click on images to enlarge St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue (Episcopal) 1 West 53rd Street at Fifth Avenue New York, N.Y. 10019 http://www.saintthomaschurch.org Organ Specifications: 3 West 53rd Street at Fifth Avenue (since 1916): Current church at present location (since 1916): ► IV/158 Aeolian-Skinner Co. – rev. Mann & Trupiano (1980s) ► IV/156 Aeolian-Skinner Co. – rev. G.F. Adams (1969) ► IV/172 Aeolian-Skinner Co., Op. 205-A (1956) ► IV/142reg M.P. Möller, Op. 7900 (1948) ► IV/ Ernest M. Skinner & Son (1945) ► IV/77 Ernest M. Skinner Company, Op. 205 (1913) Temporary church at present location (1907-c.1916): ► II/17 Hutchings-Votey (1907) First church at present location (1870-burned 1905): • IV/67 Hutchings-Votey (1904) ► IV/68 Hilborne L. Roosevelt (1881-3) ► III/60 Hall, Labagh & Co. (1870) Broadway and Houston Street (1826-1856): Second (rebuilt) church (1851-1856): ► III/30 Hall & Labagh (1851-2) First church (1825-burned 1851): • Thomas Hall (1832) • Henry Erben (1825) See also the organs in the Gallery, Choir Room and Continuo.                   Houston & Broadway (1826-1851)   St. Thomas Protestant Episcopal Church was established in 1823. Its first church building, located at Broadway and Houston Street, was designed by Joseph R. Brady and the Rev. John McVickar and opened in 1826. Two octagonal towers anchored the corners of the Gothic Revival facade. This first church was destroyed by fire on March 2, 1851. A second church was built on the same site in 1851-2, and the parish remained until 1870 when they moved to their present location on Fifth Avenue and 53rd Street.     St. Thomas Church (1870-1905) The third church was built from 1865 to 1870 to the designs of Richard Upjohn and his son, Richard M. Upjohn. A massive tower, soaring 260 feet into the sky, was its most prominent feature. This church, nestled among the many gilded mansions of Fifth Avenue, was the scene of many society weddings and funerals. A tradition began on Easter Day where the wealthy parishioners processed to nearby St. Luke's Hospital, bearing gifts of food and presents for the needy. Today, the annual event continues as the Fifth Avenue Easter Parade. Tragically, the beautiful church burned to the ground in 1905, leaving only the tower standing. The fourth and present St. Thomas Church was built from 1911 to 1916, and designed by a partnership of Ralph Adams Cram and Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue. Lee Lawrie executed the many sculptures and decorations, most notably the 60 figures of the magnificent reredos which is 80 feet high. Music has long been an important component of worship and liturgy at St. Thomas Church, and is supported by the St. Thomas Choir School, founded in 1919.                 Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company Boston, Mass. – Opus 205-A (1956) As revised by Mann & Trupiano – Brooklyn, N.Y. (1980s) Electro-pneumatic and electric-slider action Solid-State combination action 4 manuals, 118 stops, 158 ranks The Great Organ of St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue was originally built by the Ernest M. Skinner Company of Boston as their Opus 205 in 1913. In 1956, the organ was extensively revised and rebuilt by the Aeolian-Skinner Company as Opus 205-A under the direction of G. Donald Harrison. Subsequent revisions were completed in 1969 by Gilbert F. Adams, and in the early 1980s by Mann & Trupiano. Today, except for the Trompette en Chamade, which is located under the rose window over the Fifth Avenue entrance, the entire instrument is in the chancel, with the Swell and Grand Choeur in the main case at the right on the north wall [liturgical south] and the exposed Great to the left, with Pedal reeds behind. The Vorwerk and Pedal upperwork are exposed on the south wall, in front of the Positif and large Pedal flues. The specifications of the Great Organ as of 2005:                 Great Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes 16   Principal 61 4   Rohrflöte 61 16   Bourdon 61 3 1/5   Terz 61 8   Principal 61 2 2/7   Gross Septième 61 8   Flûte harmonique 61 2 2/3   Quinte 61 8   Gedeckt 61 2   Octave 61 8   Violoncelle 61   Mixture V-VII ranks 391 5 1/3   Gross Quinte 61   Scharf IV ranks 244 4   Octave 61                   Positif Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes 16   Quintaton 61 1 1/3   Larigot 61 8   Montre 61 1 1/7   Septième 61 8   Bourdon 61 1   Piccolo 61 4   Prestant 61   Fourniture IV ranks 244 4   Cor de nuit 61   Cymbale III ranks 183 2 2/3   Nasard 61 8   Trompette 61 2   Doublette 61 8   Cromorne 61 2   Quarte 61 8   Clarinette 61 1 3/5   Tierce 61 4   Clairon 61           Vorwerk Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes 8   Spitzprincipal 61 1 1/3   Quinte 61 8   Gedeckt 61 1   Schwegel 61 8   Viole [in POS] 61   Scharf IV ranks 244 8   Dulciana [in POS] 61   Terz-zimbel III ranks 183 4   Prinzipal 61   Cornet de Récit [g2-d5] 150 4   Koppelflöte 61 16   Rankett 61 2 2/3   Quinte 61 8   Voix Humaine 61 2   Oktave 61     Tremblant   2   Blockflöte 61 8   Trompette en Chamade 61 1 3/5   Terz 61          [in Gallery]               Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Bourdon 61 2 2/3   Nasard 61 8   Principal 61 2   Doublette 61 8   Flûte harmonique 61 2   Octavin 61 8   Bourdon 61 1 3/5   Tierce 61 8   Viole de gambe 61   Fourniture IV ranks 244 8   Viole céleste 61   Cymbale III ranks 183 8   Flûte douce 61 16   Bombarde 61 8   Flûte céleste 61 8   Trompette 61 4   Prestant 61 8   Hautbois 61 4   Fugara 61 8   Vox Humana 61 4   Flûte à fuseau 61 4   Clairon 61 4   Dulciana 61     Tremblant   4   Unda Maris [TC] 49                     Grand Choeur (Manual IV) – 61 notes 32   Principal [1-12 Ped] 49 2   Quarte 61 16   Montre 61 1 3/5   Tierce 61 8   Montre 61   Fourniture V ranks 305 8   Bourdon 61   Cymbale IV ranks 244 4   Prestant 61   Grand Cornet V [c3-c5] 125 3 1/5   Grosse Tierce 61 16   Bombarde 61 2 2/3   Nasard 61 8   Trompette 61 2   Doublette 61 4   Clairon 61             Pedal Organ – 32 notes 32   Contrebasse [ext.] 12 4   Flûte 32 32   Bourdon [ext.] 12 3 1/5   Tierce 32 16   Contrebasse 32 2   Blockflöte 32 16   Principal 32   Fourniture IV ranks 128 16   Bourdon 32   Cymbale III ranks 96 16   Bourdon GT 32   Bombarde [ext.] 12 10 2/3   Grosse Quinte 32 16   Bombarde 32 8   Octave 32 16   Posaune SW 8   Spitzflöte 32 16   Rankett VW 8   Gedeckt 32 8   Trompette 32 6 2/5   Grosse Tierce 32 4   Clairon 32 5 1/3   Quinte 32 4   Rohr Schalmei 32 4 4/7   Grosse Septième 32 2   Zink 32 4   Super Octave 32                       Couplers     Swell to Pedal   Grand Choeur to Great     Great to Pedal   Swell to Choir [Manual II]     Grand Choeur to Pedal   Grand Choeur to Choir [Manual II]     Positif to Pedal   Great to Grand Choeur     Vorwerk to Pedal   Vorwerk on Grand Choeur, off Choir     Swell to Great   Vorwerk on Swell, off Choir     Positif to Great   Manuals I / II Interchange      [affects divisional pistons also]     Vorwerk to Great                   Pedal Movements     Balanced Swell Pedal           Balanced Crescendo Pedal                       Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company Boston, Mass. – Opus 205-A (1956) As revised by G.F. Adams – Brooklyn, N.Y. (1969) Electro-pneumatic and electric-slider chest action Solid-State combination action 4 manuals, 119 stops, 156 ranks                 In the 1960s, the nearby Museum of Modern Art began an expansion program and built a large addition adjacent to the chancel of St. Thomas Church. Blasting damaged the reredos and caused part of the ceiling in the organ chambers to come down. A clogged drain on the roof caused a leak in the Swell chamber. Some of the rebuilt Skinner chests had developed dead notes and ciphers. Aeolian-Skinner was contacted to clean the organ, address the mechanical problems which had arisen, and to effect desired tonal changes. The company could not undertake the work, but recommended that arrangements be made with Gilbert Adams and Anthony Bufano, Aeolian-Skinner employees who had recently begun organ maintenance work in New York City. Adams and Bufano made some of the temporary repairs, and tonal revisions were completed in a small shop set up in the church basement. Although Adams and Bufano set up separate businesses, Adams continued at St. Thomas Church, assisted by Robert James. Rebuilt Skinner chests were replaced with slider chests. Tonal work by Adams included the replacement of revoiced Skinner reeds with brilliant French reeds, and the revoicing or replacement of mixtures. The enclosed section of the Positif (Choir) was unenclosed and renamed Vorwerk, but soft stops were retained for accompanying purposes. The Antiphonal Organ, which had preparations for a separate two-manual console in the balcony, was connected a one-manual keyboard in the interim by Adams. A parishioner of the church, who had long expressed a desire to give the Antiphonal console in memory of his mother, offered to give a separate organ for the gallery. The Antiphonal Organ was removed and much of it was incorporated into the chancel divisions in preparation for the installation of a new 4-manual mechanical action organ to be built by Mr. Adams.                 Great Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes 16   Principal 61 4   Rohrflöte 61 16   Bourdon 61 3 1/5   Terz 61 8   Principal 61 2 2/3   Quinte 61 8   Flûte Harmonique 61 2 2/7   Septième 61 8   Violoncelle 61 2   Octave 61 8   Gedeckt 61   Mixture V-VII ranks 391 5 1/3   Gross Quinte 61   Scharf IV ranks 244 4   Octave 61                   Positif Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes 16   Quintaton 61 1 1/3   Larigot 61 8   Montre 61 1 1/7   Septième 61 8   Viole 61 2   Piccolo 61 8   Bourdon 61   Fourniture IV ranks 244 8   Dulciana 61   Cymbale III ranks 183 4   Prestant 61 16   Basson 61 4   Cor de nuit 61 8   Trompette 61 2 2/3   Nasard 61 8   Clarinette 61 2   Doublette 61 8   Cromorne 61 2   Quarte 61 4   Clairon 61 1 3/5   Tierce 61               Vorwerk Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes 8   Spitzprincipal 61 1   Schwegel 61 8   Gedeckt 61   Cornet de Récit V [g2-d5] 150 4   Principal 61   Scharf IV ranks 244 4   Koppelflöte 61   Terz-zimbel III ranks 183 2 2/3   Quinte 61 16   Rankett 150 2   Octave 61 8   Voix humaine 61 2   Blockflöte 61   Tremblant 1 3/5   Terz 61  8   Trompette en Chamade GT 1 1/3   Quinte 61        [in Gallery]             Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Bourdon 61 2 2/3   Nasard 61 8   Principal 61 2   Doublette 61 8   Flûte harmonique 61 2   Octavin 61 8   Bourdon 61 1 3/5   Tierce 61 8   Viole de gambe 61   Fourniture IV ranks 244 8   Viole céleste 61   Cymbale III ranks 183 8   Flûte douce 61 16   Bombarde 61 8   Flûte céleste 61 8   Trompette 61 4   Prestant 61 8   Hautbois 61 4   Fugara 61 8   Vox Humana 61 4   Flûte à fuseau 61 4   Clairon 61 4   Dulciana 61     Tremulant   4   Unda Maris [TC] 49                     Grand Choeur (Manual IV) – 61 notes 32   Principal [1-12 Ped] 49 2   Quarte 61 16   Montre 61 1 3/5   Tierce 61 16   Bourdon 61   Grand Cornet V [c3-c5] 125 8   Montre 61   Fourniture V ranks 305 8   Bourdon 61   Cymbale IV ranks 244 4   Prestant 61 16   Bombarde 61 3 1/5   Grosse Tierce 61 8   Trompette 61 2 2/3   Nasard 61 4   Clairon 61 2   Doublette 61                   Pedal Organ – 32 notes 32   Contrebasse [ext.] 12 4   Super Octave 32 32   Bourdon [ext.] 12 4   Flûte 32 16   Contrebasse 32 3 1/5   Tierce 32 16   Principal 32 2   Blockflöte 32 16   Bourdon 32   Fourniture IV ranks 128 16   Bourdon GT   Cymbale III ranks 96 10 2/3   Grosse Quinte 32 32   Bombarde [ext.] 12 8   Octave 32 16   Bombarde 32 8   Spitzflöte 32 16   Posaune SW 8   Gedeckt 32 8   Trompette 32 6 2/5   Grosse Tierce 32 4   Clairon 32 5 1/3   Quinte 32 4   Rohr Schalmei 32 4 4/7   Grosse Septième 32 2   Zink  32                     205-A Console at Aeolian-Skinner Shop Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company Boston, Mass. – Opus 205-A (1956) Electro-pneumatic key, stop and chest action 4 manuals, 128 stops, 172 ranks   In 1956, at the behest of William Self, successor to Dr. T. Frederick H. Candlyn, the E.M. Skinner organ—by then revised in 1945 by Ernest M. Skinner & Son, and in 1948 by M.P. Möller—was extensively revised and rebuilt by the Aeolian-Skinner Company as Opus 205-A under the direction of G. Donald Harrison. This rebuilding included much new pipework and new chests, although Harrison chose to rebuild some of the chests. A year earlier, in 1955, Ernest M. Skinner was distraught when he learned that Harrison had been contracted to rebuild one of his most famous (and one of Skinner's favorite) organs. Mr. Self later recounted to organbuilder Joseph Dzeda: He [William Self] said that about the time the rebuild was announced, old EMS, in his late '80's, came to him and asked if Self would hold off on the proposed work until EMS was dead. Self refused. Then EMS asked Self to store the pipes for his organ in the church basement, on the condition that if the new organ was not up to Self's hope, EMS would return and re-install his old organ. Ernest Skinner next wrote a letter, dated October 7, 1955, to the Rev. Frederick M. Morris, rector of the church. Skinner explained that he was the builder of the original organ in St. Thomas Church, imploring, "If it happens that your good people do not like the organ after its rebuilding and I suppose revoicing, and wish to remake it, to be more as it was originally I will be glad to restore it at the lowest possible cost, which implies no sacrifice or compromise whatever." As a postscript, Skinner wrote, "I received word that Mr. Candlyn, your former organist, became what might be termed grief stricken, when he heard that organ was to be done over. . ." Despite Mr. Skinner's pleas, Aeolian-Skinner proceeded to rebuild the organ, hurrying to complete it as much as possible before the opening recital on June 26, 1956, of the National Convention of the American Guild of Organists. Pierre Cochereau, titulaire organist of the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, had been selected to play that first recital on the new organ, and it was also his first tour in the United States and his first recital in New York City. As the convention date neared, Mr. Harrison began to show signs of strain exacerbated by working in an un-air conditioned church during exceptionally hot weather. He suffered from angina complicated by a hiatus hernia, and had been taking nitroglycerin tablets. On Thursday evening, June 14, Harrison walked eight blocks in the sweltering heat to his apartment at 1019 Third Avenue (near East 60th Street), unable to get a taxi due to a subway strike. At 11:00 pm that evening, he had a massive heart attack and died before medical assistance could be provided. He was 67 years old. The next morning, Joseph Whiteford, Vice President of Aeolian-Skinner, called Mr. Self to inform him of Mr. Harrison's sudden death. After hearing the grim news later that day from Mr. Self, the Aeolian-Skinner crew agreed that the greatest tribute to Harrison would be to get the organ as nearly complete as possible for the AGO Convention. Although the gallery organ was left unfinished, and a number of stops had not yet been regulated or tuned, the organ could be used for Cochereau's recital, attended by 1,200 on June 26. Many organists considered Harrison's rebuild of the Skinner organ to be his masterpiece, although it would be drastically revised in the years to follow.                 Great Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes (3¼" pressure) 16   Quintade 61 1   Octave 61 8   Montre 61   Plein Jeu IV-VI ranks 294 8   Violoncelle 61   Klein Mixtur IV ranks 244 8   Gemshorn 61   Scharff IV ranks 244 8   Bourdon 61   Cornet de Recit V [g2-c6] 150 8   Flûte Harmonique 61 16   Rankett PO 4   Prestant 61 8   Krummhorn PO 4   Rohrflöte 61 4   Rohr Schalmei PO 2 2/3   Quinte 61   Cymbelstern   2   Doublette 61                 Positif Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes (2¼" pressure flues; 5" pressure reeds) 8   Viole Conique 61 1 1/7   Septième preparation 8   Nason Flute 61 1   Principal preparation 4   Principal 61   Fourniture IV-VI ranks 294 4   Koppelflöte 61   Cymbale III ranks 183 2 2/3   Nasard 61   Jeu de Clochette II ranks 122 2   Principal 61 16   Rankett 61 2   Blockflöte 61 8   Krummhorn 61 1 3/5   Tierce 61 4   Rohr Schalmei 61 1 1/3   Larigot 61                 Choir Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed (5" pressure) 16   Quintaton 61 2   Hellflöte 61 8   Principal 61 1   Piccolo preparation 8   Rohrflöte 61   Plein Jeu IV ranks 244 8   Viola Pomposa 61 16   Buccine 61 8   Viola Celeste 61 8   Trompette preparation 8   Dulciana 61 8   Chalumeau 61 8   Unda Maris 61 4   Clairon 61 4   Prestant 61     Tremulant 4   Nachthorn 61   Trompette en Chamade GC 2   Principal preparation                   Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed (6" pressure) 16   Quintflöte 61 2 2/3   Nasard 61 8   Diapason 61 2   Principal preparation 8   Flûte Traversière 61 2   Octavin 61 8   Rohrflöte 61 1 3/5   Tierce 61 8   Viole de Gambe 61   Plein Jeu VI ranks 366 8   Viole Céleste 61   Cymbale III ranks 183 8   Flûte Dolce 61 16   Bombarde 61 8   Flute Céleste 61 8   Trompette 61 4   Octave 61 8   Hautbois 61 4   Flûte à Fuseau 61 8   Vox Humana 61 4   Fugara 61 4   Clairon 61 4   Dulciana 61     Tremblant   4