Click on images to enlarge St. Mark's Church-in-the-Bowery (Episcopal) 131 East 10th Street at Second Avenue New York, N.Y. 10003 http://www.stmarksbowery.org Organ Specifications: ► III/32 Chester A. Raymond (1952) ► III/31 M.P. Möller, Inc., Op. 3755 (1924) ► III/36 J.H. & C.S. Odell, Op. 247 (1888) ► II/18 Henry Erben (1846) ► II/17? Henry Erben (1825) The "bouwerie" was Dutch governor Peter Stuyvesant's farm, and his private chapel used to stand on this site—making this the oldest site of continuous worship in Manhattan. This church was erected 1795-99, with a Greek revival steeple added 1828 and an Italianate portico completing the structure in 1854. Originally a church of Manhattan's elite, St Marks became a progressive force in the neighborhood both socially and culturally. Supportive of immigrant, labor and civil rights, the church was a meetingplace for Black Panthers and Young Lords, and launched the first lesbian healthcare clinic. Poets like W.H. Auden (who was a parishoner), William Carlos Williams, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Amy Lowell, Carl Sandburg, Kahlil Gibran, Allen Ginsberg, Patti Smith and Jim Carroll have all read here; since 1966, the St Marks Poetry Project has organized poetery events. The Danspace project has featured dance legends like Isadora Duncan, Martha Graham and Merce Cunningham. Sam Shepherd's first two plays were produced here, and Andy Warhol screened his early films. The church served as the setting for a wedding and a funeral in the film The Group. The St. Marks Churchyard is the final resting place for such famous occupants as former governor and vice president Daniel Tompkins, who abolished slavery in New York; Commodore Perry Matthew Perry, who forced Japan to accept U.S. trade; and New York Mayor Philip Hone. Peter Stuyvesant himself is buried under the church, and six generations of his descendants are also found here. Department store pioneer A.T. Stewart, whose store filled the block between 9th and 10th streets east of Broadway, was originally buried here in 1876, but on November 6, 1878, his body was snatched and held for $200,000 ransom. The widow eventually regained possession of the corpse in 1881, after bargaining the kidnappers down to $20,000. In 1978, the church suffered a devastating fire which destroyed the interior and organ. After several years of rebuilding and restoration, the church reopened in 1983. The site is officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was designated a New York City Landmark in 1966.                 Chester A. Raymond Princeton, N.J. (1952) Electro-pneumatic action 3 manuals, 50 stops, 37 ranks In 1952, organbuilder Chester A. Raymond was engaged to rebuild and enlarge the 1924 Möller organ. Chests were releathered, and most of the existing pipework was reused. The reed stops were revoiced, and tonal changes were made through additions and eliminations. The Echo chest was moved to the gallery organ, where four ranks of mutation stops were added to the unenclosed Great organ. Mutations were also added to the Choir, and preparations were made for the future addition of a four-rank mixture in the Swell. The Pedal division was enlarged to fifteen stops, and a new console was provided. David F. Hewlett, organist and choirmaster, designed the specification. The church interior and organ were destroyed by fire in 1978.                  Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, partially enclosed 8   Open Diapason * 61 2 2/3   Twelfth * 61 8   Harmonic Flute 73 2   Fifteenth * 61 8   Doppel Flöte 61   Grave Mixture II ranks * 122 8   Gamba 61 8   Tromba 73 8   Gemshorn 61 4   Tromba [ext.] — 4   Octave * 61   Chimes 20 bells 4   Flute 61     4   Harmonic Flute [ext.] —   * unenclosed             Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Lieblich Gedeckt [ext.] 12 2   Flageolet 73 8   Open Diapason 73   Mixture IV ranks preparation 8   Gedeckt 73 16   Contra Oboe [ext.] 12 8   Viole d'Orchestre 73 8   Trumpet 73 8   Salicional 73 8   Oboe 73 8   Voix Celeste [TC] 61 4   Clarion [ext.] — 4   Octave 73   Tremulant 4   Flute 73                 Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed 8   Melodia 61 2   Piccolo 61 8   Dulciana 61 1 3/5   Tierce 61 8   Unda Maris 61 8   Clarinet 61 4   Flute 61   Tremulant 2 2/3   Nazard 61             Pedal Organ – 32 notes 32   Resultant — 8   Violoncello [ext.] — 16   Open Diapason 32 4   Octave 32 16   Bourdon 44 16   Bombarde 32 16   Violone 32 16   Contra Oboe SW 16   Lieblich Gedeckt SW 8   Tromba GT 8   Octave 32 4   Tromba GT 8   Major Flute [ext.] —   Chimes GT 8   Gedeckt SW                     M.P. Möller, Inc. Hagerstown, Md. – Opus 3755 (1924) Electro-pneumatic action 3 manuals, 40 stops, 31 ranks From the announcement in the April 1924 issue of The Diapason: "The console is detached, the stops being controlled by R.C.O. type draw knobs placed in the jambs, and the couplers controlled by oscillating tablets above the swell keyboard. Twenty-three couplers and twenty-eight adjustible combinations, not moving the knobs but shown by electric indicators, as well as other modern accessories, complete the specification.                 Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Double Diapason 61 8   Gamba 61 8   First Open Diapason 61 8   Gemshorn 61 8   Second Open Diapason 61 4   Waldflöte 61 8   Doppel Flute 61 8   Tuba 61 8   Tibia Clausa 61   Tremolo             Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Bourdon 73 8   Cornopean 73 8   Open Diapason 73 8   Oboe 73 8   Lieblich Gedeckt 73 8   Kinura 61 8   Viole d'Orchestre 73   Tremolo 8   Voix Celeste [TC] 61     Xylophone 37 bars 8   Salicional 73     Orchestral Bells 37 bars 4   Flute 61     Cathedral Chimes EC 2   Flautina 61                     Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed 8   Open Diapason 73     Tremolo   8   Melodia 73     Snare Drum Roll   8   Dulciana 73     Chinese Block   8   Unda Maris [TC] 61     Tambourine   4   Flute 73     Tom Tom   8   Clarinet 73     Triangle   8   French Horn 73   Castanets         Echo Organ (at home on Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed 8   Fernflöte 61 8   Vox Humana 61 8   Muted Viole 61   Tremolo 8   Viole Celeste [TC] 49   Cathedral Chimes 20 bells 4   Flauto Traverso [ext.] 12             Pedal Organ – 32 notes 32   Resultant — 8   Flute GT 16   Open Diapason 32 16   Tuba Profunda [ext. GT] 12 16   Bourdon 32 8   Tuba GT 16   Gedeckt SW   Bass Drum   8   Open Diapason GT   Cymbal                   Accessories – by Pedal Studs     Chinese Gong       Crash Cymbal       Thunder Roll       Grand Crash       Turkish Cymbal                         J.H. & C.S. Odell & Co. New York City – Opus 247 (1888) Mechanical action 3 manuals, 32 stops, 36 ranks The following specification was recorded by Lynnwood Farnam (1885-1930), noted concert organist of the early 20th century, in an organ notebook dated June 11, 1921.                 Great Organ (Manual II) – 58 notes 16   Double Open Diapason 58 4   Flute Harmonique 58 8   Open Diapason 58 2 2/3   Twelfth 58 8   Viola da Gamba 58 2   Super Octave 58 8   Dulciana 58   Mixture, 3 ranks 174 8   Doppel Flöte 58 8   Trumpet 58 4   Octave 58                     Swell Organ (Manual III) – 58 notes, enclosed 16   Bourdon 58 4   Hohl Flöte 58 8   Open Diapason 58 2   Flageolet 58 8   Salicional 58   Cornet, 3 ranks 174 8   Voix Celeste 58 8   Cornopean 58 8   Stopped Diapason 58 8   Oboe 58 8   Gemshorn 58 8   Vox Humana 58                 Choir Organ (Manual I) – 58 notes 8   Geigen Principal 58 4   Rohr Flöte 58 8   Concert Flute 58 2   Piccolo Harmonique 58 8   Dolce 58 8   Clarinet 58             Pedal Organ – 30 notes 16   Open Diapason [wood] 30 8   Violoncello 30 16   Bourdon 30                     Couplers and Accessories     Great to Pedal       8 mechanical pistons to Swell     Swell to Pedal       8 mechanical pistons to Great     Choir to Pedal       Great to Pedal reversible [hand]     Swell to Great       Swell to Great reversible [hand]     Choir to Great       Balanced Swell pedal       Swell to Choir       2 composition pedals to Pedal     Swell Tremulant               Bellows Signal                         Henry Erben New York City (1846) Mechanical action 2 manuals, 20 stops, 18 ranks In 1846, St. Mark's-in-the-Bouwerie asked Erben to rebuild the 1824 Hall & Erben organ, but Erben refused, charging that the organ was actually built by Hall and was of inferior construction. Instead, Erben built a new two-manual organ for the church.                 Great Organ (Manual I) – [59 notes – GG-f3?] 8   Open Diapason 59 2   Fifteenth 59 8   Stop'd Diapason bass 17 8?   Clarabella 59 8   Stop'd Diapason treble 42   Sesquialtera, 2 ranks, bass 66 4   Principal 59   Cornet, 3 ranks, treble 148 3   Twelfth 59 8   Trumpet 59                 Swell Organ (Manual II) – 42 notes (c-f3) 8   Open Diapason 42 4   Principal 42 8   Viol di Gamba 42 4   Flute 42 8   Stop'd Diapason 42 8   Hautboy 42                 Choir Organ (Manual II) – 17 notes (GG-B) 8   Dulciano 17 4   Principal 17 8   Stop'd Diapason 17                       Pedal Organ – 25 notes (CCC-C)     Couplers 16   Double Open Diapason 25     "Couple 2 setts of Keys"             "Couple Pedals and Choir Organ"             "Couple Pedals and Great Organ"               Hall & Erben New York City (1824, 1825) Mechanical action Originally 1 manual: enlarged to 2 manuals, 19 stops in 1825 Thomas Hall, who apprenticed with Henry Erben and was also his brother-in-law, became a full partner of Erben's firm in 1824. Their first organ, still extant, was built for the Market Street Reformed Church, which later became the Sea and Land Presbyterian and Methodist Church, and is now the First Chinese Presbyterian Church in lower Manhattan. The Hall & Erben partnership was legally dissolved in 1827, possibly because Erben unethically built organs on the side under his own name. Nonetheless, Hall continued to work with Erben for a total of about 20 years despite their differences in demeanor.                 Great Organ (Manual I) – [59 notes GG-c3] 8   Open Diapason 59 2   Fifteenth 59 8   Stopped Diapason 59   Sesquialtera (2 ranks) } 177? 8   Dulciana 59   Cornet (3 ranks) 4   Principal 59 8   Trumpet 59 3   Twelfth 59             Swell Organ (Manual II) – [42 notes (c-f3)] 8   Open Diapason 42 4   Flute 42 8   Stopped Diapason 42 8   Hautboy 42 8   Dulciana 42 8   Trumpet 42 4   Principal 42                     Choir Organ (bass of Swell) – [17 notes (GG-B)] 8   Stopped Diapason 17 4   Principal 17 8   Dulciano 17                     Sources:      Cameron, Peter T. "A Chronology of the Organ Builders Working in New York City," The Bicentennial Tracker. Richmond: Organ Historical Society, Inc., 1976.      The Diapason, April 1924. Courtesy Jeff Scofield.      Dunlap, David W. From Abyssinian to Zion: A Guide to Manhattan's Houses of Worship. New York: Columbia University Press, 2004.      Farnam, Lynnwood. "Organ Notebook," p. 1347 (specification of J.H. & C.S. Odell organ, op. 247, 1888). John de Lancie Library, The Curtis Institute of Music, Philadelphia. Sally Branca, archivist. Courtesy Jonathan Bowen.      Memorial of St. Mark's Church in the Bowery. Published by the Vestry. New York: Thomas Whittaker, 1899. Courtesy Larry Trupiano.      New York Songlines web site: http://home.nyc.rr.com/jkn/nysonglines      St. Mark's Church-in-the-Bowery web site: http://www.stmarksbowery.org      Webber, F.R. "Some Early Organs in New York City Described Vividly," The Diapason, July 1, 1957. Specifications of Henry Erben organ (1846). Courtesy James Lewis. Photos:      Church Crawler web site: www.churchcrawler.co.uk. Exterior.      New York Songlines web site: http://home.nyc.rr.com/jkn/nysonglines | NYC AGO Home Page | Back to NYC Organ Project List |