Christ and St. Stephen's Church (Episcopal)


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Christ and St. Stephen's Church
(Episcopal)

120 West 69th Street
New York, N.Y. 10023
http://www.csschurch.org

Organ Specifications:
120 West 69th Street (since 1897)
► III/17 Schoenstein & Co., Op. 153 (2008)
► III/19 Randolph Gilberti (1971-73)
• II/12 Hilborne L. Roosevelt, Op. 175 (1885)
57½ West 46th Street (1873-1897)
• George Jardine & Son (c.1866)
No permanent church from 1866-1873
Broome and Chrystie Streets (1805-1866)
• Henry Erben (1854)
• II/20 Ferris & Stuart (1844)
• William Redstone (1824)

Christ and St. Stephen's Church was formed by a consolidation, in 1975, of two Episcopal congregations that had lost many parishioners as the neighborhood was cleared for the construction of Lincoln Center. The combined congregations worship in the former St. Stephen's Church on West 69th Street.

Christ Church, organized in 1793, was the second oldest Episcopal parish in New York. The society's last church building, erected in 1890, was located on the corner of Broadway and 71st Street. See the page on Christ Church for more information.


Broome & Chrystie Streets (1805-1866)

St. Stephen Episcopal Church was founded in 1805. The first church was a wooden structure with steeple that was at the corner of Broome and Chrystie Streets.


	West 46th Street (1873-1897)

Following the Civil War, businesses began to overtake the downtown areas, and many residents moved into new apartments being built farther uptown. In 1873, St. Stephen's congregation abandoned the old church on Broome Street, and merged into the Church of the Advent on West 46th Street. The combined congregation took the name of St. Stephen's Church, likely due to the influx of proceeds from selling their Broome Street building.

By the end of the 19th century, the blocks around Longacre (Times) Square and nearby Grand Central Depot had become a thriving business center, and once again the congregation decided to move.


Present church (1905)

In 1897, St. Stephen's purchased the present church on West 69th Street that had been built in 1876 as the suburban chapel of the Church of the Transfiguration ("The Little Church Around the Corner"). William H. Day designed the picturesque building with its low roofline and small tower. Architect J. D. Fouquet remodeled the church when it was acquired by St. Stephen's congregation.

In May 2004, a portion of the ceiling collapsed, revealing a dangerous and inadequate substructure that required the complete demolition of the 19th century ceiling. Amidst the rubble was found evidence of the stenciling that once decorated the 1876 walls, inspiring the church vestry to commit to a complete restoration of the interior. The renewed space resulted in a more flexible chancel, new pews and furnishings, and improved lighting.


	Renovated interior (2008)

Christ and St. Stephen's Church has long been supportive of music and the arts. At one time it included an early music group made up of outstanding instrumentalists, who, along with one of the country's premier brass ensembles, were in residence at the church. Original compositions were also encouraged, and composers were given commissions for new works. In 1980, the church established its Fellowship in Church Music, in which graduate level students were chosen to join the staff and assist the director of music. The goal of the Fellows apprentice-type learning of the craft of sacred music was two-fold: to give the student an opportunity to work in a unique liturgical music program with outstanding professional musicians, and to encourage their growth and development by utilizing their particular talents to enrich the church's music. Institutions that have been involved in the program include The Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, Westminster Choir College, Yale University, and the Eastman School of Music.

Schoenstein & Co. Organ, Op. 153 (2008) at Christ and St. Stephen Episcopal Church - New York City (credit: Schoenstein & Co.)

Schoenstein & Co.
Benicia, Calif. – Opus 153 (2008)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 56 stops, 15 voices, 17 ranks

The present organ was built in 2008 by Schoenstein & Co., of Benicia, California. Working within the restrictions of a small, 15-foot-high space at the right side of the chancel, Schoenstein designed a compact organ that has 17 ranks controlled by 56 stops. All of the pipes are enclosed, with separate expression for the Great and Swell Organs, and within the Swell Organ enclosure is another enclosure for three stops on heavy wind pressure. The Solo Organ, playable from the lowest manual, is comprised of duplexed stops from the Great and Swell Organs. The movable three-manual console includes an analog clock and rotary master switch (controlling lights and blower) that were inspired by the dashboards of a Rolls-Royce automobile.

Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed

Corno Dolce

Mixture III ranks

166

Open Diapason

Tuba Minor

Harmonic Flute *

Clarinet

Corno Dolce (fr. 16')

—

Tremulant

Flute Celeste (TC)

Great Unison Off

Vox Celeste II ranks

Great to Great 4'

Principal

Corno Dolce (fr. 16')

—

* 1-19 from Corno Dolce

Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed

Bourdon

Bass Tuba †

Salicional *

Bass Horn

Stopped Diapason (fr. Bdn.)

—

Tuba Minor (fr. Bass Tuba) †

—

Gamba †

Flugel Horn (fr. Bass Horn)

—

Vox Celeste †

Tremulant

Flute Celeste II ranks

Swell to Swell 16'

Salicet

—

Swell Unison Off

Chimney Flute

Swell to Swell 4'

Flute Celeste II ranks

2 2/3

Nazard (fr. Chim. Fl.)

—

* 1-12 from Stopped Diapason

Fifteenth (fr. Chim. Fl.)

—

† in separate box inside Swell; heavy wind

1 3/5

Tierce (TC)

Solo Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes

Open Diapason

2 2/3

Nazard

Stopped Diapason

Fifteenth

Harmonic Flute

1 3/5

Tierce

Corno Dolce

Bass Tuba

Flute Celeste

Tuba Minor

Salicional

Flugel Horn

Gamba

Clarinet

Vox Celeste

Solo to Solo 16'

Salicet

Solo Unison Off

Chimney Flute

Solo to Solo 4'

Pedal Organ – 32 notes

Resultant

—

Octave (fr. Op. Diap.)

Corno Dolce

Flute (fr. Harm. Flute)

Bourdon

Bass Tuba

Open Diapason

Bass Horn

Corno Dolce

Tuba Minor

Stopped Diapason

Clarinet

Couplers

Great to Pedal 8', 4'

Solo to Great 8'

Swell to Pedal 8', 4'

Great to Solo 8'

Solo to Pedal 8', 4'

Swell to Solo 8'

Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'

Adjustable Combinations (100 levels; programmable piston range for each memory level)


Swell Organ	Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb)
Great Organ	Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb)
Solo Organ	Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb)
Pedal Organ	Pistons 1-2-3-4 (toe)
Entire Organ	Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12 (thumb & toe)

Reversibles

Swell to Pedal (thumb)

Great to Pedal (thumb and toe)

Solo to Pedal (thumb)

Pedal Movements

Balanced Great Expression Pedal

Balanced Swell Expression Pedal

Balanced Swell Expression Pedal [hi-press.]

Mechanicals

Piston sequencer

Record/Playback system

Previous organ in St. Stephen's Church at present location:

Randolph Gilberti
Freeport, N.Y. (1971-73)
Electro-pneumatic action
3-manual movable console by Hartman and Beaty (1978)
3 manuals, 23 registers, 17 stops, 19 ranks

From 1971-73, Randolph Gilberti rebuilt and enlarged the 1885 Roosevelt organ, and a new, movable three-manual console was built and installed by Hartman and Beaty in 1978. This organ was damaged by the collapse of the ceiling in 2004, and was removed in 2007. Pipecounts given below are suggested.

Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes

Bourdon

Super Octave

Principal

1 3/5

Tierce

Gedeckt

Mixture III ranks

183

Octave

Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed

Gedeckt

Principal

Salicional

1 1/3

Quint

Celeste (TC)

Trumpet

Principal

Tremulant

Positiv (Manual I) – 61 notes

No stops installed

Pedal Organ – 32 notes

Resultant

—

Choral Bass (fr. Principal)

—

Soubass

Flute

Bourdon

Bombarde

Principal

Trumpet

Gedeckt (fr. Soubass)

—

Couplers

Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'

Great to Pedal 8', 4'

Positiv to Great 16', 8', 4'

Swell to Pedal 8', 4'

Swell to Positiv 16', 8', 4'

Adjustable Combinations

Swell Organ	Pistons 1-2-3-4-5
Great Organ	Pistons 1-2-3-4-5
Positiv Organ	Pistons 1-2-3-4-5
Pedal Organ	Pistons 1-2-3-4-5
Generals	Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6-7

Accessories

Balanced Swell Pedal

Sforzando Reversible

Crescendo Pedal


	c.1901 photo showing Roosevelt Organ

Previous organ in present church:

Hilborne L. Roosevelt
New York City – Opus 175 (1885)
Mechanical action
2 manuals, 12 stops

In 1885, Hilborne L. Roosevelt built a two-manual organ for the Chapel of the Church of the Transfiguration, the original owners of the present building. Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.

Organ in St. Stephen's Church located at 57½ West 46th Street:

George Jardine & Son
New York City (c.1866)
Mechanical action

Around 1866, an organ was built by Geo. Jardine & Son for the Church of the Advent. St. Stephen's Church merged into the Church of the Advent in 1873 and remained there until 1897. Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.

Organ in St. Stephen's Church located at Broome and Chrystie Streets:

Henry Erben
New York City (1854)
Mechanical action

Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.

Organ in St. Stephen's Church located at Broome and Chrystie Streets:

Ferris & Stuart
New York City (1844)
Mechanical action
2 manuals, 20 stops

The 1861 American Musical Directory stated that this organ had "2 banks keys, 20 stops, 1½ octaves pedals. Built by R. M. Ferris, in 1844." Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.

Organ in St. Stephen's Church located at Broome and Chrystie Streets:

William Redstone
New York City (1824)
Mechanical action

Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.

Sources:
     American Musical Directory. New York: Thomas Hutchinson, 1861.
     Christ and St. Stephen's Church website: http://www.csschurch.org
     Dedicatory Concert Series booklet, Schoenstein & Co. organ, Op. 153 (2008). New York: Christ and St. Stephen's Church, 2008.
     Potts, Nigel. Specification of Schoenstein & Co. Organ, Op. 153 (2008).
     Potts, Nigel. Specification of previous organ as rebuilt by Randolph Gilberti (1971-1973).

Illustrations:
     Christ and St. Stephen's Church website. Exterior.
     Dedicatory Concert Series booklet. Console of Schoenstein & Co. organ, Op. 153 (2008).
     Episcopal Diocese of New York Archives. Interior (c.1901) of St. Stephen's Church.
     Lawson, Steven E. Interior; Schoenstein & Co. organ, Op. 153 (2008.

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