click on images to enlarge Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church 85 South Oxford Street at Lafayette Avenue Brooklyn, N.Y. 11217 http://www.lapcbrooklyn.org Organ Specifications: 85 South Oxford Street at Lafayette Avenue (since 1862) ► IV/56 Austin Organs Inc., Op. 302-A (reb. 1968) ► IV/46 Austin Organ Company, Op. 302 (1911) ► III/41 Hook & Hastings Co., Op. 1313 (1886) • III/42 William A. Johnson, Op. 164 (1864) Carlton Avenue near DeKalb Avenue (1857-1862) • Geo. Jardine & Son (<1863) The Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church in the historic Fort Greene section of Brooklyn was founded in 1857. Brooklyn was then one of the largest cities in the country, not to become a borough of New York City until January 1, 1898. At the time, the issue of slavery dominated the national debate, and the church was known from the outset as a “temple of abolition.” The early leadership and congregation, although mostly white, staked out a position squarely on the side of racial progress. They sometimes provided a meeting space for outspoken abolitionists, including Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman. Escaped slaves were provided shelter in the tunnels deep below the building. Today, the multi-racial and multi-cultural church serves a thriving community, and was named as one of the 300 Outstanding Protestant churches in the US by the Lily Endowment.   Exterior in 1906     The church's interior is notable for its mahogany panelling and 13 stained-glass windows designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany. In the 1970s, the church commissioned Hank Prussing, a young artist from the Pratt Institute, to paint a giant mural around the upper balcony, reflecting the diversity of the community and the church. Prussing went out into the streets and took photographs of the neighborhood people and activity, which he used in painting the massive swirling sea of community life titled, “Mighty Cloud of Witnesses,” a phrase from the letter to the Hebrews.                 Austin Organs Inc. Hartford, Conn. – Opus 302-A (1910) New console (1958); specifications as rebuilt (1968) Electro-pneumatic action 4 manuals, 59 stops, 56 ranks The organ at Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church today is based on the original 1910 instrument built by the Austin Organ Company. A new console was added in 1958, and in 1968 the disposition of the organ was altered and new stops added. The console was moved to the Sanctuary floor in the mid-1970s.                 Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes 16   Diapason [façade] 61 2 2/3   Twelfth 61 8   Principal 61  2   Fifteenth 61 8   Harmonic Flute 61     Mixture IV ranks 244 8   Viole d'Amour 61 8   Trumpet 61 4   Octave 61 4   Clarion [ext.] 12 4   Doppelflöte 61                   Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Bourdon 73   Sesquialtera II ranks 122 8   Geigen Diapason 73     Plein Jeu III ranks 183 8   Rohrgedeckt 73  16   Fagotto 73 8   Salicional 73 8   Trompette 73 8   Voix Celeste [TC] 61 8   Hautbois 73 4   Principal 73 8   Vox Humana 73 4   Flauto Traverso 73 4   Chalumeau 73 2   Flautino 61   Tremulant               Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Contra Gamba 73 2 2/3   Nazard 61 8   Gedeckt 73 2   Blockflöte 61 8   Dolce 73 1 3/5   Tierce 61 8   Dolce Celeste 61 8   Krummhorn 61 4   Koppelflöte 73 8   Trumpet GT 4   Quintaton 73     Tremulant               Positiv Organ (Manual IV) – 61 note chests, unenclosed 8   Nason Flute 61 1   Sifflöte 61 4   Nachthorn 61   Cymbel III ranks 183 2   Principal 61   Tremulant   1 1/3   Larigot 61   Chimes                   Pedal Organ – 32 notes 32   Resultant — 4   Principal [ext.] 12 16   Open Diapason 32  4   Bourdon [ext.] 12 16   Bourdon 32   Mixture III ranks 96 16   Violone 32 16   Trumpet [ext.] GT 16   Gamba CH 16   Fagotto SW 16   Lieblich SW 8   Trumpet GT 8   Principal 32 4   Krummhorn CH 8   Bourdon [ext.] 12   Chimes PO 8   Dulciana CH                       Austin Organ Company Hartford, Conn. – Opus 302 (1910) Electro-pneumatic action 4 manuals, 50 stops, 46 ranks In 1910, the Austin Organ Company of Hartford, Conn. built a new organ for Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian, retaining the original mahogany case and several ranks from the previous organ, a Hook & Hastings of 1886.                 Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes 16   Major Diapason [façade] 61 8   Gamba 61 8   Principal Diapason 61 8   Doppel Flute 61       [large scale] 4   Octave 61 8   Small Diapason 61 4   Harmonic Flute 61 8   Viole d'Amour 61 8   Trumpet 61             Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Bourdon 73 2   Flageolet [from Cornet] — 8   Diapason Phonon 73   Dolce Cornet 3, 4 & 5 ranks ? 8   Stopped Flute 73 16   Contra Fagotto 73 8   Clarabella 73 8   Cornopean 73 8   Salicional 73 8   Vox Humana * 73 8   Voix Celeste [TC] 61   Tremulant 8   Aeoline 73       4   Flauto Traverso 73   * valve tremulant & separate box             Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Contra Viole 73 8   Unda Maris [TC] 61 8   Geigen Principal 73 4   Flute d'Amour 73 8   Concert Flute 73 2   Piccolo 61 8   Quintadena 73 8   Clarinet 73 8   Dulciana 73   Tremulant               Solo Organ (Manual IV) – 61 notes, enclosed 8   Grand Diapason 73 8   Tuba Harmonic [ext.] 12 8   Flauto Major 73 8   Orchestral Oboe 73 8   Gross Gamba 73 4   Tuba Clarion [ext.] 12 4   Flute Ouverte 73   Tremulant   16   Tuba Profunda 73   Chimes 25 tubes                 Pedal Organ – 32 notes 32   Magnaton 32 8   Violoncello SO 16   Open Diapason 32 8   Dulciana CH 16   Bourdon 32 16   Tuba Profunda SO 16   Violone 32 16   Contra Fagotto SW 16   Lieblich Gedeckt SW 8   Harmonic Tuba SO 8   Gross Flute [ext.] 12                       Hook & Hastings Co. Boston, Mass. – Opus 1313 (1886) Mechanical action 3 manuals, 41 stops, 47 ranks, 2,568 pipes The Hook & Hastings organ built for Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church was formally dedicated on Thursday evening, December 2, 1886. From the programme booklet: Description of the Organ.      This Organ is from the celebrated factory of Messrs. Hook & Hastings, of Boston, Mass., being the 1313th instrument they have built. This house enjoys a reputation which has been won by the long continued excellence, and magnitude of their works. These include a great number of large and costly organs in every important city in the United States, and especially some of the most remarkable instruments ever built in America.      The exterior of Organ is of an original and beautiful design formed by several groups of large pipes, above a belt moulding with finely moulded panels beneath. The two principal groups of pipes project boldly and are supported on corbels.      The decoration of the pipes is in deep crimson and blue on a gold ground, giving an effect of rare elegance and good taste.      In the treatment of the tone portion great care has been taken to produce a thoroughly symmetrical and well balanced instrument.      In each of the four distinctive varieties of tone—Diapason, String, Flute and Reed—the characteristic qualities are fully developed, and in combination, their richness, sonority and blending effect is as strongly marked. In varieties of tone, and the wealth of mechanical appliances for bringing the whole instrument under the perfect and easy control of the Organist, this Organ is excelled by none, and it stands as a whole without a superior in its class. The bellows are operated by a powerful water motor, located in the cellar of the Church.                 Great Organ (Manual II) – 58 notes 16   Open Diapason 58 4   Flute Harmonique 58 8   Open Diapason 58 4   Principal 58 8   Viola da Gamba 58 2 2/3   Twelfth 58 8   Doppel Flute 58 2   Fifteenth 58 8   Gemshorn 58   Mixture 4 ranks 242 8   Viol d'Amour 58 8   Trumpet 58             Swell Organ (Manual III) – 58 notes, enclosed 16   Bourdon Bass 12 4   Flauto Traverso 58 8   Bourdon Treble 46 4   Violina 58 8   Open Diapason 58 4   Octave 58 8   Salicional 58 2   Flageolette 58 8   Dolce 58   Dolce Cornet 5 ranks 290 8   Stopped Diapason 58 8   Cornopean 58 8   Clarabella 58 8   Oboe with Bassoon 58 8   Quintadena 58 8   Vox Humana 58             Choir Organ (Manual I) – 58 notes 8   Geigen Principal 58 4   Fugara 58 8   Dulciana 58 2   Piccolo Harmonique 58 8   Concert Flute 58 8   Clarinet 58 8   Flute d'Amour 58                 Pedal Organ – 30 notes 16   Open Diapason 30 10 2/3   Quint Flote 30 16   Violone 30 8   Violoncello 30 16   Bourdon 30 16   Trombone 30                 Mechanical Registers Great organ separation Great to Pedal Coupler Swell to Great coupler Swell to Pedal Coupler Choir to Great coupler Choir to Pedal Coupler Swell to Great Super octave coupler Swell Tremolo Swell to Choir Coupler Choir Tremolo   Bellows Signal                 Pedal Movements Crescendo Pedal Piano Combination Swell Forte Combination Great Forte Combination Choir Mezzi Combination Great Piano Combination Choir Piano Combination Great Reversible Pedal (for Great to Pedal) Forte Combination Swell Adjustable Swell Pedal Mezzi Combination Swell                 Click on the images below to view pages of the 1886 Organ Dedication programme book:                                 William A. Johnson Westfield, Mass. – Opus 164 (1864) Mechanical action 3 manuals, 42 ranks The original organ in the present church building was built by William A. Johnson of Westfield, Mass. Specifications of this organ have not yet been located.                 Geo. Jardine & Son New York City (<1863) Mechanical action Specifications of this organ have not yet been located.                 Sources:      The Diapason, November 1910. Specifications of Austin Organ, Op. 302 (1910); courtesy Jeff Scofield.      "Dr. Cuyler's New Organ," article in Brooklyn Eagle, November 28, 1886. Brooklyn Public Library.      Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church website: http://www.lapcbrooklyn.org      Lee, Gary. "Brooklyn's Bridge to the Past," The Washington Post, March 7, 2001.      Nelson, George. Organs in the United States and Canada Database. Seattle, Wash.      Ochse, Orpha. Austin Organs. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 2001.      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.      Van Pelt, William T., comp. The Hook Opus List, 1829-1916 in Facsimile. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1991. Photos:      The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn Collection: Exterior photo of church (1906).      Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church website: http://www.lapcbrooklyn.org | NYC AGO Home Page | Back to NYC Organ Project List |