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Loew's Lexington Theatre
Lexington Avenue Opera House
571 Lexington Avenue at 51st Street
New York, N.Y. 10022
The Loew's Lexington Theatre, originally known as the Lexington Avenue Opera House, was built by Oscar Hammerstein (father of the song lyricist), with William H. McElfatrick as architect. Because of a dispute that he was having at the time with the Metropolitan Opera, Hammerstein was unable to produce operas there, so he opened it on August 14, 1914 with vaudeville and movies. About a year later, he was still battling with the Met and sold the theatre to his close friend, Marcus Loew, whose circuit ran the Lexington for the rest of its existence. The theatre originally had 3,100 seats, but Loew's reduced it to about 2,500 by closing the topmost of its three balconies. The auditorium was of Beaux Arts design and also had 40 boxes, arranged in four tiers on each side of the proscenium. After the opening of the flagship Loew's State in Times Square in 1921, the Lexington dropped vaudeville and switched to double features, though it continued to be one of the circuit's top Manhattan theatres. Loew's always kept the Lexington in top condition, never changing the decor except for modernizing the entrance, lobby and lounge areas. The Lexington was demolished in 1961 to make way for the Loew's Summit Hotel.
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Wurlitzer Organ Company
North Tonawanda, N.Y. – Opus 1555 (1927)
Electro-pneumatic action
Style 260 Special
3 manuals, 16 ranks
This Wurlitzer organ is dated January 14, 1927. In addition to the standard "Style 260" specifications, Op. 1555 had a second Vox Humana, Piano, and 32' Diaphone. It was moved in 1930 to the RKO 88th Street Theatre.
The exact specification for this organ has not yet been located.
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M.P. Möller, Inc.
Hagerstown, Md. – Opus 3750 (1923)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 150 registers, 93 stops, 28 ranks
In the factory contract dated June 19, 1923, the M.P. Möller company states that the organ for the Lexington Avenue Opera House would cost $17,500 and that it would be completed by October 1, 1923 "POSITIVE". Möller's three-manual mahagony console had colored stop keys and was detached and movable. Wind pressures for the organ were 7" and 12". Möller includes the following notation:
Organ to be constructed so that all string stops are playable on orchestral manual. Two stopkeys cancel all other stops from Orchestral department and all strings from Great and Solo and draw all strings on Orchestral. The purpose is that a solo on any stop (string excepted) can be played on either great or solo manual, and accompanied by all strings in chorus on orchestral manual.
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Great Organ (Center Manual) – 61 notes, enclosed with Orchestral
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8 |
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Open Diapason |
73 |
2 |
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String Fifteenth * |
— |
4 |
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Octave Principle [sic] |
— |
8 |
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Violin d'Orchestre * |
73 |
8 |
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Tibia Plena |
73 |
8 |
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Viole Celeste [TC] * |
61 |
8 |
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Doppel Flute |
73 |
16 |
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Bass Tuba |
85 |
8 |
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Clarabella |
73 |
8 |
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Tuba |
— |
8 |
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Flute Celeste [TC] |
61 |
4 |
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Clarion |
— |
8 |
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Rohr Flute |
— |
16 |
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Cor Anglais [TC] |
— |
4 |
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Solo Flute |
— |
8 |
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English Horn |
73 |
4 |
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Claribel Flute |
— |
16 |
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Corno di Bassetto [TC] |
— |
4 |
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Flute d'Amour |
— |
8 |
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French Trumpet |
73 |
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Mixture III ranks [derived] |
— |
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| Cathedral Chimes |
20 notes |
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16 |
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Violin * |
97 |
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8 |
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Solo Violin * |
— |
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Tremulant |
4 |
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Violin * |
— |
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Orchestral String Tremulant |
2 2/3 |
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String Twelfth * |
— |
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Orchestral Organ (Bottom Manual) – 61 notes, enclosed with Great
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16 |
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Bourdon |
97 |
4 |
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Horn Octave |
— |
8 |
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Stopped Diapason |
— |
16 |
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Sub Vox [TC] |
— |
4 |
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Flute d'Amour |
— |
8 |
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Vox Humana |
73 |
2 2/3 |
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Octave Quint |
— |
8 |
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2 |
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Flageolet |
— |
4 |
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1 3/5 |
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Tiercena |
— |
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Glockenspiel |
8 |
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Orchestral Oboe |
— |
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Orchestral Bells |
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8 |
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Saxophone (Syn.) |
— |
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Orch. String Organ [draws * stops] |
8 |
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Flute Traverso |
73 |
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Solo String Organ [draws + stops] |
4 |
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Wald Flute |
— |
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Orchestral String Tremulant
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8 |
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Solo Violin |
— |
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Solo String Tremulant |
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4 |
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Violin |
— |
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Tremulant |
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2 2/3 |
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String Twelfth |
— |
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Snare Drum |
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8 |
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Violin d'Orchestre |
— |
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Castanets |
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8 |
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Viole Celeste [TC] |
— |
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Tambourine |
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8 |
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Tuba |
— |
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Sleigh Bells |
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8 |
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Clarinet |
73 |
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Indian Block |
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8 |
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English Horn |
— |
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Solo Organ (Top Manual) – 61 notes, enclosed
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8 |
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Stentorphone |
73 |
8 |
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Viole Celeste [TC] + |
61 |
8 |
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Gross Flute |
73 |
4 |
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Violin + |
— |
16 |
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Tibia Clausa |
97 |
8 |
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Cornopean |
73 |
8 |
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Stopped Flute |
— |
4 |
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Corno d'Amour |
— |
4 |
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Orchestral Flute |
— |
8 |
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French Horn |
73 |
2 2/3 |
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Quint |
— |
16 |
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Fagotta |
85 |
2 |
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Flautina |
— |
8 |
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Oboe |
— |
1 3/5 |
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Tiercena |
— |
4 |
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Oboe Clarion |
— |
8 |
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Concert Flute |
73 |
8 |
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Vox Humana |
73 |
4 |
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Flute Harmonic |
73 |
4 |
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Vox Octave |
— |
4 |
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Fern Flute |
— |
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2 |
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Piccolo |
— |
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Marimba [single stroke] |
— |
8 |
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Gross Gamba + |
73 |
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Solo String Tremulant |
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8 |
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Gross Gamba Celeste [TC] + |
61 |
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Tremulant |
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8 |
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Violin d'Orchestre + |
73 |
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Pedal Organ – 32 notes
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32 |
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Resultant |
— |
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Bass Drum |
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16 |
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Open Diapason |
12 |
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Snare Drum |
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16 |
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Tibia |
12 |
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Tympany Roll |
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16 |
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Contra Tibia Clausa |
— |
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Triangle |
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16 |
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Bourdon |
— |
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Cymbal |
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16 |
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Violin |
— |
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Tom Tom |
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16 |
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Tuba |
— |
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Castanets |
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16 |
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Contra Fagotta |
— |
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Tambourine |
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8 |
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Tibia Plena |
— |
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Sleigh Bells |
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8 |
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Flute Dolce |
— |
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8 |
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Cello |
— |
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8 |
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Tuba |
— |
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Thunder Sheet |
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Indian Block |
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Cymbal Crash |
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Song Birds (2) |
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Grand Crash |
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Chinese Gong |
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Couplers
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Solo to Great |
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Solo 4' |
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Solo to Great 4' |
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Solo 16' |
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Solo to Great 16' |
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Orchestral 4' |
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Orchestral to Great |
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Orchestral 16' |
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Orchestral to Great 4' |
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Solo to Pedal |
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Orchestral to Great 16' |
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Great to Pedal |
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Solo to Orchestral |
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Great to Pedal 4' |
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Orchestral to Solo |
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Great Unison Separation [in jambs] |
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Orchestral to Pedal |
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Orch. Unison Separation [in jambs] |
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Great 4' |
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Solo Unison Separation [in jambs] |
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Mechanicals
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Great-Orchestral Tremulant |
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Solo String Tremulant |
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Solo Tremulant |
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Great-Orchestral String Tremulant |
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Crescendo Indicator |
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Pedal Movements
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Great to Pedal Reversible |
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Orchestral to Pedal Reversible |
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Balanced Solo Pedal |
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Balanced Great-Orchestral Pedal |
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Grand Crescendo Pedal – Sub & Super Couplers Sforzando on Double Touch |
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Adjustable Combinations
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Pistons 1,2,3,4,5 & 6 |
Affecting Orchestral Stops |
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Pistons 1,2,3,4,5 & 6 |
Affecting Great Stops |
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Pistons 1,2,3,4,5 & 6 |
Affecting Solo Stops |
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Pistons 1,2,3,4,5 & 6 |
Affecting Pedal Stops |
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Pistons 1,2,3, & 4 |
Affecting Full Organ |
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M.P. Möller, Inc.
Hagerstown, Md. – Op. 1815 (1914)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 44 stops, 34 ranks |
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Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes
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16 |
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Bourdon |
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8 |
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Doppel Floete |
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8 |
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Open Diapason, No. 1 |
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4 |
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Octave |
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8 |
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Open Diapason, No. 2 |
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4 |
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Flute Harmonic |
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8 |
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Gamba |
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16 |
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Tuba Profunda |
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8 |
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Gemshorn |
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8 |
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Harmonic Tuba |
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8 |
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Melodia |
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4 |
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Harmonic Clarion |
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Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
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16 |
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Contra Viole |
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4 |
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Flauto Traverso |
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8 |
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Open Diapason |
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2 |
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Violina |
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8 |
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Salicional |
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Dolce Cornet, 4 ranks |
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8 |
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Viole Celeste |
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16 |
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Contra Fagotta [sic] |
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8 |
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Viole d'Orchestre |
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8 |
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Cornopean |
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8 |
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Aeoline |
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8 |
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Orchestral Oboe |
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8 |
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Stopped Diapason |
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8 |
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Vox Humana |
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8 |
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Spitz Flute |
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Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
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16 |
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Viol Dolce |
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4 |
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Flute d'Amour |
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8 |
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Geigen Principal |
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2 |
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Flageolet |
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8 |
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Dulciana |
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8 |
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Clarinet |
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8 |
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Concert Flute |
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Pedal Organ – 32 notes
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32 |
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Harmonic Bass |
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8 |
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Cello |
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16 |
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Open Diapason |
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8 |
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Melodia |
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16 |
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Bourdon |
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16 |
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Contra Fagotta |
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16 |
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Viol Dolce |
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16 |
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Tuba Profunda |
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8 |
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Octave |
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8 |
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Harmonic Tuba |
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Sources:
Cinema Treasures website: www.cinematreasures.org
Jewish Virtual Library website: http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org
Junchen, David L. Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ, Vol. 1. Pasadena: Showcase Publications, 1985.
Junchen, David L. The WurliTzer Pipe Organ – An Illustrated History. Compiled and edited by Jeff Weiler. Chicago: The American Theatre Organ Society, 2005.
Kaufmann, Preston J. Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ, Vol. 3. Pasadena: Showcase Publications, 1995.
"Lexington Avenue Opera House Organ", The Diapason, December, 1923; courtesy Jeff Scofield.
Scofield, Jeff. M.P. Möller Opus List.
"Moller Will Build for Hammerstein," The Diapason, August 1914; courtesy Jonathan Bowen.
Trupiano, Larry. Factory Specifications for M.P. Möller organ, Op. 3750 (1923).
Photo:
Cinema Treasures website: exterior
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