Click on images to enlarge. The Church of the Holy Family (Roman Catholic) "The United Nations Parish" 315 East 47th Street New York, N.Y. 10017 http://www.churchholyfamily.org Organ Specifications: Present building (since 1964) ► V/69 Robert M. Turner Organs (1996) ► III/40 Delaware Organ Company, Inc. (1965) First building (1924-1964) • unknown The Church of the Holy Family was founded in 1924 to serve Italian immigrants on the East Side of Manhattan. The original church was fashioned from a converted brewery stable and served the parish until 1964. The present church, a Modernist building designed by George J. Sole, was built from 1962-65. Due to its close proximity to the United Nations complex, the church is known today as "The United Nations Parish." In 1965, Holy Family was the first church in the Western Hemisphere to be visited by Pope Paul VI. In 1979, Pope John Paul II extended his blessing on the church, after delivering a human rights message at the United Nations.             Robert M. Turner Organs Hacienda Heights, Calif. (1996) Electro-pneumatic action 5 manuals, 98 stops, 69 ranks The present organ at Holy Family Church was built in 1996 by Robert M. Turner Organs of Hacienda Heights, Calif., and incorporates most of the pipework from the previous 1965 Delaware Organ. Scaling and tonal finishing was the work of Charles Callahan, who served as the project consultant. Designed as an eclectic instrument, the organ was inspired by the work of the late G. Donald Harrison of the Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company. Several stops were built following Harrison's practice and some reedwork is from his early masterpiece, Aeolian-Skinner Op. 886 (1932), originally in the Memorial Church of Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. Turner provided a movable five-manual drawknob console that controls five divisions in the gallery and two divisions located on the right side of the chancel. The Positiv division, exposed on the wall of the Chancel, was installed in 1999 by the Wicks Organ Company of Highland, Ill. The organ includes many digital stops by Walker Technical Company, Zionsville, Penn.                 Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, expressive 16   Principal [unit] 73 2 2/3   Quinte 61 8   Diapason 61 2   Superoctave 61 8   Principal —   Fourniture V ranks 305 8   Bourdon 61 8   Trumpet 61 8   Flûte harmonique 61   Tremulant 8   Flauto Dolce 61 8   Tuba Mirabilis SO 8   Flute Celeste 61 8   St. Thomas Trumpet SO 8   Dulciana CH   Chimes  SO 8   Unda Maris CH   Harp digital 4   Octave 61   Celesta digital 4   Flûte octaviante 61                 Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, expressive 16   Rohrbass [unit] 73   Cymball III ranks 183 8   Rohrflöte — 16   Bombarde 61 8   Viole de gambe 61 8   Trumpet 61 8   Voix celeste [TC] 49 8   Trompette 61 4   Prestant 61 8   Hautbois 61 4   Nachthorn 61 8   Vox Humana 61 2 2/3   Nazard [unit] 73 4   Clairon 61 2   Octavin 61   Tremulant 1 3/5   Tierce 61   Cymbelstern 1 1/3   Larigot [Nazard] —                         Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, expressive 16   Dulciana [unit] 73 2   Octave 61 8   Diapason 61 2   Blockflöte 61 8   Gedeckt 61   Sesquialtera II ranks [TC] 98 8   Cello 61   Mixture IV ranks 244 8   Cello Celeste 61 8   Cromorne 61 8   Dulciana —   Tremulant 8   Unda Maris [TC] 49 8   Tuba Mirabilis SO 4   Principal 61       4   Koppelflöte 61   Tower Carillon digital             Solo Organ (Manual IV) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Contra Gamba digital 8   English Horn 61 8   Philomela 61 8   Clarinet 61 8   Gamba 61   Tremulant 8   Gamba Celeste 61 8   Tuba Mirabilis 61 8   Dulciana CH 8   St. Thomas Trumpet [horiz.] 61 8   Unda Maris CH   Harp GT 4   Orchestral Flute 61   Chimes digital 8   French Horn 61                     Chancel Organ (Manual V) – 61 notes, expressive 8   Principal digital 2   Superoctave digital 8   Gedeckt digital 8   Trompette Harmonique digital 8   Flute Celeste II ranks digital 8   Tuba Mirabilis SO 4   Octave digital 8   St. Thomas Trumpet SO                 Positiv Organ (floating) – 61 notes [mounted on Chancel wall] 8   Dolcan 61 2   Spitzflöte 61 8   Gedecktpommer 61 1 1/3   Larigot 61 4   Spillflöte 61   Tremulant                 Pedal Organ – 32 notes, enclosed 32   Contra Violone [ext. SO] digital 4   Choralbass GT 32   Untersatz digital 4   Flûte GT 16   Contrebasse digital 2   Superoctave GT 16   Principal GT   Mixture III ranks 96 16   Subbass digital 32   Ophicleide digital 16   Contra Gamba SO 16   Posaune digital 16   Rohrbass SW 16   Bombarde SW 16   Dulciana CH 8   Trumpet GT 8   Octave 32 4   Clarion GT 8   Principal GT 4   Clairon SW 8   Gemshorn 32 8   St. Thomas Trumpet GT 8   Gamba SO   Chimes SO 8   Rohrflöte SW                                   Delaware Organ Company, Inc. Tonawanda, N.Y. (1965) Electro-pneumatic stop action Setterboard combination action 3 manuals, 34 stops, 40 ranks The Delaware organ that was installed at Holy Family Church was dedicated on January 18, 1966 by John Grady, Director of Music, assisted by an orchestra directed by Emmanuel Balaban. Works included Handel's Concerto No. 5 and the Poulenc Concerto, as well as solo works by Bach, Brahms, Lidon and Widor. The organ was on one level across the rear gallery, with pipes arranged in an asymetric manner on the exposed chests to promote visual interest. The entire organ was on 2½" wind pressure, with open toe voicing. All flue pipes were unnicked.                 Great Organ – 61 notes 8   Principal 61 2   Flachflöte 61 8   Bordun 61     Fourniture IV ranks 244 4   Octave 61 8   Trompette en chamade 61                 Positiv Organ – 61 notes 8   Gedeckt 61   Scharff IV ranks 244 8   Principal 61 8   Dulcianregal en chamade 61 4   Koppelflöte 61 8   Krummhorn 61 2   Principal 61 8   Trompette en chamade GT     Sesquialtera II ranks 122                     Swell Organ – 61 notes, enclosed 8   Rohrflöte 61   Cymbel III ranks 183 8   Viola 61 8   Fagott 61 8   Viola Celeste [TC] 49 4   Schalmey 61 4   Nachthorn 61     Tremulant   2   Weit Principal 61                         Pedal Organ – 32 notes 16   Principal 32 4   Gemshornpommer — 16   Subbass 32      Mixture III ranks 96 16   Rohrbourdon [ext. SW] 12 16   Posaune [unit] 44 8   Principal 32 8   Trumpet — 8   Gemshornpommer [unit] 44 4   Schalmey SW 4   Choralbass 32                                     Sources:      Church of the Holy Family website: http://www.churchholyfamily.org      Dunlap, David W. From Abyssinian to Zion: A Guide to Manhattan's Houses of Worship. New York: Columbia University Press, 2004.      Nelson, George. Organs in the United States and Canada Database. Seattle, Wash.      "Parish Church of UN Opens New Delaware,"The Diapason, March 1966. Courtesy Paul J. Murray. Photos:      Holy Family Church: photos of Delaware organ (1965).      Lawson, Steven E.: exterior; interior; Robert M. Turner organ (1996).             | NYC AGO Home Page | Back to NYC Organ Project List |