Tompkins Avenue Congregational Church - Brooklyn, N.Y. (photo ca.1950: Brooklyn Daily Eagle; Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn Collection)
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First A.M.E. Zion Church

54 McDonough Street at Tompkins Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11216

Organ Specifications:
54 McDonough Street at Tompkins Avenue (since 1947)
• IV/ Allen Organ Company electronic
► IV/46 Ernest M. Skinner Company, Op. 145 (1907)
Bridge Street and Mrytle Avenue (1905-1947)
• unknown
Fleet Street near Myrtle Avenue (1885-1905)
• unknown



Tompkins Avenue Congregational Church - Brooklyn, N.Y. (photo, ca.1939: courtesy Eric Birk)  
The First African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Zion Church of Brooklyn has worshiped since the 1940s in the former Tompkins Avenue Congregational Church.
           
Allen Organ Company
Macungie, Penn.
Electronic tonal production
4 manuals


Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.
           
  Ernest M. Skinner Organ, Op. 145 (1907) at Tompkins Avenue Congregational Church - Brooklyn, N.Y. (photo: Dave Schutt)
Ernest M. Skinner Company
Boston, Mass. – Opus 145 (1907)
Electro-pneumatic action
4 manuals, 56 stops, 46 ranks




In 1907, Ernest M. Skinner Company of Boston installed a four-manual-and-pedal organ in Tompkins Avenue Church. Skinner retained the existing case and 28 ranks from the previous Midmer organ, and also installed an early example of his Orchestral Oboe stop. The organ was played from a compact four-manual "bat-wing" console, its nickname derived from the hinged stop jambs ("wings") on each side that could be positioned at the desired angle; when the jambs were pulled close to the keyboards, a roll-top cover could be closed over the keyboards. Due to their compactness, many of the "bat-wing" consoles (such as those built by Geo. S. Hutchings) did not have enough room for drawknob actions that could be moved by the combinations. However, for this organ Skinner was able to have the knobs visibly move when a combination was engaged.

The organ was dedicated on March 2, 1908 by Clarence Eddy, who was then the organist and choirmaster of the church. Marcel Dupré presented his last American concert of 1937 on this organ, performing Bach's Fantasy and Fugue in G minor; the Allegro from Handel's Organ Concerto No. 10; Mozart's Fantasy in F minor; Sowerby's "Comes Autumn Time," and works of Saint-Saëns, Mendelssohn, Reger, Russell, Schubert and Dupré.

As of 2006, the organ was extant but unplayable.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes
16
   Bourdon (wood)
61
8
   Erzahler
61
8
   First Diapason
61
4
   Octave
61
8
   Second Diapason
61
4
   Flute
61
8
   Gross Floete (wood)
61
16
   Ophecleide
SO
8
   Gedackt (wood)
61
8
   Harmonic Tuba
SO
8
   Gamba
61
4
   Harmonic Clarion
SO

     

     
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
   Bourdon (wood)
61
4
   Octave
61
8
   First Diapason
61
4
   Flute
61
8
   Second Diapason
61
4
   Violin
61
8
   Spitz Floete
61
2
   Flautino
61
8
   Stopped Diapason
61
     Solo Mixture III ranks
183
8
   Aeoline
61
16
   Trumpet
61
8
   Salicional
61
8
   Cornopean
61
8
   Voix Celestes
61
8
   Oboe
61
8
   Dulcet II ranks
122
8
   Vox Humana
61
8
   Quintadena
61
4
   Clarion
61
8
   Gross Floete (wood)
61
     Tremolo  
               
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed with Solo
8
   Diapason
61
2
   Piccolo
61
8
   Melodia (wood)
61
8
   Clarinet
61
8
   Dulciana
61
8
   Orchestral Oboe
61
8
   Unda Maris
61
 
   Tremolo  
4
   Flute
61
        
               
Solo Organ (Manual IV) – 61 notes, enclosed with Choir
8
   Philomela
61
4
   Harmonic Clarion [ext.]
—
16
   Ophecleide [ext.]
—
     Chimes  
8
   Harmonic Tuba [unit]
85
        

             
Pedal Organ – 30 notes
32
   Diapason (wood)
54
8
   Gedackt [ext.]
—
16
   Diapason [ext.]
—
8
   'Cello [ext.]
—
16
   First Bourdon (wood)
42
16
   Ophecleide
SO
16
   Second Bourdon
GT
8
   Harmonic Tuba
SO
16
   Violone (wood)
42
4
   Harmonic Clarion
SO
8
   Octave [ext.]
—
        
               
Couplers
    Swell to Pedal 8', 4'   Solo to Swell
    Great to Pedal   Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4'
    Choir to Pedal   Solo to Choir
    Solo to Pedal   Swell to Swell 16', 4'
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'   Choir to Choir 16', 4'
    Choir to Great 16', 8', 4'   Solo to Solo 16', 4'
    Solo to Great 16', 8, 4'      
               
Combinations (All adjustable at console and visibly operating the stops)
   
Swell Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6-0
Great Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-0
Choir Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-0
Solo Organ Pistons 1-2-3-0
Pedal Organ Pistons 1-2-3-0
               
Pedal Movements
    Balanced Swell Pedal   Reversible Great to Pedal
    Balanced Choir Pedal   Reversible Pedal for Swell Tremolo
    Balanced Crescendo Pedal   Sforzando Pedal
           
Sources:
     Aeolian-Skinner Archives web site: http://aeolian-skinner.110mb.com/. Stoplist of Skinner Organ, Op. 145.
     Allen Organ Studios, Inc. (Mineola, NY) web site: http://www.allenorgans-nyc.com/. Allen Organ specifications.
     "Dupre Recital Tonight," article in The New York Times (Dec 3, 1937).
     Holden, Dorothy. The Life and Work of Ernest M. Skinner. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1987.
     Kinzey, Allen, and Sand Lawn, comps. E.M. Skinner/Aeolian-Skinner Opus List. New Rev. Ed. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1997.
     Stiles, Henry R. History of the City of Brooklyn. Including the Old Town and Village of Brooklyn, The Town of Bushwick, and The Village and City of Williamsburgh. 1867-70.
     Trupiano, Larry. Factory Specifications of Ernest M. Skinner organ, Op. 145 (1907).
     Wong, Jai Lin. A History of Bedford-Stuyvesant. Excerpted on NYC Architecture Images web site: http://www.nyc-architecture.com/BES/BedStuy.htm

Illustrations:
     Brooklyn Daily Eagle photos from Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn Collection.
     Birk, Eric. Photo of interior.
     Schutt, Dave. Console of Ernest M. Skinner organ, Op. 145 (1907).