Clinton Avenue Congregational Church - Brooklyn, N.Y. (photo: Brooklyn Eagle, 1923 - Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn Collection)
Click on images to enlarge
Cadman Memorial Church

350 Clinton Avenue, corner Lafayette Avenue
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11238


Organ Specifications:
Present building (since 1923)
► III/31 M.P. Moller, Inc., Op. 3579 (1923)
Original building (1855-1923)
► III/39 Hilborne L. Roosevelt, Op. 293 (1885)
• III/22 E. & G.G. Hook, Op. 197 (1856)


Clinton Avenue Congregational Church - Brooklyn, N.Y. (1890 artist's rendering)  
The Cadman Memorial Church was formed in 1942 with the merger of the Clinton Avenue Community Church and Central Congregational Church. Located in the Clinton Hill area of Brooklyn, the present edifice was built in 1922-23 for the Clinton Avenue Congregational Church. Organized in 1848, the Congregational society held services in a meeting house, but within a few years had outgrown the facilities. A new church, costing about $80,000, was designed in the Romanesque style with "suggestions here and there of the gothic," and was opened for services on December 10, 1855. The church was radically altered in 1890 to designs by John R. Hinchman, who provided ampitheatre-style curved pews and galleries, and new facades on both avenues.

In 1935, during the Great Depression years, the society was joined by members of the Simpson Methodist Episcopal Church, and the federated church was renamed Clinton Avenue Community Church. In 1942, the federated society merged with Central Congregational Church, located at 25 Hancock Street, and became the Cadman Memorial Church, in honor of Dr. S. Parkes Cadman, longtime pastor of Central Congregational Church.

The Bethel Clinton Hill Seventh-day Adventist Church also shares the church facilities.
               

  Clinton Avenue Congregational Church - Brooklyn, N.Y. (photo: Brooklyn Eagle, 1923 - Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn Collection)
 
Interior, ca.1940
M.P. Möller, Inc.
Hagerstown, Md. – Opus 3579 (1923)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 42 stops, 31 ranks


From the February 1923 issue of The Diapason:
 
"The Clinton Avenue Congregational Church of Brookyn, N.Y., is to have a new three-manual organ, the contract for which has been awarded to M. P. Moller.  Walter Wild, FRCO, is the organist of the church and looks forward to the completion of the instrument.
 
"The old church, which was built sixty years ago [c.1863], was torn down last summer, the last service being held there in March, 1922.  The new church is expected to be dedicated Easter Sunday of this year.
 
"The organ specifications were drawn up by R. Huntington Woodman and Mr. Wild.  Everything looks favorable, with a fine new church, an excellent organ chamber having two arches, one opening into the chancel, 22 feet high, and a smaller one opening into the church proper."

In 2006, the organ was found to be extant.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes (7" wind pressure)
8
  Open Diapason
73
4
  Harmonic Flute
73
8
  Small Open Diapason
73
16
   Tuba Profunda (10" wind)
73
8
  Major Flute
73
8
  Tuba [ext.]
12
8
   Gamba
73
  Tremulant
8
   Gemshorn
73
 
Chimes
20 notes
4
   Octave
73
   
 
   
 
   
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed (7" wind pressure)
16
  Bourdon
73
4
  Violina [ext. Sal.]
73
8
  Open Diapason
73
  Dulciana Mixture III ranks
73
8
  Stopped Diapason
73
16
  Double Oboe
73
8
  Viole d'Orchestre
73
8
  Cornopean
73
8
  Viole Celeste
73
8
   Oboe [ext.]
12
8
   Quintadena
73
8
   Vox Humana *
73
8
   Echo Salicional
73
  Tremulant
4
   Flauto Traverso
73
     * enc. in separate box  
 
   
 
   
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed (7" wind pressure)
8
  Geigen Principal
73
4
   Celestina [ext. Dulciana]
12
8
   Melodia
73
2
   Harmonic Piccolo
73
8
   Dulciana
73
8
   Clarinet
73
8
   Flute Celeste
73
  Tremulant
4
   Flute d'Amour
73
8
   Tuba
GT
 
   
 
   
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
32
   Resultant Bass
—
8
   Bass Flute [ext.]
12
16
   Open Diapason
32
8
   Dolce Flute
SW
16
   Bourdon
32
8
   Cello (GT Gamba)
GT
16
   Dolce Bourdon
SW
16
   Tuba Profunda
GT
8
   Octave [ext.]
12
16
   Double Oboe
SW

               

Hilborne L. Roosevelt
New York City – Opus 293 (1885)
Mechanical action
3 manuals, 34 stops, 39 ranks

The following specification was recorded by F.R. Webber (1887-1963), whose "Organ Scrapbooks" are in the possession of The Organ Historical Society Archives in Princeton, N.J. When the new church was built, this organ was moved to St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church, Long Island City, by the M.P. Möller Company as Op. 3596 (1923).
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 58 notes, partially enclosed
16
   Double Open Diapason
58
2 2/3
   Octave Quint *
58
8
  Open Diapason
58
2
   Super Octave *
58
8
  Viola di Gamba
58
  Mixture, 3 & 4 ranks *
220?
8
   Doppel Flöte
58
8
   Trumpet *
58
4
   Octave
58
   
4
   Flute Harmonique
58
     * enclosed with Choir Organ  
 
   
 
   
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 58 notes, enclosed
16
  Bourdon
58
4
  Hohl Flöte
58
8
  Open Diapason
58
  Cornet, 3 ranks
174
8
  Salicional
58
8
   Cornopean
58
8
  Dolce
58
8
  Oboe
58
8
  Vox Celeste
58
8
   Vox Humana
58
8
   Stopped Diapason
58
  Tremulant
4
   Octave
58
   
 
   
 
   
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 58 notes, enclosed
8
  Open Diapason
58
4
   Gemshorn
58
8
   Keraulophon
58
4
   Flute d'Amour
58
8
   Dulciana
58
2
   Piccolo Harmonique
58
8
   Melodia
58
8
   Clarinet
58
 
   
 
   
Pedal Organ – 30 notes
16
   Open Diapason
30
16
   Bourdon
30
16
   Gamba
30
8
   Violoncello
30
               
Couplers
    Swell to Great       Swell to Pedal  
    Swell to Great Octaves       Great to Pedal  
    Choir to Great       Choir to Pedal  
    Swell to Choir          
               
Pedal Movements
    Two adjustable, affecting Great stops      
    Two adjustable, affecting Swell and Pedal stops  
    Great to Pedal Reversible      
    Balanced Swell Pedal      
    Balanced Choir Pedal      

               

E. & G.G. Hook
Boston, Mass. – Opus 197 (1856)
Mechanical action
3 manuals, 28 registers


The original organ for the Clinton Avenue Congregation Church was built by the E. & G. G. Hook Company of Boston. Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.

               
Sources:
     "Altered and Enlarged: Clinton Avenue Congregational Edifice Radically Changed," The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, November 16, 1890.
     "Churches Propose Cadman Memorial," The New York Times, November 9, 1942.
     The Diapason, February 1923. Courtesy Jeff Scofield.
     The Keraulophon, September 1978. Pub. by New York City Chapter of Organ Historical Society. Specifications of Hilborne L. Roosevelt Organ, Op. 293 (1885). Courtesy Jonathan Bowen.
     Nelson, George. Organs in the United States and Canada Database. Seattle, Wash.
     Van Pelt, William T., comp. The Hook Opus List, 1829-1916 in Facsimile. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1991.
     Webber, F.R. "Organ scrapbook" at Organ Historical Society Archives, Princeton, N.J. Specifications of Roosevelt organ, Op. 293 (1885); courtesy Jonathan Bowen.

Photos:
     The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn Collection: exterior and interior.