click any image to enlarge Church of the Epiphany (Episcopal) 1393 York Avenue at 74th Street New York, N.Y. 10021 http://www.epiphanynyc.org Organ Specifications: 1393 York Avenue & East 74th Street (since 1939) ► III/50 Aeolian-Skinner Organ Co., Op. 1412 (1962) 257 Lexington Avenue (1893-1939) ► III/37 J.W. Steere & Son (ca.1914) East 47th Street at Lexington Avenue (1881-1893) • II/30 George Jardine & Son (1860) 130 Stanton Street (1834-1881) • Henry Erben & Co. (1835) On the Feast of the Epiphany, January 6, 1833, in a small dark room over an engine-house, six adults met for worship. They were joined by "a few ragged children who were persuaded to enter." This mission was appropriately named the Mission Church of the Epiphany, and was the first church of the New York Protestant Episcopal City Mission Society and was free, that is, there were to be no pew rentals. The cornerstone for a new building was laid at 130 Stanton Street on August 26, 1833. In 1874, the Church of the Epiphany exchanged property with the Church of the Reformation, and moved to 228 East 50th Street. In 1881, Epiphany purchased the Church of St. Alban's, at East 47th Street, west of Lexington Avenue. By 1893, the church was having financial difficulties, so it merged with and moved into the Church of St. John the Baptist, located at 263 Lexington Avenue at 35th Street. In the 1920s and 1930s, the congregation was feeling the effects of families moving to the suburbs, and talked of a merger with the Church of the Incarnation, which was only two blocks away on 35th Street and Madison Avenue, but the proposal was rejected by Bishop Manning. In 1935, Epiphany finalized plans for a merger with the Church of the Resurrection, on 74th Street east of Park Avenue, but Bishop Manning insisted, against the Vestry's wishes, that the Church of the Epiphany would remain independent, and would build a new home near the East Side hospitals. The current site on York Avenue at 74th Street was selected, and the new and present church was built. Wyeth & King designed the unusual building, which was completed in 1939. The stark building features a large tower which functions as the chancel.             Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company Boston, Mass. – Opus 1412 (1962) Electro-pneumatic key and stop action Solid state combination action 3 manuals, 54 stops, 50 ranks           Hauptwerk (Manual II) – 61 notes 16   Quintade 61 2 Blockflöte 61 8   Prinzipal 61 1 3/5 Terz 61 8   Bordun 61 Mixtur III ranks 183 4   Oktav 61 Scharf III ranks 183 4   Rohrflöte 61 8 Bombarde [ext. PED] 17 2 2/3   Nasat 61 Chimes * 25 tubes 2   Super Oktav 61                   Récit expressif (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed 8   Flûte à Cheminée 68 Plein Jeu III ranks 183 8   Viole de Gambe 68 Cymbale III ranks 183 8   Viole Céleste 68 16 Fagot  68 4   Montre 68 8 Trompette  68 4   Flûte Harmonique 68 4 Clairon  68 2   Octavin 61 Tremblant       Positiv Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes 16   Dulciana [ext.] + 12 1 1/3 Larigot 61 8   Pommer Gedackt 61 1 Sifflöte 61 8   * Unda Maris II ranks + 146 Zimbel III ranks 183 4   Prinzipal 61 8 Cromorne + 61 4   Koppelflöte 61 4 Chalumeau + 61 4   * Unda Maris II ranks [ext.] + 24 8 Bombarde PED 2   Lieblich Prinzipal 61 + enclosed with Swell       Pedal Organ – 32 notes 32   Untersatz [resultant] — 4 Choralbass [ext.] 12 16   Contre Basse 32 4 * Bourdon [ext.] 12 16   * Bourdon 32 Mixture IV ranks 128 16   Quintade HW 16 Bombarde 32 16   Dulciana POS 16 Fagot RÉC 8   Octave [ext.] 12 8 Bombarde [ext.] 12 8   * Bourdon [ext.] 12 8 Cromorne POS 8   Flûte à cheminée RÉC 4 Bombarde [ext.] 12 8   Quintade HW 4 Chalumeau POS                         * from previous Steere organ                                         J. W. Steere & Son Springfield, Mass. (ca.1914) Electro-pneumatic action 3 manuals, 42 stops, 37 ranks This organ was originally installed in the church building located at Lexington Avenue and Thirty-fifth Street.                 Great Organ  (Manual II) – 61 notes 16   Diapason 4   Harmonic Flute 8   Diapason 4   Principal 8   Gamba 2   Fifteenth 8   Clarabella 8   Trumpet 8   Doppel Floete 8   Diapason [in Choir Room]                 Swell Organ  (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Bourdon 4   Violina 8   Diapason 2   Flautino 8   Salicional   Mixture III ranks 8   Aeoline 16   Fagotto 8   Voix Celeste 8   Cornopean 8   Gedackt 8   Oboe 4   Echo Flute                     Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Contra Viole 8   Quintadena 8   Diapason 4   Flute d'Amour 8   Dulciana 8   Vox Humana 8   Viole d'Orchestre 8   Clarinet 8   Concert Flute   Chimes 8   Unda Maris                     Peda Organ  l – 32 notes 16   First Diapason 10 2/3   Quint [from Bourdon] — 16   Second Diapason GT 8   Octave [ext.] 12 16   Bourdon 8   Flute [from Bourdon] 12 16   Gedackt SW 8   Violoncello CH 16   Gamba CH         Organ in former St. Alban's Church on East 47th Street at Lexington Avenue: George Jardine & Son New York City (1860) Mechanical action 2 manuals, 30 stops Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.   Organ in former church at 130 Stanton Street: Henry Erben & Co. New York City (1835) Mechanical action Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.   Sources:      Aeolian-Skinner Archives website: http://aeolian-skinner.110mb.com/      The Church of the Epiphany: A Brief History of the Parish from 1833 to the Present. New York: Church of the Epiphany.      Church of the Epiphany website: http://www.epiphanynyc.org      Dunlap, David. From Abyssinian to Zion: A Guide to Manhattan's Houses of Worship. New York: Columbia University Press, 2004.      Kinzey, Allen, and Sand Lawn, comps. E.M. Skinner/Aeolian-Skinner Opus List. New Rev. Ed. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1997.      Nelson, George. Organs in the United States and Canada Database. Seattle, Wash.      Steere Organ specifications courtesy Jonathan Bowen. Photos:      Steven E. Lawson             | NYC AGO Home Page | Back to NYC Organs List |