Click on images to enlarge Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims (Congregational) 75 Hicks Street Brooklyn, NY 11201 http://www.plymouthchurch.org Organ Specifications: 75 Hicks Street (since 1850): ► IV/58 Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company, Op. 964 (1937) ► IV/52 Skinner Organ Company, Op. 120 (1904) ► IV/64 E. & G.G. Hook, Op. 360 (1865); reb. Hook & Hastings (1892) • Levi U. Stuart (1862) – Sunday School room • III/34 Wm. B.D. Simmons & Co. (1850) Cranberry Street (1847-burned 1849): • unknown Plymouth Church was founded in 1847 by transplanted New Englanders who wanted a Congregational church like those in which they had been raised, with a simple order of worship, governed by the congregation. The 21 men and women who founded the church in Brooklyn Heights called as their first pastor Henry Ward Beecher, thus beginning the most prominent ministry in the second half of 19th century America. Beecher's powerful preaching and outspoken opposition to slavery filled the pews to overflowing, so it was a blessing in disguise just two years later when fire damaged Plymouth's original church (built in 1822 as the First Presbyterian Church) on Cranberry Street. A new red brick Sanctuary seating 2,800 was quickly constructed, fronting on Orange Street behind the ruined original. Designed by the English architect J.C. Wells, a founder of the American Institute of Architects, Plymouth Church was clearly intended for the preaching of the Word, with excellent acoustics, good visibility and no center aisle. More like an auditorium or theater than what had traditionally been considered a church, this open design was enormously influential among many American Protestant churches. Plymouth Church's new sanctuary was opened for worship the first Sunday of January 1850. Among its many innovations were delicate cast iron columns holding up the main balcony, first introduced in 1849. The original William B.D. Simmons organ, a three-manual 34-stop instrument installed in 1850, was replaced in 1866 with what was then the largest organ in the United States, built by E. and G.G. Hook of Boston. More recent additions to the Sanctuary include the chandelier and front portico. Henry Ward Beecher was also an ardent supporter of congregational singing during church services, with all members participating. With his brother, Charles Beecher, and Plymouth's organist, John Zundel, he began compiling a book of hymns for his church. Beecher published The Plymouth Collection in 1855, introducing the world's first modern hymnal in which words and music were printed on the same page. The Plymouth campus consists of five structures arranged in the shape of an “H,” plus three outdoor spaces which, taken together, occupy half a city block. The Church was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1961.             Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company, Inc. Boston, Mass. – Opus 964 (1937) Electro-pneumatic chest action Solid State combination action 4 manuals, 56 stops, 58 ranks The present organ, which still includes four ranks of pipes from the 1866 organ, was designed by G. Donald Harrison and built under his direction by the Aeolian-Skinner firm of Boston in 1937. In 1965, a new three-manual Austin console was installed, and in the late 1970s, John Steinkampf tonally altered the organ and installed a 32' Bombarde unit in the Pedal. In 1996, Nelson Barden and Co. of Boston undertook a total restoration of the organ, culminating with the installation in 2000 of a new four-manual drawknob console by Harris Organs of California.                 Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes (3½" wind) 16   Diapason * [1-18 façade] 61 4   Flute 61 8   First Diapason 61 2 2/3   Twelfth 61 8   Second Diapason [1-9 façade] 61 2   Fifteenth 61 8   Bourdon 61     Fourniture IV ranks 244 8   Gemshorn 61     Cymbel III ranks 183 4   Octave 61     Chimes SO             Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed (5" wind) 16   Bourdon 73 2   Fifteenth 61 8   Geigen Diapason 73     Grave Mixture III ranks 183 8   Salicional 73   Mixture III ranks 183 8   Voix Celeste [TC] 61 16   Bombarde 73 8   Aeoline 73 8   Trompette 73 8   Rohrflöte 73 8   Oboe 73 8   Flute Celeste II [TC] 134 8   Vox Humana 73 4   Octave Geigen 73 4   Clairon 73 4   Flute Triangulaire 73     Tremulant               Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed (5" wind) 16   Dulciana 73 2 2/3   Nazard 61 8   Diapason 73 2   Blockflöte 61 8   Koppelflöte 73 1 3/5   Tierce 61 8   Dulciana 73 8   Clarinet 73 8   Unda Maris [TC] 61 8   Trumpet preparation 4   Violina 73     Tremulant   4   Nachthorn 73     Harp               Solo Organ (Manual IV) – 61 notes, enclosed (10" wind) 8   Gamba 73 8   Tuba 73 8   Gamba Celeste 73   Tremulant   8   Flauto Mirabilis 73     Chimes ** 25 tubes 8   French Horn 73         8   English Horn preparation     ** to be reinstalled in future Gallery Organ                 Gallery Organ (floating) – 61 notes [console preparation]     Manual       Pedal       10 blank knobs       4 blank knobs                   Pedal Organ – 32 notes 32   Diapason * [no low C#] 31 8   Cello [ext.] 12 32   Resultant — 8   Flute [ext.] 12 16   Diapason [ext.] 12 8   Still Gedeckt SW 16   Second Diapason GT 4   Principal preparation 16   Violone 32 32   Contra Trombone preparation 16   Dulciana CH 16   Trombone * [10" pressure] 32 16   Bourdon * 32 16   Bombarde SW 16   Echo Lieblich SW 8   Trumpet [ext.] 12 10 2/3   Quint [from Bourdon] — 4   Clarion [ext.] 12 8   Principal preparation     8   Octave Diapason [ext.] 12     * from 1865 E. & G.G. Hook organ                               Interior of Plymouth Church (1907) Ernest M. Skinner Organ Company Boston, Mass. – Opus 120 (1904) Electro-pneumatic stop and chest action 4 manuals, 69 stops, 52 ranks, 4,331 pipes In 1904, Ernest M. Skinner rebuilt and enlarged the 1865 E. & G.G. Hook organ that had been revised in 1892 by Hook & Hastings. Skinner added several new ranks of pipes and retained many of those from the existing organ. New electro-pneumatic chests were installed, and the Hook case was moved back several feet.                 Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes 16   Diapason [1-18 façade] 61 8   Clarabella 61 8   First Diapason * 61 8   Bourdon 61 8   Second Diapason [1-9 façade] 61 4   Octave 61 8   Third Diapason * 61 4   Flute 61 8   Erzähler * 61 16   Trumpet 73 8   Doppel Floete 61 8   Trumpet 61               Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Bourdon 61 4   Flute 61 8   First Diapason 61 16   Trumpet 61 8   Second Diapason 61 16   Fagotto 61 8   Viol 61 8   Cornopean 73 8   Voix Celestes * 61 8   Oboe 61 8   Flute 61 8   Vox Humana 61 8   Spitz Floete 61 4   Clarion 61 8   Aeoline * 61   Tremolo 4   Violina 61                       Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Dulciana 61 4   Flute 61 8   Diapason 61 2   Piccolo 61 8   Melodia 61 16   Euphone 61 8   Quintadena 61 8   Clarinet 61 8   Gamba 61 8   Orchestral Oboe * 61 8   Dulciana 61     Tremolo   8   Dulcet II ranks 110                       Solo Organ (Manual IV) – 61 notes, enclosed with Choir 8   Stentorphone * 61 8   Tuba * 61 8   Philomela * 61 8   French Horn * 61 8   Dulcet II ranks CH 8   Orchestral Oboe CH 4   Flute * 61   Tremolo                 Pedal Organ – 32 notes 32   Diapason [ext.] 12 10 2/3   Quinte [from Bourdon] — 16   First Diapason 32 8   Flute [ext. 2nd Diap.] 12 16   Second Diapason 32 8   Gedackt [ext.] 12 16   Bourdon 32 8   'Cello [Viol + Voix Celestes] SW 16   Violone 32 16   Trombone 32 16   Dulciana CH 16   Fagotto SW 16   Gedackt SW             * ranks indicated as "new" by E. M. Skinner in 1904 Couplers     Swell to Pedal 8', 4'   Solo to Great 16', 8', 4'     Great to Pedal 8'   Solo to Swell 8'     Choir to Pedal 8'   Solo to Choir 8'     Solo to Pedal 8', 4'   Swell to Swell 4', 16'     Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'   Solo to Solo 4', 16'     Choir to Great 16', 8'   Solo Off               Adjustable Combinations     Solo Pistons No. 1-2-3-0 Swell Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6-0 Great Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-0 Choir Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-0 Full Organ Pedals No. 1-2-3-4 General Release   Pedal Release                 Pedal Movements     Balanced Swell Pedal   Sforzando     Balanced Choir & Solo Pedal   Great to Pedal Reversible     Balanced Crescendo Pedal                 E. & G.G. Hook Boston, Mass. – Opus 360 (1865) Mechanical action 4 manuals, 52 stops, 64 ranks, 3,403 pipes The second organ for Plymouth Church was built in 1865 by the Boston firm of E. & G.G. Hook to the designs of John Zundel, Plymouth's organist. Notable were the organ's two free reeds — the Swell Euphone and the Solo Vox Angelica — and the Grand Crescendo. Dwight Willcox of Dwight's Journal of Music: A Paper of Art and Literature wrote the following description of this device: "The Grand Crescendo may be pronounced to be, without exception, the greatest mechanical improvement ever introduced into the organ. I will explain only that there is a flat bar of iron placed behind the Pedals, having a set of studs at short distances, by which the foot easily slides the bar to the right or left. The motion is communicated to the slides one after another, in every department of the organ, so that the player can with the utmost ease, swell out the tone from the softest stop to the full power of the whole instrument and vice-versa; while yet not one of the drawstop handles is shifted. No other contrivance than this can produce the same effect." In 1892, the Hook & Hastings Company was engaged to rebuild the 1865 E. & G.G. Hook organ, changing several stops and rebuilding the console.                 Great Organ (Manual I) – 58 notes 16   Open Diapason (metal) 58 2   Fifteenth (metal) 58 8   Open Diapason (metal) 58   Grand Cornet V ranks (metal) 212 8   Doppel Flöte (metal) 58   Mixture III ranks (metal) 174 8   Claribella (wood) 58     Scharff III ranks (metal) 174 8   Viola da Gamba (metal) 58 16   Trumpet (metal) 58 4   Octave (metal) 58 8   Trumpet (metal) 58 4   Flute Harmonique (metal) 58 4   Clarion (metal) 58 2 2/3   Twelfth (metal) 58                   Swell Organ (Manual II) – 58 notes, enclosed 16   Bourdon (wood) 58 2   Fifteenth (metal) 58 8   Open Diapason (metal) 58     Mixture V ranks (metal) 290 8   Salicional (metal) 58 16   Euphone (free reeds, metal) 58 8   Stopped Diapason (wood) 58 8   Cornopean (metal) 58 4   Octave (metal) 58 8   Oboe (metal) 58 4   Viol d'Amour (metal) 58 8   Vox Humana (metal) 58 4   Flute (metal) 58 4   Clarion (metal) 58 2 2/3   Twelfth (metal) 58                     Choir Organ (Manual III) – 58 notes 16   Still Gedackt (wood) 58 4   Octave (metal) 58 8   Open Diapason (metal) 58 4   Flauto Traverso (wood) 58 8   Dulciana (metal) 58 2   Piccolo (metal) 58 8   Stopped Diapason (wood) 58 8   Clarionet (metal) 58 8   Melodia (wood) 58                     Solo Organ (Manual IV) – 58 notes 8   Keraulophon (metal) 58 8   Vox Angelica (free reed, metal) 58 8   Philomela (wood) 58 8   Tuba Mirabilis (metal) 58 8   Hohlpfeife (wood) 58 8   Tuba Octave (metal) 58                 Pedal Organ – 30 notes 32   Open Diapason (wood) 30 8   Violoncello (metal) 30 16   Open Diapason (wood) 30 8   Soft Octave (metal) 30 16   Violone (metal) 30 16   Trombone (metal) 30 16   Bourdon (wood) 30                   Composition Pedals 1.   Full organ except Tubas     6.   Solo Tubas 8' and 4' 2.   Full Great     7.   GT/PED 3.   Full Great less compound stops and reeds   8.   Loud Pedal stops reversible 4.   Great 8' flues only     9.   Grand Crescendo 5.   Full Swell                 Accessories     Swell Tremulant     Register for hydraulic engine     Choir Tremulant     Register for Tuba engine             Organ in Sunday School room: Levi U. Stuart New York City (1862) Mechanical action An article published in the Brooklyn Eagle (Nov. 5, 1862) states: PLYMOUTH CHURCH.—Among the recent improvements in this church, is the addition of a very fine organ in the Sunday School-room, made by Stewart [sic] of New York. The Pedal Organ has just been completed, and Mr. Zundell [sic] (one of the best organists in the country), is to play to-night, and we notice, by the advertisement in another column, that there will be also singing by the choir of the church. Specifications of this organ have not yet been located.             William B.D. Simmons & Co. Boston, Mass. (1850) Mechanical action 3 manuals, 46 registers, 34 stops The original organ in Plymouth Church was built by William B.D. Simmons & Co. of Boston and installed in 1850. It had three manuals and 34 stops. Following is the description of the organ's trial, as reported in the Brooklyn Eagle on February 1, 1850: PLYMOUTH CHURCH ORGAN.—The trial of the new organ at the Plymouth church last night called out some two thousand people who sat quietly while the keys were touched by several of the most skillful organists in this and the neighboring city. The organ is a large one; the case being 17 feet 6 inches wide, 15 feet deep and 28 feet high. It has three rows of keys, two octaves of pedals, 46 registers and 34 stops. Its tones are remarkably full and sweet, and its keys, under the hands of the masters who controlled them, were made to develope a melody more rich than any that we recollect to have heard from a similar instrument. This organ was built for the church by William R. [sic] Simmons & Co. of Boston and cost between three and four thousand dollars. It is regarded by all who have witnessed its performance as a very superior instrument, and by many as having no equal in this or the neighboring city. In 1860, the Simmons organ was revoiced by Engelfried. Prior to the installation of the E. & G.G. Hook organ in 1865, the Simmons organ was moved to Immaculata Roman Catholic Church in Jersey City, N.J. Specifications of this organ have not yet been located.             Sources:      Aeolian-Skinner Archives web site: http://aeolian-skinner.110mb.com/      Blanchard, Homer D. "The Organ in the United States: A Study in Design," The Bicentennial Tracker. Richmond: Organ Historical Society, Inc., 1976.      Dolkart, Andrew S. and Matthew A. Postal. Guide to New York City Landmarks (Third Edition). New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2004.      Dwight's Journal of Music: A Paper of Art and Literature. Boston: Balch.      Griswold, Stephen M. Sixty Years With Plymouth Church. New York: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1907.      Holden, Dorothy. The Life and Work of Ernest M. Skinner. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1987.      Kinzey, Allen, and Sand Lawn. E.M. Skinner/Aeolian-Skinner Opus List (New Revised Edition). Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1997.      Nelson, George. Organs in the United States and Canada Database (OUSCDB), Seattle, Wash.      Ochse, Orpha. "A Glimpse of the 1860s," The American Organist, November 1969.      Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims website: http://www.plymouthchurch.org      "Plymouth Church," The Brooklyn Eagle, November 5, 1862.      "Plymouth Church Organ," The Brooklyn Eagle, February 1, 1850.      Trupiano, Larry. Console details of Ernest M. Skinner Organ, Op. 120 (1904).      Van Pelt, William T., compiler. The Hook Opus List, 1829-1916 in Facsimile. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1991. Photos:      Griswold, Stephen M. Sixty Year With Plymouth Church. Interior of Plymouth Church, 1907.      Lawson, Steven E. Color interiors; Harris Console (2000).             | NYC AGO Home Page | Back to NYC Organ Project List |