Click on image to enlarge Church of St. Thomas Aquinas (Roman Catholic) 249 Ninth Street at Fourth Avenue Brooklyn, N.Y. 11215 http://www.stthomasaquinaschurch.org Organ Specifications: ► II/20 Wicks Organ Company, Op. 6135 (1988) • III/ Midmer-Losh Organ Company (1968) – rebuild ► III/38 Midmer-Losh Organ Company (1925) ► III/36 Hook & Hastings Co., Op. 1301 (1886) In November 1884, the Rev. James Donahoe was sent to establish the Parish of Saint Thomas of Aquinas in South Brooklyn, the 47th parish in the Brooklyn Diocese. The first Mass was celebrated November 16, 1884 in a building on 9th Street near 5th Avenue. This building, known as the "Wigwam," had been erected by the Twenty-second Ward Democratic Association for their meetings during the National Election of 1884. On Sunday, June 28, 1885, the cornerstone of the present building was blessed by Bishop Loughlin in a ceremony witnessed by over 6,000 people. The church was built within one year at a cost of $90,000. The first Mass in the new church was celebrated on Passion Sunday, April 4th, 1886. A chapel was added in 1887 on the 8th Street side of the church to house the baptistry, sacristy and altar boys' rooms. On April 25, 2006 the Diocese of Brooklyn approved the reconfiguration and merging of Holy Family parish and Saint Thomas Aquinas parish.             Wicks Organ Company Highland, Ill. – Opus 6135 (1988) Direct-Electric key action 2 manuals, 27 stops, 20 ranks The present organ in St. Thomas Aquinas Church was built in 1988 by the Wicks Organ Company.                 Great Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes (2-3/4" wind pressure) 8   Principal 61 2   Blockflöte — 8   Rohrflöte 61 1 3/5   Terz 61 8   Viole SW   Mixture IV ranks 244 4   Octave 61 8   Trompette SW 4   Spillpfeife [unit] 73   Two blanks 2 2/3   Nasat 61   Tremolo                 Swell Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed (4" wind pressure) 8   Gedeckt 61 1 1/3   Quint 61 8   Viole 61   Blank 8   Viole Celeste [GG] 54 8   Trompette [unit] 73 4   Principal 61 4   Clairon — 4   Nachthorn 61   Three blanks 2   Octavin 61   Tremolo                 Pedal Organ – 32 notes 32   Resultant — 4   Choralbass — 16   Principal [unit, 1-12 wood] 56 16   Posaune * [ext. SW] 12 16   Bourdon [unit] 44   Four blanks 8   Principal — 4   Clairon SW 8   Bourdon —   * 5" wind pressure                 Couplers     Great to Pedal 8', 4'       Great to Swell 8'       Swell to Pedal 8'       Swell 16', 4', Unison Off       Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'                           Combination Pistons     Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6-0 affecting Great stops     Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6-0 affecting Swell stops     Toe Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6-0 affecting Pedal stops     Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 affecting Entire Organ, duplicated by toe studs     General Cancel                           Accessories     Balanced Swell Expression Pedal   Crescendo Indicator Light     Crescendo Pedal   Sforzando Indicator Light     Great to Pedal Reversible (toe)   Music Rack Light     Sforzando Reversible (thumb & toe)   Pedal Light     Lock on Combination Setter   Motor Switch             Midmer-Losh Organ Company Merrick, L.I., N.Y. (1968) Electro-pneumatic action 3 manuals This record may be for repairs and/or additions to the existing organ.             Midmer-Losh Organ Company Merrick, L.I., N.Y. (1925) Electro-pneumatic action 3 manuals, 33 stops, 38 ranks In 1925, the Midmer-Losh Company of Merrick, N.Y. rebuilt and electrified the 1886 Hook & Hastings organ at a cost of $10,000. The original Hook & Hastings was centrally located in the rear gallery of the church, and in the Midmer-Losh rebuild, the original façade was removed and the organ redistributed in the gallery. The Great and Swell divisions were installed low to the gallery floor, making the West End window more visible, and the Choir organ was moved to the far left (facing the gallery) of the loft and the division placed under expression. Midmer-Losh replaced the original tracker action with a new electro-pneumatic pull-down action fitted beneath the slider chests. They also provided a new tilting-tablet console and a tremulant to the Choir. The pedal was extended to 30 notes. Although there were no tonal changes to the original organ, M-L did add two ranks to the Swell on electro-pneumatic chests: a 49-note Vox celeste and 8’ Vox Humana of 61 notes. When the organ was replaced in 1988 by a new Wicks instrument, the Hook & Hastings pipes and chests were acquired by Larry Trupiano of Brooklyn.                 Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes 16   Open Diapason 61 4   Harmonic Flute 61 8   Open Diapason 61 2 2/3   Twelfth 61 8   Doppel Flute 61 2   Fifteenth 61 8   Viola d' Gamba 61   Mixture IV ranks 244 4   Octave 61 8   Trumpet 61                 Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Bourdon 61 4   Flute Traverso 61 8   Open Diapason 61 2   Flautina 61 8   Stopped Diapason 61   Cornet III ranks 183 8   Salicional 61 8   Cornopean 61 8   Vox Celeste [TC] 49 8   Oboe 61 8   Quintadena 61 8   Vox Humana 61 4   Violina 61   Tremolo                 Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes 8   Diapason 61 2   Piccolo 61 8   Melodia 61 8   Clarinet 61 8   Dulciana 61   Tremolo 4   Flute 61                       Pedal Organ – 30 notes 16   Open Diapason 30 8   Cello 30 16   Bourdon 30 16   Trombone [wood] 30                 Couplers     Great to Pedal 8'       Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4'       Swell to Pedal 8', 4'       Great 4', Unison Off       Choir to Pedal 8'       Swell 16', 4', Unison Off       Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'       Choir 16', 4', Unison Off       Choir to Great 16', 8', 4'                     Hook & Hastings Co. Boston, Mass. – Opus 1301 (1886) Mechanical action 3 manuals, 40 registers, 31 stops, 36 ranks The original organ in St. Thomas Aquinas Church was built in 1886 by the Hook & Hastings Company of Boston.                 Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes 16   Double Open Diapason 61 4   Flute harmonique 61 8   Open Diapason 61 2 2/3   Twelfth 61 8   Doppelflöte 61 2   Fifteenth 61 8   Viola da Gamba 61   Mixture IV ranks 244 4   Octave 61 8   Trumpet 61                 Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Bourdon 61 4   Flauto traverso 61 8   Open Diapason 61 2   Flautina 61 8   Stopped Diapason 61   Dolce Cornet III ranks 183 8   Salicional 61 8   Cornopean 61 8   Quintadena 61 8   Oboe 61 4   Violina 61   Tremolo                 Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes 8   Geigen Principal 61 4   Flute d'amour 61 8   Melodia 61 2   Piccolo 61 8   Dulciana 61 8   Clarinet 61                 Pedal Organ – 27 notes 16   Open Diapason 27 8   Violoncello 27 16   Bourdon 27 16   Trombone [wood] 27                 Couplers     Swell to Great       Swell to Pedal       Choir to Great       Great to Pedal       Swell to Choir       Choir to Pedal               Sources:      Nelson, George. Organs in the United States and Canada Database. Seattle, Wash.      St. Thomas Aquinas Church web site: www.stthomasaquinaschurch.org      Trupiano, Larry. Specifications of Hook & Hastings organ, Op. 1301 (1886)      Trupiano, Larry. Specifications of Midmer-Losh organ (1925).      Trupiano, Larry. Specifications of Wicks organ, Op. 6135 (1988).      Van Pelt, William T., comp. The Hook Opus List, 1829-1916 in Facsimile. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1991. Photos:      Bridge and Tunnel Club web site: www.bridgeandtunnelclub.com   | NYC AGO Home Page | Back to NYC Organ Project List |