Church of St. Francis de Sales - New York City (photo: New York Archdiocese)

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Church of St. Francis de Sales
(Roman Catholic)

135 East 96th Street
New York, N.Y. 10129
http://www.sfdsnyc.org


Organ Specifications:
► II/19 Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company, Op. 1194 (1949)
► III/26 Estey Organ Company, Op. 1000 (1912)
• II/17 E. &. G.G. Hook & Hastings, Op. 1729 (1896)



Church of St. Francis de Sales - New York City (photo: Steven E. Lawson)  
The parish of St. Francis de Sales was founded in 1894 to serve Catholics on the Upper East Side. O'Connor & Metcalf designed the Baroque-style church in 1896, and in 1902 the church was expanded by George H. Streeton. With galleries on three sides, the spacious interior is made luminous by the brilliant stained glass windows set into the side walls and ceiling panels.

Today the church is run jointly with the Church of St. Lucy, located nearby at 344 East 104th Street in Harlem.
               
  Aeolian-Skinner Organ, Op. 1194 (1949) in Church of St. Francis de Sales - New York City (photo: Steven E. Lawson)
Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company, Inc.
Boston, Mass. – Opus 1194 (1949)
Electro-pneumatic action
2 manuals, 17 stops, 19 ranks







The present organ was built in 1949 by the Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company of Boston. Aeolian-Skinner installed the organ behind the existing organ cases, and reused some pipes from the 1912 Estey organ (Op. 1000). The detached two-manual drawknob console is centered in the upper rear gallery.
               
Great Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes
16
   Lieblich Gedeckt [ext.]
12
4
   Principal
61
8
   Principal
61
2
   Super Octave
61
8
   Bourdon
61
     Plein Jeu III-IV ranks *
226
8
   Dulciana
61
    
* knob engraved Plein Jeu III
               
Swell Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Rohrflöte
68
2 2/3
   Sesquialtera II ranks
122
8
   Viola
68
8
   Trompette
68
8
   Viola Celeste [TC]
56
4
   Hautbois
68
4
   Gemshorn
68
     Tremulant  
               
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
16
   Principal
32
8
   Principal
32
16
   Lieblich Gedeckt
GT
        
               
Couplers (rocking tablets above top manual)
    Swell to Pedal 8', 4'       Swell 16', Unison Off, 4'  
    Great to Pedal 8'       Great Unison Off, 4'  
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'          
               
Adjustable Combinations
   
Swell Organ Pistons 1-2-3 (thumb)
Great Organ Pistons 1-2-3 (thumb)
Pedal Organ Pistons 1-2-3 (toe)
Entire Organ Pistons 1-2-3 (thumb)
               
Reversibles
    Great to Pedal (thumb & toe)
    Full Organ (thumb & toe)
               
Pedal Movements
    Balanced Swell Pedal          
    Crescendo Pedal          
               
Indicators
    Crescendo          
    Full Organ          
    Wind          
               
Church of St. Francis de Sales - New York City (photo: Steven E. Lawson)   Church of St. Francis de Sales - New York City (photo: Steven E. Lawson)
               
  Estey Organ, Op. 1000 (1912) previously installed at Church of St. Francis de Sales - New York City (photo: Estey Organ Company)
Estey Organ Company
Brattleboro, Vt. – Opus 1000 (1912)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 26 stops, 26 ranks




In 1912, the Estey Organ Company of Brattleboro, Vt., installed their Op. 1000 at St. Francis de Sales Church. The organ was installed in twin cases that flanked the large window in the rear gallery. It is not known if the organ cases were built by Estey or were retained from the previous E. & G.G. Hook & Hastings organ. The following stoplist is from the Estey Organ Company's voicer's records. Pipecounts were not given but below are suggested, based on similar Estey organs of the era.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes
16
   Violone Diapason
61
8
   Hohl Flute
61
8
   Open Diapason
61
4
   Octave
61
8
   Gamba
61
8
   Trumpet
61
8
   Gross Flute
61
        
               
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
   Bourdon
61
     Dolce Cornet III ranks
183
8
   Open Diapason
61
8
   Cornopean
61
8
   Salicional
61
8
   Oboe [reedless?]
61
8
   Stopped Diapason
61
8
   Vox Humana
61
4
   Flauto Traverso
61
     Tremolo  
               
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Dulciana
61
4
   Flute d'Amour
61
8
   Unda Maris [TC]
49
8
   Saxophone [reedless]
61
8
   Concert Flute
61
     Tremolo  
8
   Quintadena
61
     Chimes  
               
Pedal Organ – 30 notes
16
   Open Diapason
30
16
   Bourdon
30
16
   Violone Diapason
GT
8
   Cello
GT
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal     Choir to Great 16', 8', 4'
    Swell to Pedal     Swell to Choir
    Choir to Pedal     Swell to Swell 16', 4', Unison Off
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'      
             
E. & G.G. Hook & Hastings
Boston, Mass. – Opus 1729 (1896)
Mechanical action
2 manuals, 17 registers


The first organ for St. Francis de Sales Church was built by E. & G.G. Hook & Hastings of Boston. Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.
               
Sources:
     Aeolian-Skinner Archives: http://aeolian-skinner.110mb.com/
     The Estey Pipe Organ web site: www.esteyorgan.com
     Kinzey, Allen, and Sand Lawn, comps. E.M. Skinner/Aeolian-Skinner Opus List. New Rev. Ed. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1997.
     Lewis, James. Stoplist of Estey Organ, Op. 1000 (1912) from Estey voicer's records.
     Shelley, Thomas J. The Bicentennial History of the Archdiocese of New York 1808-2008. Strasbourg: Éditions du Signe, 2007.
     Van Pelt, William T., comp. The Hook Opus List, 1829-1916 in Facsimile. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1991.

Illustrations:
     The Estey Pipe Organ web site. Photo showing twin cases of Estey Organ, Op. 1000 (1912).
     Lawson, Steven E. Interior; Aeolian-Skinner Organ, Op. 1194 (1949).
     Shelley, Thomas J. The Bicentennial History of the Archdiocese of New York 1808-2008. Exterior.