Salem Lutheran Church - Brooklyn, NY
 
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Salem Lutheran Church

450 67th Street
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11220

Organ Specifications:
450 67th Street (1945-closed 2010)
► II/18 Ernest Lucas (1986)
► II/11 M.P. Möller – second-hand?
416 46th Street (?-c.1943)
• unknown
Prospect Avenue, near Third Avenue
• unknown


Salem Swedish Lutheran Church was organized on April 3, 1904 to serve the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn. Early services were held on Prospect Avenue, near Third Avenue, and at an unknown time the society moved to 416 46th Street. In the 1930s, property was acquired at 450 67th Street, between Fourth and Fifth avenues, where an English Gothic-style church of stone was built from 1934-1945. This building was dedicated on December 2, 1945. A small park across from the church has a monument to explorer Leif Eriksson, dedicated in 1939 by Crown Prince Olav of Norway.

For many years, southwestern Brooklyn was home to a thriving Scandinavian community but by the end of the 20th century most had moved away. Salem Lutheran's congregation dwindled down to a handful of members and in January 2010 the church held its last service.

In 2010, the church buildings and property were sold to St. Matthew's Church, an international congregation with churches in Chicago, Los Angeles and Texas. St. Matthew's has since renovated the facilities for their use.
             
Ernest Lucas, Jr.
Belmore, N.Y. (1986)
Electro-pneumatic action
2 manuals, 24 stops, 18 ranks


In 1986, Ernest Lucas rebuilt and revised an organ of unknown origin. A solid-state relay was installed by John Klauder Pipe Organ Service in 2003.
               
Great Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes
8
   Diapason
61
4
   Wald Flöte
61
8
   Holz Flute
61
2 2/3
   Twelfth
61
8
   Salicional
61
2
   Super Octave [ext.]
—
4
   Octave
73
     Mixture IV ranks
244

 

     

 

     
Swell Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
  Rohr Gedeckt [unit]
90
1 1/3
  Larigot [top 7 notes repeat]
—
8
  Salicional
61
1
   Zymbel III ranks
183
8
  Voix Celeste [TC]
49
8
  Trumpet
61
4
   Principal
61
8
  Oboe
61
4
   Flute
—
     Tremolo  
2
   Flautino
—
        
               
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
16
   Bourdon [unit]
56
8
   Flute
—
16
  Lieblich Gedeckt *
SW
4
   Choral Bass
GT
8
   Diapason
GT
4
   Flute
—
           
* 1-13 lo-pressure from 16' Bourdon
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal 8'   Great 16', 4', Unison Off
    Swell to Pedal 8'   Swell 4'
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'    
               
Pedal Movements
    Balanced Swell Pedal          
    Crescendo Pedal          
             
M.P. Möller, Inc.
Hagerstown, Md.
Electro-pneumatic action
2 manuals, 19 stops, 11 ranks


This organ does not appear on the M.P. Möller opus list, so was probably acquired second-hand.
               
Great Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed with Swell
8
   Diapason *
61
4
   Flauto Traverso
SW
8
   Melodia
73
8
   Harmonic Tuba
73
8
   Dulciana
73
8
   Oboe
SW
8
   Salicional
73
     Chimes  
8
   Stopped Diapason
SW
    
* probably unenclosed

 

     

 

     
Swell Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
   Bourdon [unit]
97
4
   Flauto Traverso
—
8
  Open Diapason
73
8
   Oboe
73
8
  Stopped Diapason
—
8
  Vox Humana
61
8
   Salicional
GT
     Tremolo  
8
   Voix Celeste [TC]
61
        
               
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
16
   Bourdon [unit]
44
8
   Flute
—
16
  Lieblich Gedeckt
SW
        
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal 8'   Great 16', 4'
    Swell to Pedal 8'   Swell 16', 4'
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'    
               
Pedal Movements
    Balanced Swell Pedal          
    Crescendo Pedal          
               
Sources:
     Kloda, Barry. Specifications of Ernest Lucas, Jr. organ (1986).
     Kloda, Barry. Specifications of M.P. Möller organ.
     "Salem Church Building Sold, Spared Demolition," Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Jan. 7, 2011).
     "Salem Lutheran Church Saved – for $2.5M," The Brooklyn Paper (Dec. 1, 2010).
     Winquist, Alan H. and Jessica Rousselow-Winquist. Touring Swedish America: Where to Go and What to See. St. Paul, Minn.: Minnesota Historical Society, 2006.

Illustration:
    The Brooklyn Paper (Dec. 1, 2010). Exterior.