St. Mark's United Methodist Church - New York City
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St. Mark's United Methodist Church

55 Edgecombe Avenue at West 137th Street
New York, N.Y. 10030
http://www.gbgm-umc.org/stmarksumcharlem/


Organ Specifications:
55 Edgecombe Avenue (since 1926)
► IV/55 Casavant Frères, Op. 1159 (1925); rev. (1974)
231 West 53rd Street (1895-1926)
► II/22 George Jardine & Son (c.1870)
139 West 48th Street (1889-1895)
• unknown
65 West 35th Street (1873-1889)
• unknown


Born out of a dispute between a Pastor and a Bishop, St. Mark's Methodist Episcopal Church was founded after splitting from Mother A.M.E. Zion Church, and was organized in June 1871 by the Reverend William F. Butler. The first location was Washington Hall on Broadway, between 37th and 38th Streets. In 1873, the congregation moved to 65 West 35th Street, purchasing the former Church of the Resurrection for $50,000. They would remain at this location for sixteen years.

In 1889, the church purchased and moved to the former All Souls Church at 139 West 48th Street. New growth in the membership caused the congregation to move in 1895 to the former St. John's Methodist Church at 231 West 53rd Street. As an outreach of St. Mark's, new churches were organized in other parts of the city, including Salem Methodist Episcopal Church and Brooks Memorial Church. During the pastorate of Dr. Brooks from 1897-1923, properties were purchased then subsequently sold to purchase a site facing St. Nicholas Avenue which cost $43,000. Groundbreaking ceremonies for the present facilities were held on October 22, 1922. The cornerstone was laid on September 9, 1924, and the church was dedicated on December 5, 1926.
           
Casavant Frères, Limitée
St. Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada – Opus 1159 (1925); rev. (1974)
Electro-pneumatic action
4 manuals, 55 stops, 55 ranks


The organ in St. Mark's was originally built in 1925 by Casavant Frères of Canada. Several ranks were added by Casavant in 1974. Following are the original specifications.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes
16
  Double Open Diapason *
61
2
  Super Octave
61
8
  1st Open Diapason
73
     Mixture V ranks
365
8
  2nd Open Diapason
73
8
   Trumpet
73
8
  Hohlflöte
73
4
  Clarion
73
8
   Dolce
73
     Chimes
SO
8
   Harmonic Flute
73
     Celesta
CH
4
   Octave
73
    
* 1-12 from Pedal

     

     
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
  Bourdon
73
2
  Cornet V ranks
365
8
  Open Diapason
73
16
  Contra Posaune
73
8
  Clarabella
73
8
  Cornopean
73
8
  Stopped Diapason
73
8
  Oboe
73
8
  Viola da Gamba
73
8
   Vox Humana
73
8
   Voix Céleste
73
4
   Clarion
73
8
   Aeoline
73
     Chimes
SO
4
   Principal
73
     Celesta
CH
4
   Flauto Traverso
73
     Tremulant  
2
   Piccolo
61
        
               
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed with Solo
16
   Contra Gamba
73
16
   Contra Fagotto
73
8
   Open Diapason
73
8
   Clarinet
73
8
   Concert Flute
73
    
Celesta
61 bars
8
   Dulciana
73
     Harp (Celesta Sub)
—
4
   Flute d'Amour
73
     Chimes
SO
2
   Flageolet
61
     Tremulant  
               
Solo Organ (Manual IV) – 61 notes, enclosed with Choir
8
   Stentorphone
73
8
   Tuba Mirabilis [15" w.p.]
73
8
   Grossflöte
73
8
   Orchestral Oboe
73
8
   Gamba
73
    
Chimes
25 tubes
8
   Viole d'Orchestre
73
     Celesta
CH
8
   Viole Céleste
73
     Tremulant  
4
   Concert Flute
73
        

     

     
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
32
  Double Open Diapason +
—
8
  Violoncello [ext.]
—
16
  Open Diapason
44
16
   Trombone [unit]
56
16
  Violone
44
16
   Posaune
SW
16
   Bourdon
44
8
   Trumpet [ext.]
—
16
   Gedeckt
SW
4
   Clarion [ext.]
—
8
   Flute [ext. Open Diap.]
—
     Chimes  
8
   Bourdon [ext.]
—
    
+ acoustic bass
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal 8'   Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4'
    Swell to Pedal 8', 4'   Solo to Choir 16', 8', 4'
    Choir to Pedal 8'   Great to Solo 8'
    Solo to Pedal 8, 4'   Swell to Solo 8'
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'   Great 16', 4', Unison Off
    Choir to Great 16', 8', 4'   Swell 16', 4', Unison Off
    Solo to Great 16', 8', 4'   Choir 16', 4', Unison Off
    Solo to Swell 8'   Solo 16', 4', Unison Off
               
Combination Couplers
    Pedal Pistons to Solo   Pedal Pistons to Great
    Pedal Pistons to Swell   Pedal Pistons to Choir
               
Adjustable Combination Pistons
   
Solo Organ Pistons 1-2-3 (thumb)
Swell Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb)
Great Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5 (thumb)
Choir Organ Pistons 1-2-3 (thumb)
Pedal Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb)
Entire Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4 (foot)
  Great Reeds On and Off
               
Reversible Pistons
    Solo to Pedal   Swell to Great
    Swell to Pedal   Choir to Great
    Great to Pedal   Solo to Great
    Great to Pedal (foot)   Swell to Choir
    Choir to Pedal   Full Organ (foot)
               
Pedal Movements
    Balanced Pedal to Swell   Crescendo Pedal
    Balanced Pedal to Choir & Solo   Sforzando Pedal
               
Indicators
    Crescendo          
    Wind          
    Full Organ          
           
Organ in church at 231 West 53rd Street:

George Jardine & Son
New York City (c.1870)
Mechanical action
2 manuals, 20 stops, 22 ranks


The George Jardine & Son organ built for St. John's Methodist Episcopal Church probably dates from the opening of their building in 1870. In 1895, the building and organ were sold to St. Mark's African Methodist Episcopal Church, who remained at this location until 1926. The specification below is from the files of Louis F. Mohr & Co., a local organ service firm, who noted that in 1913 the Swell Nachthorn had been replaced by an Aeoline.
               
Great Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes
8
   Open Diapason
61
2 2/3
  Twelfth
61
8
  Salicional
61
2
   Flageolet
61
8
  Melodia
61
8
   Trumpet
61
4
   Principal
61
4
  Clarion
61
4
   Wald Flute
61
        

     

     
Swell Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
  Bourdon
61
4
   Night Horn *
61
8
  Open Diapason
61
     Cornet, 3 ranks
183
8
  Stopped Diapason
61
8
  Hautboy
61
8
  Dulciana
61
     Tremolo  
4
   Violina
61
    
* changed to 8' Aeoline in 1913

     

     
Pedal Organ – 29 notes
16
  Open Diapason
29
8
   Violoncello
29
16
  Bourdon
29
        
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal       Swell to Great  
    Swell to Pedal          
               
Accessories
    Swell Pedal [hook-down]        
    Electric Motor, also pumped by foot on left hand
           
Sources:
     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.
     St. Mark's United Methodist Church web site: http://www.gbgm-umc.org/stmarksumcharlem/
     Scheer, Stanley. Factory Specification (Dec. 30, 1925) of Casavant Frères Organ, Op. 1159 (1925).
     Mohr, Louis F. & Co. Specifications of George Jardine & Son organ (c.1870; rev. 1913). Courtesy Larry Trupiano.

Illustration:
     St. Mark's United Methodist Church web site. Exterior.