Click on images to enlarge St. Brigid's Church (Roman Catholic) 409 Linden Street at St. Nicholas Avenue Brooklyn, N.Y. 11227 Organ Specifications: Present building (since 1922): ► III/48 Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company, Op. 1146 (1948) ► III/43 Albert E. Lloyd (1927) • I/11 Reuben Midmer & Sons – moved from previous church (1922) Earlier building (1882-1922): • I/11 Reuben Midmer & Sons (<1917)   Postcard of original church building   St. Bridget's Roman Catholic Church was established in 1882, and was renamed St. Brigid's in 1895. The first church was a wooden structure which served until about 1922 when the present building was opened. In 1929, the Meneely Bell Company of Troy, N.Y. installed a 10-bell chime which is played from an electric keyboard.               Aeolian-Skinner Organ Co., Inc. Boston, Mass. – Opus 1146 (1948) Electro-pneumatic action 3 manuals, 51 stops, 48 ranks In 1948, the existing Albert E. Lloyd organ at St. Brigid's Church was overhauled by Aeolian-Skinner. The contract included a new three-manual console, releathering and cleaning, a new Great mixture and chest, and a 4' Clarion extension to the Pedal reed. In addition, all flue pipes from 4'C up and all reed pipes were revoiced at the factory.                 Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes 16   Diapason 61 4   Violin 61 8   First Diapason 61 2 2/3   Twelfth 61 8   Second Diapason 61 2   Super Octave 61 8   Gross Flute 61   Mixture IV ranks * 244 8   Clarabella 61 8   Tuba 61 8   Dulciana 61 4   Clarion 61 8   Viola 61   Chimes 25 tubes 4   Octave 61                 Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Bourdon 61 4   Principal 61 8   Diapason 61 4   Wald Flute 61 8   Gedeckt 61 2   Flautina 61 8   Melodia 61 8   Cornopean 61 8   Viole d'Orchestre 61 8   Oboe 61 8   Voix Celeste 61 8   Vox Humana 61 8   Aeoline 61   Tremolo 8   Unda Maris 61                     Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed 8   Diapason 61 4   Harmonic Flute 61 8   Keraulophon 61 4   Violin 61 8   Gedeckt 61 2   Fifteenth 61 8   Flute 61 2   Piccolo 61 8   Dolce 61 8   Clarinet 61 8   Unda Maris 61   Tremolo 8   Gamba 61   Harp 49 bars 4   Octave 61               Pedal Organ – 32 notes 32   Resultant — 8   Cello 32 16   Diapason [unit] 44 16   Trombone [unit] 56 16   Bourdon [unit] 44 8   Trumpet [ext. Trombone] — 16   Lieblich Gedeckt SW 4   Clarion [ext. Trombone] * 12 8   Principal —   Chimes GT 8   Flute —   * added by Aeolian-Skinner (1948)               Couplers     Great to Pedal 8'   Choir to Great 16', 8', 4'     Swell to Pedal 8', 4'   Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4'     Choir to Pedal 8', 4'   Swell to Swell 16', 4'     Pedal to Pedal 4'   Choir to Choir 16', 4'     Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'                   Adjustable Combinations     Great Pistons 1-8 affecting Great stops (thumb) Swell Pistons 1-8 affecting Swell stops (thumb) Choir Pistons 1-8 affecting Choir stops (thumb) Pedal Pistons 1-8 affecting Pedal stops (thumb) General Pistons 1-8 affecting all stops and couplers (thumb & toe)               Reversibles     Great to Pedal (thumb & toe)         Sforzando (thumb & toe)                   Pedal Movements     Balanced Swell Pedal         Balanced Choir Pedal         Balanced Crescendo Pedal                 Albert E. Lloyd Elmhurst, N.Y. (1927) Electro-pneumatic action 3 manuals, 49 stops, 43 ranks In December 1927, the Albert E. Lloyd Company of Elmhurst, N.Y. installed a new organ in St. Brigid's Church. Lloyd was born in England and worked with the Hope-Jones Electric Organ Co. of Birkenhead, UK. He moved to the United States to work with the Hope-Jones Organ Co. of Elmira, NY, and later did console work with the Wurlitzer firm of North Tonawanda, NY; in 1913 he was a superintendent with the Wicks firm of Highland, Ill. For the organ at St. Brigid's, Lloyd subcontracted with the A. Gottfried Co. of Erie, Penn., to build the detached three-manual theatre-style "horseshoe" console. Lloyd specified Amber stop-keys for the reeds; Red stop-keys for the Unison Release, Chimes and Harp; and White stop-keys for the remaining Flue work and Couplers. The Choir division of Lloyd's organ was described in his specification as follows: The above department will comprise all the pipes in the old organ excepting the Bourdon, which will appear in the Swell and the action will be so arranged that the Bourdon will be included in this department when it is used as a unit in the smaller services with only the small blower running. The tone of these old pipes will be greatly improved by the addition of the basses necessary to take them down to CC. and will be scarcely recognisable as the old organ. The present wind pressure will be used on these pipes. We are grateful to Tom Lloyd, grandson of the builder, for providing copies of correspondence and stoplists for the organ at St. Brigid's Church.                 Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes (5" wind pressure) 16   Double Open Diapason 61 4   Octave 61 8   First Open Diapason 61 4   Violin 61 8   Second Open Diapason 61 2 2/3   Twelfth 61 8   Gross Flute 61 2   Super Octave 61 8   Viola 61 8   Tuba 61 8   Clarabella 61 4   Clarion 61 8   Dulciana 61   Chimes [in SW] 25 tubes             Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed (5" wind pressure) 16   Bourdon * [inc. old Pedal pipes] 61 4   Principal 61 8   English Diapason 61 4   Wald Flute 61 8   Stopt Diapason 61 2   Flautino 61 8   Viol d'Orchestra 61 8   Cornopean 61 8   Vox Celeste f 61 8   Oboe 61 8   Melodia 61 8   Vox Humana 61 8   Aeoline 61   Tremolo 8   Vox Celeste p [from V. Cel.] —                     Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed ("old wind pressure") 8   Open Diapason * 61 4   Violin * 61 8   Stopt Diapason * 61 4   Harmonic Flute * 61 8   Gamba * 61 2   Fifteenth * 61 8   Flute * 61 2   Piccolo * 61 8   Keraulophon 61 8   Clarinet 61 8   Dolce * 61   Tremolo 8   Unda Maris 61   Harp 49 bars 4   Octave * 61                 Pedal Organ – 32 notes (5" wind pressure) 32   Resultant — 8   Principal — 16   Open Diapason 44 8   Flute — 16   Bourdon 44 16   Trombone 44 16   Lieblich Gedeckt SW 8   Trumpet — 8   Cello 32                 * stops retained from Reuben Midmer organ Couplers     Great to Pedal   Choir to Swell 16', 8', 4'     Swell to Pedal   Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4'     Choir to Pedal   Great 16', 4', Unison Release     Pedal at Octaves   Swell 16', 4', Unison Release     Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'   Choir 16', 4', Unison Release     Choir to Great 16', 8', 4'                   Adjustable Combinations     Six Pistons under each manual controlling their own manual stops.     Four Toe Pistons on Pedals controlling Pedal stops.                 Pedal Movements     Balanced Crescendo Pedal     Sforzando or Full Organ Pedal     Balanced Swell Pedal     Great to Pedal Reversible Pedal     Balanced Choir Pedal                   Reuben Midmer & Sons Brooklyn, N.Y. (<1917) Mechanical action 1 manual, 11 stops, 11 ranks The Parish History of St. Brigid's Church states, "The old organ from the old wooden structure church was moved into the new structure [1922] until December 1927 at which time a theater style console was installed. The new organ has 56 stops and was built by Albert E. Lloyd and Company." While the exact specifications of the Midmer organ have not been located, the description given by A.E. Lloyd for his 1927 organ indicates that the Choir division of his organ was comprised of stops from the Midmer organ, plus the old Pedal Bourdon. Lloyd also states that the basses of the stops were extended down to CC, which would imply that the Midmer organ began at GG. The following specification is a reconstruction of what the Midmer specification was.                 Manual [54 notes?] 8   Open Diapason 4   Octave 8   Stopt Diapason 4   Violin 8   Gamba 4   Harmonic Flute 8   Flute 2   Fifteenth 8   Dolce 2   Piccolo                 Pedal 16   Bourdon                       Sources:      Aeolian-Skinner Archives web site: http://aeolian-skinner.110mb.com/      Fox, David H. A Guide to North American Organbuilders (Rev. ed.). Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1997.      The Guild of Carillonneurs in North America web site: http://www.gcna.org/      Kinzey, Allen, and Sand Lawn, comps. E.M. Skinner/Aeolian-Skinner Opus List. New Rev. Ed. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1997.      Kloda, Barry. Corrections to specifications of Aeolian-Skinner Organ, Op. 1146 (1948).      Lloyd, Tom. Correspondence about and Specifications of the Albert E. Lloyd Organ (1927).      Nelson, George. Organs in the United States and Canada Database. Seattle, Wash.      Parish History of St. Brigid's Church; courtesy Paul Eschenauer. Photos:      eBay.com. Undated postcard of original church.      Scofield, Jeff: exterior of present church.             | NYC AGO Home Page | Back to NYC Organ Project List |