Christ Church, Episcopal - Riverdale (Bronx), N.Y. (photo: Marcial Garcia)
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Christ Church Riverdale
(Episcopal)

5030 Henry Hudson Parkway
Riverdale, Bronx, N.Y. 10471
http://www.christchurchriverdale.org


Organ Specifications:
► II/32 Foley-Baker, Inc. (2010)
► II/24 Austin Organs Inc., Op. 1621-A (1970)
► II/12 Austin Organ Company, Op. 1621 (1928)


Christ Church, Episcopal - Riverdale (Bronx), N.Y. (photo: Marcial Garcia)  
Christ Church (Episcopal) was established in 1866 in the suburban community of Riverdale. The High Victorian Gothic stone building, erected in 1865-66, was designed by Richard M. Upjohn, son of Richard Upjohn, as an English rural parish church.

In 1967, Christ Church was designated a landmark by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, and in 1983 the church was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
         
Foley-Baker, Inc.
Tolland, Conn. (2010)
Electro-pneumatic action
2 manuals, 39 stops, 32 ranks


In 2010, Foley-Baker, Inc. of Tolland, Conn., completed the rebuilding of the previous Austin organ. Twenty-one new ranks of pipes were added to eleven ranks from the old organ that were retained and revoiced for the new tonal design. Foley-Baker installed new electro-pneumatic slider windchests for the Great and Swell divisions and new electro-pneumatic unit chests for the Pedal stops. The two chamber openings have new façades of speaking display pipes comprised of notes 1-17 of the Great 8' Principal (transept) and notes 1-17 of the Pedal 8' Principal (chancel). To control the rebuilt organ, Foley-Baker provided a new two-manual drawknob console with a walnut exterior and mahogany interior. The manual keyboards have tracker touch.
               
Great Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, unenclosed (3-3/4" pressure)
16
   Gedeckt
SW
2
   Fifteenth +
61
8
  Principal +
61
2 2/3
   Cornet III ranks +
178
8
  Viola +
61
1 1/3
   Mixture III-IV ranks +
230
8
   Bourdon +
61

16

   Cromorne +
73
8
   Harmonic Flute + *
37
8
   Cromorne [ext.]
—
4
   Octave +
61
  Tremolo
4
   Rohrflute +
61
    
* 1-24 from 8' Bourdon
               
Swell Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed (4" pressure)
16
   Gedeckt
73
1
Plein Jeu III ranks
183
8
   Diapason
61
16

Trumpet + [double trebles]
85
8
  Rohrflute [ext.]
—
8
Trumpet [ext.]
—
8
  Viole
61
8
Hautbois +
61
8
   Celeste [TC]
49
4
Clarion + [double trebles]
78
4
   Principal
61

Tremolo
4
  Spitzflute +
61
  Swell to Swell 16'
2 2/3
   Twelfth
61
  Swell Unison Off  
2
   Octavin
61
  Swell to Swell 4'  
1 3/5
   Seventeenth
61
     
               
Pedal Organ – 32 notes (5" pressure)
32
   Resultant
derived
8
   Gedeckt
SW
16
  Diapason [ext. 8']
12
4
Octave [ext.]
—
16
  Bourdon +
44
16
Trumpet
SW
16
   Gedeckt
SW
16
Cromorne
GT
8
   Principal +
44
8
   Trumpet
SW
8
   Bourdon [ext.]
—
4
   Chalumeau
GT
               
           
+ new pipes (2010)
Adjustable Combinations (254 memory levels)
   
Swell Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb)
Great Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb)
Pedal Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 (toe)
General Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb & toe)
Pistons No. 7-8-9-10-11-12 (thumb)
  "Alternate" Piston – on left key-cheek
  General Cancel Piston
  Combination Set Piston
         
Reversible Pistons
    Great to Pedal (thumb & toe)   Swell to Great (thumb & toe)
    Swell to Pedal (thumb & toe)   Sforzando (thumb & toe)
         
Accessories
    Balanced Swell Pedal   Registration Sequence
    Balanced Crescendo Pedal   Registration Sequencer–Next (toe)
    Automatic Pedal   Registration Sequencer–Back (toe)
    Automatic Solo   Record/Playback
    Transposer   MIDI preparation
           
  Austin Organ, Op. 1621-A (1970) at Christ Church - Riverdale (Bronx), N.Y.
Austin Organs Inc.
Hartford, Conn. – Opus 1621-A (1970)
Electro-pneumatic action
2 manuals, 23 stops, 24 ranks



In 1968, Austin Organs Inc. was contracted to tonally rebuild the existing 1928 Austin organ. The Factory Specifications (May 22, 1968) show that Austin would reuse and revoice some pipework from the old organ and provide an entirely new Great division on a new exposed cantilevered chest. Austin planned to combine the old enclosed Great division with the Swell Organ, retaining the separate shades and motors. However, an Addendum to the contract (July 2, 1969) indicated a design change where the old enclosed Great would instead become the Swell I Organ, and the old enclosed Swell would become the Swell II Organ, allowing more flexibility with couplers. Austin overhauled the old console in the church but returned the combination action to the factory for rebuilding. The work was completed in 1970. Austin added two prepared-for stops, the Great 4' Nachthorn and the Swell I Sesquialtera II in 1978. In February 2007, the organ became unplayable due to a compromised and inaccessible reservoir.
               
Great Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, unenclosed and exposed
8
  Principal +
61
     Swell to Great 16'
8
  Bourdon +
61
     Swell to Great 8'  
4
  Octave +
61

  Swell to Great 4'  
4
   Nachthorn *
61
     Swell I to Great **  
2
   Super Octave +
61
     Swell II to Great **  
    Mixture III ranks +
183
     ** Swell I to Great and Swell II to Great couplers act as unison offs for their respective ranks, permitting the organist to solo and accompany with voices under expression. The Swell to Great couplers affect both Swell I and Swell II divisions.
    Great to Great 16'      
    Great Unison Off      
    Great to Great 4'      
           
               
Swell I Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed (upper chest)
8
  Rohrflöte [13-61 new]
61
Sesquialtera II ranks *
122
4
  Harmonic Flute
61

Tremulant (fan)  
2
   Blockflöte +
61
    
 
 
       

   
Swell II Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed (lower chest)
8
  Viola +
61
8
Vox Humana
61
8
  Viola Celeste [TC]
49
Tremulant (valve)
4
  Principal +
61
Swell to Swell 16'
  Mixture III ranks +
183

Swell Unison Off
8
   Trompette +
61
  Swell to Swell 4'  
4
   Hautbois [old Oboe, revoiced]
61
        
               
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
16
  Diapason [1-12 new]
32
2
Doublette
preparation
16
  Bourdon [ext. SW]
12
16
Fagot
preparation
8
  Octave +
44
Great to Pedal 8'  
8
   Gedeckt
SW
  Swell to Pedal 8'  
4
   Superoctave [ext. 8']
—
  Swell to Pedal 4'  
2
   Nachthorn
GT
 
+ new pipes (1970)
           
* new pipes (1978)
Adjustable Combinations
   
Swell Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb)
Great Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb)
Pedal Pistons No. 1-2-3 (toe)
General Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb, over top manual)
Austin Patent Canceller Bars placed over each group of stop-keys
               
Accessories
    Balanced Expression Pedal – Swell I   Great to Pedal Reversible (toe)
    Balanced Expression Pedal – Swell II   Sforzando (toe)
    Balanced Crescendo Pedal    
         
   
Austin Organ, Op. 1621-A (1970) at Christ Church - Riverdale (Bronx), N.Y.   Austin Organ, Op. 1621-A (1970) at Christ Church - Riverdale (Bronx), N.Y.
           
Austin Organ Company
Hartford, Conn. – Opus 1621 (1928)
Electro-pneumatic action
2 manuals, 14 stops, 12 ranks


The first known pipe organ in Christ Church was installed in 1928 by the Austin Organ Company. Pipes were located in a chamber at the right side of the chancel.
               
Great Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
  Open Diapason
73
  Great 16'
8
  Clarabella
73
  Great 8' (Unison Off)
8
   Dulciana
73

  Great 4'  
4
   Harmonic Flute
73
  Swell to Great 16'  
8
   Trumpet
73
  Swell to Great 8'  
  Tremolo (fan)
    Swell to Great 4'  
               
Swell Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
  Violin Diapason
73
8
Vox Humana *
61
8
  Stopped Flute
73
Tremolo (valve)
8
   Salicional
73
Swell 16'
8
   Voix Celeste [TC]
61

Swell 8' (Unison Off)
4
   Flute d'Amour
73
  Swell 4'
8
   Oboe
73
 
* separate chest, box & tremolo
               
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
16
  Open Diapason [ext. SW]
12
Great to Pedal 8'
16
  Bourdon [ext. SW]
12
Swell to Pedal 8'
            Swell to Pedal 4'  
               
Adjustable Combintations
   
Swell & Pedal Stops Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb)
Great & Pedal Stops Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb)
Pedal Stops & Couplers Pistons No. 1-2-3 (toe)
General Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb, over top manual)
Austin Patent Canceller Bars placed over each group of stop-keys
               
Accessories
    Balanced Great Expression Pedal, with indicator
    Balanced Swell Expression Pedal, with indicator
    Balanced Crescendo Pedal, with indicator
    Great to Pedal Reversible
    Sforzando Pedal, with lamp indicator
    One Signal Light to be used as signal from Sacristy
    One Signal Light to be used as signal from Main Doorway
           
Sources:
     Christ Church Riverdale. Factory Specifications of Austin Organ, Op. 1621 (1928) and Op. 1621-A (1968). Courtesy Rev. Robert C. Lamborn.
     Christ Church Riverdale. Factory Specifications of Foley-Baker, Inc. organ (2010). Courtesy Rev. Robert C. Lamborn.
     Christ Church Riverdale web site: www.christchurchriverdale.org
     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.
     National Register of Historic Places web site: http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com
     Nelson, George. Organs in the United States and Canada Database. Seattle, Wash.
     Ochse, Orpha. Austin Organs. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 2001.

Photos:
      Garcia, Marcia. Church exterior and interior.
      AJWB Collection. Photos of Austin Organ, Op. 1621-A (1970).
           

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