click on images to enlarge St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) 81 Christopher Street New York, N.Y. 10014 http://stjohnschristopherstreet.org Organ Specifications: 81 Christopher Street (since 1858) ► II/22 Austin Organs, Inc., Op. 2342 (1961) ► III/29 M.P. Möller, Inc, Op. 6867 (1940) ► III/29 Hillgreen, Lane & Co. (1905) ► II/21 unknown German builder (c.1856); enl. 1866 Previous building (location unknown): • Henry Erben & Co. (1848) St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church has existed on Christopher Street in Greenwich Village since 1858. Although Germans settled mainly in the area east of the Bowery, there was a community in Greenwich Village which existed until the end of World War I. The Federal-style building with a domed cupola, built in 1821-22 for the Eighth Presbyterian Church, is one of the oldest religious buildings in Greenwich Village. In 1842, the property was sold to St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, who worshiped here until 1858 when it was purchased for $13,000 by the German Lutherans. Victorian features were added in 1886 by Berg & Clark, and the pediment was inscribed, "Deutsche Evangelish-Lutherische St. Johannes Kirche". St. John's Lutheran Church is within the Greenwich Village Historic District of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission.                 Austin Organs, Inc. Hartford, Conn. – Opus 2342 (1961) Electro-pneumatic action 2 manuals, 22 stops, 22 ranks In 1961, Austin Organs, Inc. installed a new organ in the gallery, incorporating several imported ranks provided by the organist. The previous Skinner cases were retained, but the facade pipes were replaced by grill cloth. The Hauptwerk, which includes an enclosed section, is installed in the former Skinner case on the west side, while the Positiv chest is mounted on the rear wall above the choir.                 Hauptwerk Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, partially enclosed     Unenclosed:       Enclosed:   8   Principal 68 8   Rohrflöte 68 4   Octave 68 8   Viola 68 2   Super Octave 61 8   Voix Celeste [TC] 56   Mixtur IV ranks 244 4   Spillflöte 68     8   Trompete 68         Tremolo [fan]     Positiv Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes 8   Gedeckt 61   Sesquialtera II ranks 122 4   Rohrpfeife 61     Scharf IV ranks 244 2   Prinzipal 61     Chimes 25 tubes             Pedal Organ – 32 notes 16   Principal [ext. HW] 12 4   Spillflöte HW 16   Gedeckt [ext. HW] 12 2   Rohrflöte HW 8   Octave 32 1   Gemshorn [ext. Ch. Bass] 24 8   Rohrgedeckt HW 16   Trompete preparation 4   Choral Bass [ext.] 12                       M.P. Möller, Inc. Hagersown, Md. – Opus 6867 (1940) Electro-pneumatic action 3 manuals, 32 stops, 29 ranks In 1940, the M.P. Möller Company rebuilt the 1905 Hilgreen, Lane organ. Möller installed an electro-pneumatic action (presumably to replace the original tubular-pneumatic action) and a new stop-key console. All pipes were cleaned and revoiced, and two stops were changed: the 4' Flute Traverso on the Great was replaced by a 2' Fifteenth; and the 8' Clarinet on the Choir was replaced by an 8' Vox Humana.                 Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes 8   Open Diapason 61 4   Octave 61 8   Doppelflote [wood] 61 2   Fifteenth * 61 8   Gamba 61 8   Trumpet 61 8   Dulciana 61   Chimes [Deagan "A"] 25 tubes             Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Bourdon, Bass [wood] 12 4   Fugara 61 16   Bourdon, Treble [wood] 49 4   Harmonic Flute 61 8   Viola Diapason 61 2   Flautina 61 8   Stopped Diapason [wood] 61   Dolce Cornet III ranks 183 8   Salicional 61 8   Cornopean 61 8   Aeoline 61 8   Oboe & Bassoon 61 8   Voix Celeste 61   Tremolo           Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed 8   Geigen Principal 61 2   Piccolo 61 8   Melodia [wood] 61 8   Vox Humana * 61 8   Viola 61   Tremolo 4   Waldflote [wood & metal] 61                     Pedal Organ – 32 notes 16   Open Diapason [wood] 32 8   Violoncello [ext. Violone] 12 16   Violon 32 8   Gedeckt [ext. Bourdon] 12 16   Bourdon [wood] SW   Chimes GT 8   Grossflote [ext. Op. Diap.] 12                 * new ranks by M.P. Möller Couplers     Great to Pedal 8'   Swell to Swell 16', 4', Off     Swell to Pedal 8', 4'   Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'     Choir to Pedal 8'   Choir to Great 16', 8', 4'     Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4'   Choir to Choir 16', 4', Off     Choir to Swell 8'   Great to Great 4', Off                 Combination Pistons (Adjustable at stops, moving registers)     Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 affecting Great and Pedal stops     Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 affecting Swell and Pedal stops     Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 affecting Choir and Pedal stops     Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 affecting Pedal stops (duplicated by toe pistons)     Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5-6 affecting Entire Organ                 Accessories     Balanced Swell Expression Pedal   Great to Pedal Reversible     Balanced Choir Expression Pedal   Chimes Controls     Balanced Crescendo Pedal   Signal Light     Full Organ Pedal (dup. by piston)   Signal Button                 Hillgreen, Lane & Co. Alliance, Ohio (1905) Tubular-pneumatic action? 3 manuals, 32 stops, 29 ranks A new organ was installed in 1905 by the Hilgreen, Lane Company of Alliance, Ohio. Two organ cases of golden oak with speaking facade pipes were built in the corners of the rear gallery.                 Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes 8   Open Diapason 61 4   Octave 61 8   Doppelflote [wood] 61 4   Flute Traverso 61 8   Gamba 61 8   Trumpet 61 8   Dulciana 61   Chimes [Deagan "A"] 25 tubes             Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Bourdon, Bass [wood] 12 4   Fugara 61 16   Bourdon, Treble [wood] 49 4   Harmonic Flute 61 8   Viola Diapason 61 2   Flautina 61 8   Stopped Diapason [wood] 61   Dolce Cornet III ranks 183 8   Salicional 61 8   Cornopean 61 8   Aeoline 61 8   Oboe & Bassoon 61 8   Voix Celeste 61   Tremolo           Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed 8   Geigen Principal 61 2   Piccolo 61 8   Melodia [wood] 61 8   Clarinet 61 8   Viola 61   Tremolo 4   Waldflote [wood & metal] 61                     Pedal Organ – 32 notes 16   Open Diapason [wood] 32 8   Violoncello [ext. Violone] 12 16   Violon 32 8   Gedeckt [ext. Bourdon] 12 16   Bourdon [wood] SW   Chimes GT 8   Grossflote [ext. Op. Diap.] 12                     Unknown Builder Germany (c.1856); enl. 1866 Mechanical action 2 manuals, 19 stops, 21 ranks The following specification was recorded by F.R. Webber, whose "Organ Scrapbooks" are in the possession of The Organ Historical Society Archives in Princeton, N.J. Webber wrote these comments: "Organ built in Germany, brought to this country. Not sold. St. John's bought it in 1856 for $1250. Englarged 1866. Used until 1904. Succeeded by a Hillgreen-Lane 3man. Richard Goller, organist 1858-1897. Organ sold to St. Alban's P.E., Danielson, Conn. Moved by Louis Mohr, 1905. Great Diapason of block tin. Flutes turned out of pearwood." "B.J.O. [Barbara J. Owen?] 3-25-58. Stoplist from the dedic. program."                 Great Organ (Manual I) 16   Bourdon 4   Flauto Traverso 8   Open Diapason 2 2/3   Quint 8   German floete 2   Fifteenth 8   Stopped Diapason   Mixture, 3 ranks 4   Octave 8   Trumpet             Swell Organ (Manual II) – enclosed 8   Viol di Gamba 4   Spitz floete   8   Gedacht 2   Piccolo   8   Concert Flute 8   Clarinet   8   Dolce                       Pedal Organ 16   Bourdon           8   Violoncello                           Couplers &c     Swell to Great       Bellows signal       Pedal coupler                           Henry Erben & Co. New York City (1848) Mechanical action Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.                 Sources:      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.      Nelson, George. Organs in the United States and Canada Database. Seattle, Wash.      Ochse, Orpha. Austin Organs. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 2001.      Trupiano, Larry. Specifications of M.P. Möller organ, Op. 6867 (1940).      Webber, F.R. "Organ scrapbook" at Organ Historical Society Archives, Princeton, N.J. Specifications of the 1856 organ; courtesy Jonathan Bowen. Photos:      Lawson, Steven E.: Austin organ and church interior.      Rust, John: church exterior.                 | NYC AGO Home Page | Back to NYC Organ Project List |