people meeting in an upper room on Station Square in Forest Hills, above what was then the local post office. From there it moved on to Sunday morning services in different people's homes, and then in 1916 to a temporary wooden chapel, which was replaced in 1924 by the present 13th century English Gothic brick building, designed by Robert Tappen, a member of the congregation.
               
  Gress-Miles Organ, Op. 57 (1975) in St. Luke's Episcopal Church - Forest Hills (Queens), N.Y.
Gress-Miles Organ Company
Princeton, N.J. – Opus 57 (1975)
Electro-pneumatic key action
2 manuals, 35 stops, 25 ranks



In 1975 a new organ was built by the Gress-Miles Organ Company of Princeton, N.J. Several ranks from the 1928 Austin organ were retained and reworked, and the old chamber was rebuilt with a new opening facing the nave to better project sound. Gress-Miles provided a two-manual rocker tab console that can be moved to the center of the chancel for recital use. The organ was designed in consultation with Harriet Morin, organist and choirmaster of the church, and Leonard Raver, who also played the dedicatory recital.
               
Great Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes
8
   Principal [1-12 from PED]
49
2
   Rohrpfeife [ext. 8']
24
8
   Rohrfloete
61
     Mixture IV-V ranks [1-20 PED]
201
8
   Salicional
SW
8
   Trompette
SW
8
   Voix Celeste [TC]
SW
    
Chimes *  
4
   Octave
61
    
* existing Schulmerich

 

      

 

      
Swell Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Holzgedeckt
61
1 3/5
   Terz [TC]
49
8
   Salicional
61
1 1/3
   Quintfloete
12
8
   Voix Celeste [TC]
49
1
  Superoctave
—
4
   Flute Octaviante
61
     Scharf III-IV ranks
232
4
   Salicional
12
     Kunstzimbel I rank
—
4
   Octave Celeste
12
8
   Trompette
61
2 2/3
   Nasat [TC]
49
4
   Clairon
12
2
   Octave
61
     Tremulant  

     

     
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
32
   Acoustic Bass II ranks
—
2
   Superoctave
12
16
   Subbass
32
     Mixture III-IV ranks
116
8
   Principal
32
32
   Basse de Cornet III ranks
—
8
   Rohrgedeckt
GT
16
   Basson [ext. SW]
12
5 1/3
  Quint Floete
GT
8
   Trompette
SW
4
   Octave
12
4
   Clairon
SW
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal       Swell to Great  
    Swell to Pedal       Swell Octaves Graves  
               
Adjustable Combinations
   
Great Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb; 5-6 dup. by toe)
Swell Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb; 5-6 dup. by toe)
Pedal Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6 (toe)
General Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 (thumb & toe)
               
Reversibles
    Great to Pedal (thumb & toe)   Swell to Great (thumb & toe)
    Swell to Pedal (thumb & toe)   Tutti (toe)
               
Pedal Movements
    Balanced Swell Pedal    
               
Austin Organ Company
Hartford, Conn. – Opus 1636 (1928)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 30 stops, 24 ranks


The first organ for St. Luke's Church was a three-manual instrument built in 1928 by the Austin Organ Company. The following specifications were recorded (Feb. 2, 1974) by organbuilder Larry Trupiano of Brooklyn.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed with Choir
8
   First Open Diapason *
61
4
   Octave
61
8
   Second Open Diapason
61
4
   Harmonic Flute
61
8
   Gross Flute
61
8
   Tuba
61
8
   Gemshorn
61
     Chimes [Deagan Class A]  

 

      

 

  
* unenclosed
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
   Bourdon [unit]
97
2
   Piccolo
—
8
   Open Diapason
61
8
   Cornopean
61
8
   Stopped Diapason
—
8
   Corno d'Amour
61
8
   Salicional
61
8
   Oboe
61
8
   Vox Celeste [TC]
49
8
   Vox Humana [sep. box]
61
8
   Aeoline
61
     Tremulant  
4
   Flute
—
        

     

     
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Geigen
61
8
   Clarinet
61
8
   Concert Flute
61
     Tremulant  
8
   Flute Celeste [TC]
49
    
Harp [TC]
—
8
   Dolce
61
    
Celesta
61 bars
4
   Flauto Traverso
61
        
               
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
16
   Open Diapason
32
8
   Flauto Dolce
—
16
   Bourdon
44
16
   Tuba Profunda [ext. GT]
12
16
   Lieblich Gedeckt
SW
        
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal 8'   Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4'
    Swell to Pedal 8', 4'   Great to Great 16', Unison Off, 4'
    Choir to Pedal 8'   Swell to Swell 16', Unison Off, 4'
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'   Choir to Choir 16', Unison Off, 4'
    Choir to Great 16', 8', 4'    
               
Adjustable Combinations
   
Great Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 (thumb)
Swell Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 (thumb)
Choir Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 (thumb)
Pedal Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6 (toe)
Full Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 (thumb & toe)
               
Accessories
    Balanced Swell Pedal   Sforzando Reversible
    Balanced Great-Choir Pedal    
    Crescendo Pedal    
               
Sources:
     The American Organist (Dec. 1975). Specifications of Gress-Miles Organ Co. organ, Op. 57 (1975).
     Bischof, Justin. Specifications of Gress-Miles Organ Co. organ, Op. 57 (1975).
     Ochse, Orpha. Austin Organs. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 2001.
     St. Luke's Church web site: http://www.stlukesforesthills.org/
     Stokes, William. Electronic corresp. (Oct. 6, 2011) with details of Gress-Miles Organ Co. organ, Op. 57 (1975).
     Trupiano, Larry. Specifications of Austin Organ Company organ, Op. 1636 (1928).
     Trupiano, Larry. Specifications of Gress-Miles Organ Co. organ, Op. 57 (1975) from Dedication Program.

Illustrations:
     Gress-Miles Organ Company advertisement, The American Organist (Sep. 1975). Console and pipes.
     St. Luke's Church web site. Exterior.