click on images to enlarge Old St. Patrick's Cathedral (Roman Catholic) 260 Mulberry Street at Prince Street New York, N.Y. 10012 http://www.oldsaintpatricks.com Organ Specifications: 260 Mulberry Street Present Building (since 1868) ► III/46 Henry Erben & Co. (1866-68) First Building (1809-burned 1866): • Henry Erben & Co. (1852) • Hall & Erben (1824) See also St. Patrick's Cathedral. The original St. Patrick's Cathedral, located at 260 Mulberry Street, was built between 1809-1815 on land used as the cemetery of St. Peter's Church. Joseph-François Mangin, the architect also responsible for New York City Hall, designed the cathedral. The oldest Roman Catholic church building in New York City, it played vital social and political roles in the lives of young Irish immigrants, helping them adapt to their new home. The cathedral was the site of tension between nativist agitators and Irish Catholics. In 1836 a mob attempted to ransack the cathedral, but defenders cut holes in the wall for their muskets and posted sentries outside, successfully discouraging damage to the cathedral. Although the cathedral was then the largest religious structure in the city, Archbishop John J. Hughes envisioned a new and grander cathedral uptown, to serve as a "public architectural monument of the present and prospective greatness of this metropolis." Land for a new cathedral on Fifth Avenue and 50th Street was purchased in 1852 and construction started in 1859. Upon completion of the new cathedral in 1879, the old cathedral became a parish church and is known today as "Old St. Patrick's Cathedral". In 1852, Henry Erben of New York City built an organ for the cathedral, but it and the cathedral were partially destroyed by fire in 1866. Before the new cathedral could be completed, the original cathedral was restored and rededicated by John Cardinal McClosky in 1868.             Henry Erben & Co. New York City (1868) Mechanical action 3 manuals, 40 stops, 46 ranks Henry Erben built the present organ between 1866-68. The black walnut casework is in Carpenter Gothic style, and the organ is located in the rear gallery. The console is attached and projecting, with overhanging manuals flanked by round-shanked stop-knobs arranged horizontally in terraced jambs. Fortunately, little work was ever done on the instrument. Most of the work that was done on the organ was not up to Erben standards: a few of the original ivory stop labels were replaced with cheap plastic; ciphers were fixed with duct tape; and the materials and construction of the replacement mixture were not consistent with Erben’s extraordinarily high level of craftsmanship. Neglect has been this organ’s friend—not much has been done to it, and it is an exceptional survivor from that age. This organ is the only example of an original, extant three-manual Erben, and is a jewel of organbuilding in New York City. In October 2004, the organ received a Citation from the Organ Historical Society for its historical significance and musical merits.             Great Organ – 58 notes 16   Grand Open Diapason 58 2 2/3   Twelfth 58 8   Open Diapason 58 2   Fifteenth 58 8   Gamba * 58   Mixture III ranks ** 174 8   Melodia 58   Sesquialtera III ranks 174 8   Stopd. Diapason 58 8   Trumpet 58 4   Principal 58 4   Clarion 58 4   Wald Flute 58               Swell Organ – 58 notes [C-a3], enclosed 16   Bourdon 58 4   Flute Harmonique 58 8   Open Diapason 58 2   Piccolo 58 8   Stop. Diapason 58   Cornet III ranks 174 8   Dulciana 58 8   Cornopean 58 8   Viol d'Amour [1-12 Dulciana] 46 8   Oboe 58 4   Principal 58                   Choir Organ – 58 notes [C-a3] 8   Pyramid Diapason [1-12 Mel.] 46 4   Flute Traverso 58 8   Dolce 58 2   Flageolet 58 8   Keraulophon [1-12 Dolce] 46 8   Cremona [TC] ++ 46 8   Stop. Diapason 58 8   Bassoon [bass] 12 8   Melodia 58     Tremulant # 4   Principal + 58                   Pedal Organ – 30 notes [CC-f] 16   Double Open Diapason 30   *   Modern replacement **   Replaced 1878 by 4' Flute +   Knob marked "Flautina" ++   Knob marked "Clarinet" #   Not original 16   Bourdon 30   16   Contra Gamba 30   8   Violon Cello 30   4   Claribel Flute 30   16   Trombone 30               Pedal Accessories     Swell Piano     Great to Pedal Reversible     Swell Forte     Swell Crescendo Lever     Great Piano           Great Mezzo           Great Forte                       Couplers     Great to Pedal       Swell to Great       Swell to Pedal       Choir to Great       Choir to Pedal       Swell to Choir       Pedal to Pedal 8ves                                   Henry Erben & Co. New York City (1852) Mechanical action In 1852, Henry Erben of New York City built an organ for the cathedral, but it and the cathedral were partially destroyed by fire in 1866. Specifications of this organ have not yet been located.             Hall & Erben New York City (1824) Mechanical action The first known organ for St. Patrick's Cathedral was built by Hall & Erben of New York City. Specifications of this organ have not yet been located.             Sources:      Dunlap, David W. From Abyssinian to Zion: A Guide to Manhattan's Houses of Worship. New York: Columbia University Press, 2004.      Ogasapian, John. Organ Building in New York City: 1700-1900. Braintree: The Organ Literature Foundation, 1977. Photos:      Steven E. Lawson             | NYC AGO Home Page | Back to NYC Organ Project List |