click on images to enlarge Church of the Holy Trinity (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) 3 West 65th Street at Central Park West New York, N.Y. 10003 http://www.holytrinitynyc.org Organ Specifications: 3 West 65th Street at Central Park West (since 1902) ► III/67 Robert M. Turner Organs (1976) ► I/3 Robert M. Turner Organs (1974) – Portativ ► III/43 Aeolian-Skinner Organ Co. Op. 785-B (1962) ► III/30 Aeolian-Skinner Organ Co. Op. 785-A (1951) ► III/30 Skinner Organ Company, Op. 785 (1929) ► III/29 Skinner & Cole Organ Co., Op. 113 (1903) 47 West 21st Street near Sixth Avenue (1868-1902) • I/ Ferris & Stuart (1862) The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity was founded in 1868 by a group which split from St. James Lutheran Church. At the time, the majority of Lutherans in New York City were German, but Holy Trinity was one of a very few English-speaking Lutheran congregations. Their first church was at 47 West 21st Street, in the edifice originally built for St. Paul's Reformed Dutch Church. The present Gothic Revival church was built between 1902-04, as designed by Schickel & Ditmars. Holy Trinity is widely known for its Bach Vespers series, begun in 1968 by then-organist John Weaver, the first instance in America where the cantatas of Bach could be heard on their appointed day in the context of the liturgical calendar. Cantatas, as well as other appropriate music, are performed by the professional Bach Choir and Bach Players from late Fall through Easter. Holy Trinity Church is within the "Upper West Side/Central Park West Historic District", as designated in 1990 by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission.                     47 West 21st Street Early interior photo of current building Early photo of current building             Robert M. Turner Hacienda Heights, Calif. (1976) Electro-pneumatic action 3 manuals, 71 stops, 67 ranks   The present organ was built by Robert M. Turner in 1976, and resuses the case and many pipes from Ernest M. Skinner's organs of 1903 (Opus 113), 1929 (Opus 785), and the 1962 rebuild by Aeolian-Skinner (Opus 785-B). The 1976 rebuilding provided all new playing action, new principal choruses and reeds, an independent pedal division, and a new movable console. The organ was also revoiced to play on a lower wind pressure.                 Great Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes 16   Bourdon 61 2   Spitzflöte 61 8   Principal 61 1 1/3   Cornet III ranks [TC] 147 8   Flûte Harmonique 61 1 1/3   Mixture IV-V ranks 293 8   Bourdon 61 16   Posaune 61 4   Spitzflöte 61 8   Trompette 61 4   Octave 61 4   Clairon 61 4   Koppelflöte 61     Tremulant   2   Super Octave 61 8   Trompette en chamade  61             Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Gedeckt Bass 61 2   Flûte Douce [ext.] 12 8   Gedeckt 61 1 1/3   Mixture III-IV ranks 232 8   Flûte Douce 61 1/3   Cymbel III ranks 183 8   Flûte Céleste 61 16   Basson 61 8   Viola 61 8   Trompette 61 8   Viola Céleste 61 8   Basson-Hautbois [ext.] 12 4   Principal 61 8   Voix Humaine 61 4   Rohrflöte 61 4   Clairon 61 4   Flûte Douce [ext.] 12     Tremulant   4   Flûte Céleste [ext.] 12 8   Trompette en chamade  GT 2   Octave 61                     Positive Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed 8   Principal 61 1 3/5   Tierce 61 8   Holzgedeckt 61 1 1/3   Larigot 61 8   Dulciana 61 1   Sifflöte 61 8   Unda Maris [TC] 49 1   Scharf V ranks 305 4   Principal 61 8   Trompette 61 4   Spillflöte 61 8   Cromorne 61 2 2/3   Nazard 61     Tremulant   2   Octave 61  8   Trompette en chamade  GT 2   Blockflöte 61                     Pedal Organ – 32 notes 32   Untersatz [ext.] 12 32   Basson * SW 16   Principal 32 16   Bombarde 32 16   Subbase 32 16   Posaune 32 16   Gedeckt Bass SW 16   Basson SW 8   Principal 32 8   Trompette [ext.] 12 8   Pommer 32 8   Basson/Hautbois SW 8   Gedeckt SW 4   Clairon [ext.] 12 4   Octave 32 4   Hautbois SW 4   Nachthorn 32 8   Trompette en chamade GT 2   Nachthorn [ext.] 12       2   Mixture V ranks 155     * 1-12 Basse de Cornet                             Portativ Organ Robert M. Turner Hacienda Heights, Calif. (1974) Direct-electric action 1 manual, 3 stops, 3 ranks   Manual – 61 notes 8   Gedeckt 61 4   Rohrflöte 61 2   Prinzipal 61               Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company Boston, Mass. – Opus 785-B (1962) Electro-pneumatic key, stop and chest action 3 manuals, 46 stops, 43 ranks, 2,836 pipes The Aeolian-Skinner Company returned in 1962 (Op. 785-B) to rebuild and enlarge the organ, and to provide a new console.                 Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes 8   Principal 61     Fourniture IV ranks 244 8   Bourdon 61     Chimes   4   Octave 61 8   Trompette Harmonique CH 4   Zauberflöte 61 4   Clarion Harmonique CH 2   Fifteenth 61                   Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Gedeckt 73 2   Octavin 61 8   Rohrflöte 73     Mixture III-V ranks 269 8   Viola 73 16   Fagot 73 8   Viola Céleste 73 8   Trompette 73 8   Flute Celeste II ranks 134 4   Clarion 73 4   Prestant 73     Tremulant   4   Flute Triangulaire 73                     Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed 8   Cor de Nuit 73 1 3/5   Tierce 61 8   Dulciana 73 1 1/3   Larigot 61 8   Unda Maris [TC] 61     Acuta IV ranks 244 4   Koppelflöte 61 8   Krummhorn 73 2 2/3   Nazard 61     Tremulant   2   Blockflöte 61 8   Trompette Harmonique 73             Pedal Organ – 32 notes 32   Bourdon 32 2   Flöte 12 16   Kontrabass 32 2   Blockflöte CH 16   Bourdon 12     Mixture III ranks 96 16   Gedeckt SW 16   Bombarde 12 8   Principal 12 16   Fagot SW 8   Bourdon 12 8   Krummhorn CH 8   Gedeckt SW 4   Krummhorn CH 4   Choralbass 32     Chimes GT             Skinner Organ Company Boston, Mass. – Opus 785 (1929) Electro-pneumatic key, stop and chest action 3 manuals, 32 stops, 30 ranks, 2,005 pipes Showing tonal changes by Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company Boston, Mass. – Opus 785-A (1951) In 1929, the Skinner Organ Company installed a new organ, Op. 785, with electro-pneumatic action. It seems likely that some of the pipes from the 1903 organ were incorporated into the new instrument. The Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company, successor to the Skinner Organ Company, returned in 1951 to make tonal replacements (Op. 785-A).                 Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes 16   Bourdon [ext. Ped.] 17 8   Tromba * 61 8   1st Diapason + 61 8   French Horn * 61 8   2nd Diapason 61   Chimes     8   Clarabella 61     4   Octave 61   + rep. by 8' Bourdon, Op. 785-A     Grave Mixture II ranks 122     * enclosed with Choir             Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Bourdon 73   Mixture III ranks 183 8   Diapason ++ 73 8   Cornopean +++ 73 8   Rohrflöte 73 8   Oboe d'Amore 73 8   Salicional 73 8   Vox Humana 73 8   Voix Celeste 73   Tremolo   8   Flute Celeste II ranks 134         8   Aeoline 73     ++ rep. by 8' Viola, Op. 785-A 4   Flute Triangulaire 73     +++ rep. by 8' Trompette, Op. 785-A             Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed 8   Flute 73 8   Clarinet 73 8   Dulciana 73   Tremolo   8   Unda Maris [TC] 61     Harp   4   Flute 73   Celesta               Pedal Organ – 32 notes 16   Open Diapason 32 8   Gedeckt [ext.] 12 16   Bourdon 32 8   Still Gedeckt SW 16   Echo Lieblich SW 16   Trombone [ext. GT] 12 8   Octave [ext.] 12   Chimes GT               E.M. Skinner Organ Case Skinner & Cole Organ Company Ernest M. Skinner & Co. Boston, Mass. – Opus 113 (1903) Electro-pneumatic action 3 manuals, 38 stops, 29 ranks The contract for the original organ in the present building was awarded to the Skinner & Cole Organ Co., reflecting a short-lived partnership between Ernest M. Skinner and James Cole which lasted only a few months during 1903. Skinner bought the contract when the partnership was dissolved (in the latter part of 1903), and this organ was the first opus number listed in the Skinner files. Skinner had planned to use tubular-pneumatic action for this organ, but instead employed electro-pneumatic action. The combination action was "blind" in that it did not visibly move stops. Both the Swell and Choir divisions were enclosed in one swell box. The organ was dedicated by Mr. Gaston Dethier, organist, assisted by Mrs. W. W. Niles, soprano, and Mr. Harry McClaskey, tenor, on Thursday evening, March 2, 1905.                   Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes 16   Diapason 61 8   Erzaehler 61 8   First Diapason 61 4   Octave 61 8   Second Diapason 61 4   Flute 61 8   Gross Floete 61 8   Cornopean SW             Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Bourdon 61 4   Flauto Traverso 61 8   Diapason 61 4   Violina 61 8   Concert Flute 61 2   Piccolo Harmonique 61 8   Salicional 61 16   Fagotto 61 8   Voix Celestes 61 8   Cornopean 73 8   Aeoline 61 8   Oboe 61 8   Gedackt 61     Tremolo               Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed with Swell 8   Violin Diapason 61 4   Violina SW 8   Melodia 61 2   Flautino 61 8   Dulciana 61 8   Clarinet 61 8   Dulcet 61 8   Oboe SW 8   Aeoline SW     Tremolo   4   Wald Floete [Flute on contract] 61                     Pedal Organ – 30 notes 16   Diapason 30 8   Bass Flute [ext.] 12 16   Bourdon 30 8   Gedackt [ext.] 12 16   Gedackt SW 8   'Cello * SW 10 2/3   Quinte —     * Salicional + Voix Celestes                 Couplers (operated by tilting tablets)     Great to Pedal 8'   Great to Swell 8'     Swell to Pedal 8'   Swell to Choir 8'     Choir to Pedal 8'   Great to Great 16', 4'     Swell to Great 8'   Swell to Swell 16', 4'     Choir to Great 16', 8'   Choir to Choir 16'                 Combinations     Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-0 operating on Great and Pedal     Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6-0 operating on Swell and Pedal     Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-0 operating on Choir and Pedal     General Release               Pedal Release                           Pedal Movements     Balanced Swell and Choir Pedal   Great to Pedal Reversible     Balanced Crescendo Pedal                 Organ in previous church located at 47 West 21st Street: Ferris & Stuart New York City (1862) Mechanical action 1 manual This organ was built for St. Paul's Dutch Reformed Church and may have been used when Holy Trinity Lutheran Church took over the building. Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.             Sources:      Aeolian-Skinner Archives web site: http://aeolian-skinner.110mb.com/      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.      Dunlap, David. From Abyssinian to Zion: A Guide to Manhattan's Houses of Worship. New York: Columbia University Press, 2004.      Haberstroh, Richard. The German Churches of Metropolitan New York: A Research Guide. New York: The New York Genealogical & Biographical Society, 2000.      Holden, Dorothy. The Life and Work of Ernest M. Skinner. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1987.      Holy Trinity Lutheran Church website: http://www.holytrinitynyc.org      Kinzey, Allen. Shop notes for Ernest M. Skinner & Co. organ, Op. 113 (1903).      Kinzey, Allen, and Sand Lawn. E.M. Skinner/Aeolian-Skinner Opus List (New Revised Edition). Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1997.      "Organ Recital by Mr. Gaston Dethier," dedication program (Mar. 2, 1905). Courtesy Larry Trupiano.      "Stop, Open and Reed – a Periodical Presentation of Pipe Organ Progress". Boston: Skinner Organ Company, 1922-1927.      Trupiano, Larry. Electronic correspondence (July 7, 2010) regarding action and combinations of Ernest M. Skinner & Co. organ, Op. 113 (1903). Photos:      Holy Trinity Lutheran Church Archives      John Rust             | NYC AGO Home Page | Back to NYC Organ Project List |