St. Philip Episcopal Church - Brooklyn, NY (photo: Tony Armstrong)
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St. Philip Episcopal Church

334 Macdonough Street (between Stuyvesant & Lewis Avenue)
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11233
www.stphilipsbklyn.org


Organ Specifications:
334 MacDonough Street (since 1944)
► III/44 Guilbault-Thérien, Op. 43 (1999)
► II/17 Austin Organ Company, Op. 1801 (1931)
• II/10s Austin Organ Company, Op. 1097 (1922)
1610 Dean Street (1899-1944)
► II/6 M.P. Möller, Op. 2466 (1917)






Original St. Philip's Episcopal Church at 1610 Dean Street - Brooklyn, N.Y. (photo: St. Philip's Episcopal Church)  
1610 Dean Street (ca. 1914)
St. Philip's Episcopal Church, founded in 1899, had its first service in a vacant store at 1887 Pacific Avenue in the Weeksville area of Brooklyn. Soon after, a church site at 1610 Dean Street was acquired. Membership in the mission chapel quickly rose to 500 people—many of whom had roots in Virginia, North Carolina and the Caribbean—and the parishioners began programs and activities which appealed to community residents: the first charter for a Black chapter of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew was issued to St. Philip's in 1903; the first Black company of the United Boys Brigade, a forerunner of the Boy Scouts, was chartered in 1907; and one of the earliest Boy Scout charters given to any organization was granted to St. Philip's in 1921. St. Philip's attained parish status in 1926.

In 1944, St. Philip's moved to its present building, a neo-Gothic edifice accomodating 900 people which was designed by Arni Delhi in 1899 for Good Shepherd Episcopal Church. In 1945, the Stuyvesant Community Center was established in the adjoining parish house, becoming the first community center in Bedford-Stuyvesant run by and for Blacks. St. Philip's continues to provide leadership in the religious, social, cultural and economic life of the community. The church is located in the Stuyvesant Heights Historical District, designated by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission in 1971.
               
  Guilbault-Thérien Organ, Op. 43 (1999) at St. Philip's Episcopal Church - Brooklyn, NY
   
Guilbault-Thérien, Inc.
St. Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada – Opus 43 (1999)
Electro-pneumatic chest action
Solid State combination action
3 manuals, 41 stops, 44 ranks, 2,372 pipes



In July of 1997, an agreement was made between St. Philip's Church and the Canadian firm of Guilbault-Thérien Inc., St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, for the installation of a new three-manual and pedal pipe organ. This forty-one rank organ, Opus 43, draws upon eclectic principles of contemporary North American trends in pipe organ building. The movable detached terraced-jamb console includes sharps made of ebony, naturals made of cow bone, and drawknobs constructed of fine cocobolo wood from North Africa. The key transmission is of the solid state type and includes a combination system of 64 memory levels and a sequencer. Both the casework and the console woodwork were constructed of solid American oak, and the display pipework of the Great and Pedal principals was made of 75 percent polished tin. Selected pipework from the rebuilt 1931 Austin organ, Opus 1801, and even previous organs (origins unknown) that was incorporated into that instrument, has been carefully repaired and revoiced to compliment the new specification.

More than 7,500 hours of labor, including the final installation, were required to complete this instrument. The dedicatory recital of the Rev. Dr. John Milton Coleman Memorial Organ was performed on April 18, 1999, by Hugh Manley Knight, A.A.G.O., Organist and Choir Master of St. Philip's Church.
adapted from program notes by Guy Thérien
               
Great Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes
16
   Bourdon
52
2
   Super Octave
61
8
   Principal [display]
61
1 3/5
   Terts
61
8
   Spitzgamba
61
1 1/3
   Mixture V ranks
305
8
   Gedackt
61
8
   Trumpet
61
4
   Octave
61
8
  
Trompette en Chamade +  
4
   Spitzflute
61
    
Chimes  
2 2/3
   Spitzquint
61
    
+ console preparation
 
      
 
      
Swell Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
   Lieblich Gedeckt [ext.] *
12
16
   Fagotto [ext.]
12
8
   Viola di Gamba *
61
8
   Trumpet *
61
8
   Voix Celeste [TC] *
49
8
   Oboe *
61
8
   Rohrflute
61
4
   Clarion
61
4
   Spitzprincipal
61
8
   Trompette en Chamade
GT
4
   Spillflute
61
     Tremolo  
2
   Blockflute
61
     Chimes  
2
   Plein Jeu IV ranks
244
        
 
      
 
      
Solo Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes
8
   Harmonic Flute
61
8
   Trompette en Chamade
GT
4
   Traverse Flute
61
     Chimes
GT
    Cornet V ranks [mounted]
195
        
8
   Trumpet
GT
        
               
Gallery or Positive Organ [prepared for future addition]
 
      
 
      
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
32
   Resultant Bass Forte
—
4
   Choral Bass
32
32
   Resultant Bass Piano
—
4
   Stopped Flute
32
16
   Open Bass [unit] *
44
     Mixture IV ranks
128
16
   Subbass *
24
16
   Posaune [unit]
44
16
   Lieblich Gedeckt
SW
16
   Fagotto
SW
8
   Principal
32
8
   Trumpet
—
8
   Bass Flute
—
4
   Schalmei
SW
               
   
* pipes retained and revoiced from Austin Organ, Op. 1801 (1931) and unknown previous organs
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal 8', 4'   Also on coupler rail:
    Swell to Pedal 8', 4'   Zimblestern
    Solo to Pedal 8', 4'   Chimes on Swell
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'   Chimes on Solo
    Solo to Great   Bells on Solo
    Solo to Swell   Bells on Great
    Great to Solo    
               
Adjustable Combinations
   
Solo Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4 (thumb)
Swell Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 (thumb)
Great Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 (thumb)
Pedal Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb & toe) 7-8-9-10 (toe)
Entire Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb & toe) 7-8-9-10 (thumb)
  Adjust (thumb)
  Cancel (thumb)
               
Reversibles
    Solo to Pedal Reversible (thumb & toe)   Reeds (thumb & toe)
    Swell to Pedal Reversible (thumb & toe)   Tutti I (thumb & toe)
    Great to Pedal Reversible (thumb & toe)   Tutti II (thumb & toe)
         
Expression
    Balanced Swell Pedal    
               
Austin Organ Company
Hartford, Conn. – Opus 1801 (1931)
Electro-pneumatic action
2 manuals, 21 stops, 17 ranks


On July 13, 1931, the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church signed a contract with the Austin Organ Company to rebuild their existing Austin organ, Op. 1097 from 1922. Austin provided a new console, new double-construction metal swell shades, and reworked several of the old ranks, including the old facade pipes. Total cost of the rebuilding was $7,500.
               
Great Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Open Diapason
73
4
   Harmonic Flute
73
8
   Doppelfloete *
73
2 2/3
   Twelfth
61
8
   Melodia *
73
2
   Fifteenth
61
8
   Dulciana
73
    
Chimes
25 notes
4
   Octave
73
        
               
Swell Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
   Lieblich Gedackt *
73
4
   Flute d'Amour
73
8
   Open Diapason
73
8
   Cornopean
73
8
   Stopped Flute *
73
8
   Oboe
73
8
   Salicional *
73
     Tremolo  
8
   Voix Celeste * [TC]
61
        
               
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
16
   Open Diapason [ext. GT]
12
16
   Lieblich Gedackt *
SW
16
   Bourdon * [unit]
44
8
   Flute
—
               
   
* pipes retained from Austin Organ, Op. 1097 (1922)
               
Austin Organ Company
Hartford, Conn. – Opus 1097 (1922)
Electro-pneumatic action
2 manuals, 10 stops


Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.
             
Organ in church located at 1610 Dean Street:

M.P. Möller, Inc.
Hagerstown, Md. – Opus 2466 (1917)
Tubular-pneumatic action
2 manuals, 20 registers, 11 stops, 6 ranks


The Agreement (Sept. 27, 1917) between M.P. Möller and St. Philip's P.E. Church stated that Möller would build a two-manual organ and "erect it in the above church on or before December 1, 1917, or as soon after as possible." Möller used tubular-pneumatic action and provided a detached stop-key console. The total cost of the organ was $1,600, payable in "cash on completion, and one half by Carnegie Corporation of New York." The organ was shipped on December 11, 1917.
               
Great Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Open Diapason
73
4
   Flute Harmonique
73
8
   Rohr Gedeckt
73
4
   Octave [from Op. Diap.]
—
8
   Gemshorn Dolce *
61
* lowest 12 notes grooved
               
Swell Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Concert Flute
—
8
   Gemshorn Dolce
—
8
   Salicional Celeste [TC]
61
4
   Rohr Flute
—
               
Pedal Organ – 30 notes
16
   Bourdon
30
        
16
   Bourdon Dolce [lo-press.]
—
        
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal   Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'
    Swell to Pedal   Swell 16', 4'
    Pedal Octaves    
               
Mechanicals
    Tremulant       Wind Indicator  
            Crescendo Indicator  
               
Pedal Movements
    Balanced Swell Pedal   Great to Pedal Reversible
    Grand Crescendo Pedal    
 
Sources:
     Centennial Celebration 1899–1999. Brooklyn: St. Philip's Episcopal Church, 1999. Courtesy Diane Johnson.
     Coleman, Franklin. Details of Guilbault-Thérien organ, Op. 43 (1999).
     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.
     Johnson, Diane. Stoplist of Guilbault-Thérien organ, Op. 43 (1999).
     Moxey, Emil George (archivist for St. Philip's Church). Specifications of Austin organ, Op. 1801 (1931).
     M.P. Möller Ledger Book (Sep. 27, 1917):58. Agreement and Specifications of M.P. Möller organ, Op. 2466 (1917). Courtesy Larry Trupiano.
     Ochse, Orpha. Austin Organs. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 2001.
     St. Philip's Episcopal Church web site: www.stphilipsbklyn.org

Illustrations:
     Armstrong, Tony. Exterior of present church. Courtesy Franklin Coleman.
     Centennial Celebration 1899–1999. Photo of Dean Street building. Courtesy Diane Johnson.