Click on any image to enlarge Church of St. Mary the Virgin (Episcopal) 145 West 46th Street New York, NY 10036 http://www.stmvirgin.org Organ Specifications: 145 West 46th Street (since 1895): ► IV/93 Aeolian-Skinner, rev. (2002) ► IV/76 Aeolian-Skinner, Op. 891-A (1942) ► IV/59 Aeolian-Skinner, Op. 891 (1932) ► III/33 Geo. Jardine & Son, Op. 1139 (1896) • Geo. Jardine & Son (c.1895) – St. Joseph's Hall 228 West 45th Street (1870-1895): ► II/20 Geo. Jardine & Son (1886) See also the organs in the Ernest White Studio. The Society of the Free Church of Saint Mary the Virgin in the City of New York was incorporated on December 3, 1868. Father Thomas McKee Brown had the vision to build a church in New York City dedicated to expressing the full witness of Catholic thought in ritual and teaching within the Episcopal Church. A year after his ordination, Father Brown brought his plan to Bishop Potter, who suggested that a church was needed near Longacre Square (renamed Times Square in 1905) on the west side of what is now Midtown. John Jacob Astor gave three lots on West 45th Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues, “stipulating that the Church should be free, and positively orthodox in management and working.” On April 6, 1868, the cornerstone was laid for the first church, located at 228 West 45th Street (today the site of the Booth Theatre). The rector and trustees named the church for Saint Mary the Virgin, the Blessed Mother of Jesus, openly challenging one of the uglier anti-Catholic prejudices of the day, and making no mistake that this was to be an Episcopal Church in the full Catholic Tradition. The first church was designed by William Hallet, and was dedicated on December 8, 1870 (the Feast of the Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary). Bishop Potter was unable to officiate at the service, perhaps due to his ambivalent if not negative views on Saint Mary’s, and his place was taken by the Rt. Rev. Horatio Southgate, the Episcopal Church’s former missionary bishop to the Ottoman Empire. Father Brown spared no expense in celebrating the Eucharist with full ritual, including a choir of 40 voices and a small orchestra. At a time when the principal service in Episcopal churches was Morning Prayer with the Eucharist only celebrated four times a year, Father Brown, heeding the Tractarian view that “it is the Mass that matters,” moved quickly from celebrating the Eucharist every Sunday to celebrating it every day. By 1890, the congregation had outgrown the church on West 45th Street. In 1892 the late Miss Sara L. Cooke, a member of this parish, left the church a legacy which eventually amounted to $700,000, in addition to real estate. Father Brown and the other trustees decided to use this legacy to fund a new church on an eight-lot parcel running through from 46th to 47th Streets. The new complex was to include a Rectory at the 47th Street end of the lot, a Clergy House (for curates and assistants), and Mission House (for the Sisters). The style would be French Gothic, with a church seating 800 persons. The architectural firm of Napoleon LeBrun & Sons was hired to design the new church. In order to place all the buildings and a church with a lofty interior on the lot, the trustees accepted LeBrun’s recommendation to consider a novel construction method never before tried on a building of such size. LeBrun proposed using a skeleton of iron beams that would bear the weight but create little bulk. LeBrun used cut stone to face the exterior portions which would be visible from the street, and brick was used for the work that would be obscured by the other buildings in the cluster. The cornerstone for the new church was laid on December 8, 1894. The completed church was to be 60 feet wide and 180 feet long, and the nave was to be 80 feet from floor to ceiling and 46 feet wide, surrounded on the east and west sides by 22 stone piers forming the interior support for the clerestory. Outside the piers, on each side, was to be an ambulatory 6 feet wide. The chancel, at the north end of the building, was to be 48 feet deep, terminating with the marble high altar moved from the former church. Today, St. Mary the Virgin is widely-known for its solemn liturgies with pageantry, supported by glorious choral and organ music in the reverberant church. Due to the copious use of incense, the church is fondly and irreverently known as "Smoky Mary's". In 1996-97, the interior of the church was redecorated with vivid colors, including cobalt blue vaulting with gold stars. See also the Ernest White Studio, a page containing information about the organs installed in the Parish House during the tenure of Ernest White, who was for 25 years associated with the Church of St. Mary the Virgin as organist and choirmaster.
Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company, Inc. Boston, MA – Opus 891 (1932), 891-A (1942) Revised by Mann & Trupiano (1988-2002) Electro-pneumatic key and stop action 4 manuals, 91 stops, 93 ranks                 The 1995 rebuilding and 17 ranks of additions were made by Mann & Trupiano of Brooklyn, under the direction of Lawrence Trupiano, and with the assistance of many others. The original console was completely rebuilt with new drawknobs and keyboards; it was relocated to the chancel but later returned to the rear gallery. A rebuilt three-manual Holtkamp console which can control most of the organ was added in the chancel. From 1988-2002, a total of 32 ranks were added to the organ. Following are the specifications of the organ as of 2005.                 Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes 32   Salicional [TC] PO 4   Flûte couverte 61 16   Principal 61 3 1/5   Grosse Tierce 61 8   Montre 61 2 2/3   Octave Quinte 61 8   Diapason * 61 2   Doublette 61 8   Flûte harmonique * 61 2   Fourniture III-V ranks 245 8   Violoncelle * 61 1   Cymbale III ranks 183 8   Bourdon  61 2   Harmonics V  ranks 305 5 1/3   Grosse Quinte 61 8   Trompette harmonique BO 4   Prestant 61                     Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Flûte conique 73 1 3/5   Tierce * 54 8   Principal 73 2   Plein jeu V ranks 305 8   Bourdon à cheminée 73 2 2/3   Cornet III ranks 183 8   Salicional 73 16   Bombarde 73 8   Voix céleste 73 8   Trompette 73 8   Viole sourdine 73 8   Hautbois 73 4   Prestant 73 8   Voix humaine 73 4   Flûte courte 73 4   Clairon 73 2 2/3   Nasard 61     Tremolo 73 2   Octavin 61     Cloche fou (Zimbelstern)             Positif Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Salicional 73 1 3/5   Tierce 61 8   Principal * 73 1 1/3   Larigot 61 8   Flûte traversière 73 2 2/3   Plein jeu IV ranks 244 8   Gambe 73 16   Musette 73 8   Gambe céleste 73 8   Trompette * 73 4   Prestant * 73 8   Cromorne 73 4   Flûte d'amour 73 8   Clarinette 73 4   Gemshorn 73 4   Chalumeau 73 2 2/3   Nasard 73     Tremolo 73 2   Piccolo 61                     Bombarde Organ (Manual IV) – 61 notes   Grand Choeur Organ (floating) 8   Diapason GT 16   Trompette [TC] — 8   Flûte harmonique GT 8   Trompette * 61 8   Cornet V ranks * [A-d2] 150 4   Trompette [49 notes] 16   Bombarde * 73       8   Trompette harmonique * 73       4   Clairon harmonique * 73                     Pedal Organ – 32 notes 32   Soubasse [ext. Fl. ouverte] 12 4   Flûte conique SW 16   Flûte ouverte * 32 4   Salicional PO 16   Contre basse 32 5 1/3   Fourniture IV ranks 128 16   Principal GT 2 2/3   Carillon II ranks [from Fourniture] 16   Bourdon * 32 32   Grand Cornet IV ranks 128 16   Flûte conique SW 32   Bombarde [ext. 16] 12 16   Salicional PO 16   Bombarde 32 10 2/3   Grosse Quinte [from GT Cornet] 16   Bombarde SW 8   Diapason GT 16   Musette PO 8   Contre basse [ext. 16] 12 8   Trompette harmonique BO 8   Bourdon * [ext. 16] 12 8   Trompette [ext. 16] 12 8   Flûte conique SW 8   Musette PO 8   Salicional PO 4   Clairon [ext. 16] 12 4   Doublette [from Fourniture] 4   Musette PO 4   Contre basse [ext. 16] 12                 * new pipes, 1988-2002
Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company, Inc. Boston, MA – Opus 891-A (1942) Electro-pneumatic key and stop action 4 manuals, 69 stops, 76 ranks, 4,731 pipes               Extensive revisions and several additions were made in 1942 by G. Donald Harrison as Aeolian-Skinner's Opus 891-A, under the influence of then-organist Ernest White. Further tonal alterations were made later by Ernest White and others. Following are the specifications of the organ as left by the Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company.               Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes   16   Principal 61 4   Flute Couverte 61 16   Quintaton 61 3 1/5   Grosse Tierce 61 8   Principal 61 2 2/3   Octave Quinte 61 8   Bourdon 61 2   Doublette 61 8   Quintaton [ext.] 12   Fourniture III-V ranks 245 5 1/3   Quint 61   Harmonics V ranks 305 4   Prestant 61 16   Euphone 61                 Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Flute Conique 73 2   Salicetina 61 8   Geigen Diapason 73   Plein Jeu V ranks 305 8   Bourdon à Cheminee 73   Cornet III ranks 183 8   Salicional 73 16   Bombarde 73 8   Voix céleste 73 8   Trompette 73 8   Viole sourdine II ranks 146 8   Oboe 73 4   Prestant 73 8   Vox Humana 73 4   Flute Courte 73 4   Clairon 73 4   Salicet 73     Tremolo 73 2 2/3   Nazard 61                       Positif Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed     16   Salicional 73 2   Piccolo 61 8   Flute Traversiere 73 1 3/5   Tierce 61 8   Gamba 73 1 1/3   Larigot 61 8   Gamba Celeste 73   Cymbale IV ranks 244 8   Viole 73 16   Musette 73 8   Viole Celeste 73 8   Clarinet 73 8   Spitzflöte 73 8   Cromorne 73 4   Gemshorn 73 4   Chalumeau 73 4   Flute d'Amour 73     Tremolo 73 2 2/3   Nazard 61                         Bombarde Organ (Manual IV) – 61 notes     8   Viole preparation 16   Bombarde preparation 8   Viole Celeste preparation 8   Trompette Harmonique preparation 8   Orchestral Flute preparation 4   Clairon Harmonique preparation   Grande Fourniture VII rks preparation     Tremolo preparation                 Pedal Organ – 32 notes     16   Contre Basse 32   Fourniture IV ranks 128 16   Quintaton GT   Carillon II ranks [from Fourniture] 16   Diapason GT   Grande Cornet IV ranks 48 16   Salicional PO 32   Euphone [ext. GT] 12 16   Flute Conique SW 16   Bombarde 32 8   Contre Basse [ext.] 12 16   Basson GT 8   Quintaton GT 16   Musette PO 8   Flute Conique SW 8   Trompette [ext.] 12 8   Salicional PO 8   Musette PO 4   Contre Basse [ext.] 12 4   Clairon [ext.] 12 4   Quintaton GT 4   Clarion BO 4   Salicional PO 4   Musette PO 2   Quintaton GT
Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company, Inc. Boston, MA – Opus 891 (1932) Electro-pneumatic key and stop action 4 manuals, 54 stops, 59 ranks, 2,908 pipes The four-manual Aeolian-Skinner, Opus 891, was installed in 1932, with specification and tonal design by G. Donald Harrison. Palmer Christian played the dedication recital in 1933. The organ was incomplete at the time, having only 59 of the 86 ranks planned, and the proposed case was never built. Following are the specifications of Aeolian-Skinner Opus 891 as it was originally designed and installed.                 Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes 16   Principal 61 4   Flute Ouverte preparation 8   Principal 61 3 1/5   Grosse Tierce 61 8   Diapason preparation 2 2/3   Octave Quinte 61 8   Flute Harmonique preparation 2   Doublette 61 8   Gemshorn preparation   Harmonics V  ranks 305 5 1/3   Quint 61 16   Double Trumpet BO 4   Principal 61 8   Trumpet BO 4   Octave preparation 4   Clarion BO                 Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Flute Conique 73 2   Salicetina 61 8   Principal 73   Plein Jeu V ranks 305 8   Rohrflöte 73   Sesquialtera IV ranks 244 8   Salicional 73 16   Bombarde 73 8   Voix Celeste 73 8   Trompette 73 8   Viole Sourdine 73 8   Oboe 73 8   Voix Eolienne 73 8   Vox Humana 73 4   Octave 73 4   Clairon 73 4   Flute Triangulaire 73     Tremolo 4   Salicet 73                       Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Salicional 73 2   Piccolo 61 8   Geigen Principal 73 1 3/5   Tierce 61 8   Flute Traversiere 73 1 1/3   Larigot 61 8   Viole 73   Sesquialtera V ranks 305 8   Viole Celeste 73 16   Contra Fagotto preparation 8   Spitzflöte 73 8   Clarinet 73 8   Gemshorn 73 8   Trumpet 73 4   Flute d'Amour 73 4   Clarion preparation 2 2/3   Nazard 73     Tremolo                 Bombarde Organ (Manual IV) – 61 notes 8   Viole preparation 16   Double Trumpet preparation 8   Viole Celeste preparation 8   Trumpet preparation 8   Orchestral Flute preparation 4   Clarion preparation   Grande Fourniture VII rks preparation     Tremolo preparation                 Pedal Organ – 32 notes 16   Principal 32 4   Flute [ext.] 12 16   Contre Basse preparation 4   Flute [ext.] 12 16   Flute Ouverte 32   Harmonics IV ranks preparation 16   Diapason GT 32   Contre Bombarde preparation 16   Salicional CH 16   Bombarde 32 16   Spitzflöte SW 16   Double Trumpet BO 10 2/3   Quint preparation 16   Fagotto CH 8   Octave [ext.] 12 8   Trompette [ext.] 12 8   Flute [ext.] 12 8   Trumpet BO 8   Violoncello preparation 8   Fagotto CH 6 2/5   Grosse Tierce preparation 4   Clairon [ext.] 12 5 1/3   Octave Quinte preparation 4   Clarion BO 4 Doublette [ext.] 12 4   Fagotto