St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue - New York City (photo: Arie deZanger)
 

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St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue
(Episcopal)

1 West 53rd Street at Fifth Avenue
New York, N.Y. 10019
http://www.saintthomaschurch.org

Gallery Organ

Organ Specifications:
► II/32 Taylor & Boody (1996)
► IV/84 Gilbert F. Adams (1969)

See also the Great Organ, Choir Room and Continuo.
 
 

Taylor & Boody Organ, Op. 27 (1996) - St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue - NYC (Photo: William T. Van Pelt)

   
  Taylor & Boody Organ, Op. 27 (1996) - St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue - NYC (Photo: William T. Van Pelt)
   
  Taylor & Boody Organ, Op. 27 (1996) - St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue - NYC (Photo: William T. Van Pelt)
Loening-Hancock Gallery Organ

Taylor & Boody Organbuilders, Inc.
Staunton, Va. – Opus 27 (1996)
Mechanical key and stop action
2 manuals, 25 stops, 32 ranks






The Loening-Hancock gallery organ was built by Taylor & Boody Organbuilders to honor Dr. Gerre Hancock's 25 years of service to St. Thomas Church. Its classical construction reflects contemporary interest in organs of distinct national character and historical precepts of construction.

The case is fumed white oak with pipe shades gilded in 23-karat gold. The cedar case doors, the façade design with its embossed pipes and inverted fields, and the ornamental kiosks are distinctly 16th-century Dutch, a style of organbuilding which would have been familiar to the original settlers of New Amsterdam.

The key action is directly suspended and made of wood. The stop action is mechanical. The two manual divisions each display the fundamental Principal stop in the façade: the Hauptwerk 8' Principal and the Oberwerk 4' Principal. The 16' stops in the Pedal are located behind the organ. There are places prepared for the addition of three manual stops in addition to space available for a third manual division.

The wind system has three large wedge bellows which can be operated by foot. A wind stabilizer is available to steady the wind for heavy-texture pieces. The tuning is in Kellner temperament.

The Loening-Hancock Organ was dedicated on May 21, 1996 with a concert featuring Frederick Swann, organist, in solo organ works, and as soloist in concertos by Handel and Haydn, assisted by players from the Orchestra of St. Luke's and conducted by Gerre Hancock.

Taylor & Boody Organ, Op. 27 (1996) - St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue - NYC (Photo: Steven E. Lawson)

               
Hauptwerk (Manual I) – 54 notes (C1-F54)
16
  Bordun
54
2 2/3
  Nasat
54
8
   Principal
54
2
   Superoctave
54
8
  Rohrflöte
54
     Mixtur V-VI ranks
295
4
  Octave
54
16
  Trompet
54
4
  Spielflöte
54
8
  Trompet
54
2
 
Quinte
preparation

     
               
Oberwerk (Manual II) – 54 notes (C1-F54)
8
   Gedackt
54
2
   Gemshorn
54
8
  
Quintadena
preparation
    Sesquialtera II ranks
108
4
   Principal
54
     Scharff IV-VI ranks
278
4
   Rohrflöte
54
8
   Dulcian
54
2
  
Octave
preparation
       
               
Pedal – 30 notes (C-F30)
16
  Subbass (poplar)
30
16
   Posaune
30
8
  Octave [C1-F6 from HW]
24
8
   Trompet
HW
4
  Octave
30
     Spare slide  
               
Couplers
    Oberwerk/Hauptwerk     Tremulant (entire organ)
    Hauptwerk/Pedal        
    Oberwerk/Pedal        
 
  Gilbert F. Adams organ (1969) formerly in the gallery of St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue - New York City (photo: Ken Stein)
   
  Console of Gilbert F. Adams organ (1969) formerly in the gallery of St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue - New York City (photo: Ken Stein)
Loening Memorial Organ

Gilbert F. Adams Organ Builders Inc.
New York City (1969)
Mechanical key and stop action
4 manuals, 53 stops, 84 ranks





The first freestanding organ in the rear gallery of St. Thomas Church was given in memory of Mrs. Albert (Hermine Rubino) Loening by her three sons Rudolph, Albert, and Grover. This four-manual, mechanical-action organ was built by Gilbert F. Adams in 1969, and was designed for the authentic performance of French classic literature. The elaborate carved oak case was designed by Adams and Woodbridge of New York. The Positif case incorporated a façade designed by architect Bertram Goodhue, c.1911, which was formerly located over the entrance to the Chapel of the Resurrection.

Console of Gilbert F. Adams organ (1969) formerly in the gallery of St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue - New York City (photo: Ken Stein)  
The console, of black walnut and oak, was recessed en fenêtre at the base of the case, and was designed and built by Gilbert Adams. The first recital on the Loening Memorial Organ was played by William Self, organist of St. Thomas Church, on November 22, 1969. The first of a series of eight dedicatory recitals was played by Marie-Claire Alain on December 3, 1969.

The Adams organ was sold and removed prior to the installation of the Taylor & Boody organ.
               
Grand Orgue – 58 notes
16
  Montre
58
2
  Doublette
58
16
  Bourdon
58
1 3/5
  Tierce
58
8
  Montre
58
    Plein Jeu V-IX ranks
404
8
  Bourdon
58
16
 
Bombarde
preparation
4
  Prestant
58
8
  Trompette
58
4
  Flûte
58
4
  Clairon
58
3 1/5
  Grosse Tierce
58
8
  Dessus de Chamade
34
2 2/3
  Nasard
58
    Grand Cornet V ranks
135

     

     
Positif – 58 notes
8
   Montre
58
1 3/5
  Tierce
58
8
  Bourdon
58
1 1/3
  Larigot
58
8
  Dessus de Flûte [TC]
46
    Fourniture IV ranks
232
4
  Prestant
58
    Cymbale III ranks
174
4
  Flûte
58
8
  Trompette
58
2 2/3
  Nasard
58
8
  Cromorne
58
2
  Doublette
58
4
  Clairon
58
2
  Quarte de Nasard
58
 
  Tremblant  

     

     
Echo – 58 notes, enclosed
8
  Gambe
58
     Sesquialtera II ranks
116
8
  Voix céleste
58
 
  Cymbale IV ranks
232
8
  Bourdon
58
 8
  Hautbois
58
4
  Prestant
58
8
  Voix humaine
58
4
  Flute
58
4
 
Clairon
preparation
2
  Doublette
58
     Tremblant  
1
  Flageolet
58
 
     

     

     
Récit – 58 notes
8
 
Flûte allemande
preparation
       
    Cornet V ranks
160
       
8
 
Trompette
preparation
       
               
Pédale – 32 notes
32
 
Bourdon
preparation
32
 
Contre Bombarde
preparation
16
  Flûte en Montre
32
16
  Bombarde
32
16
  Bourdon
32
16
  Basson
32
8
  Flûte
32
8
  Trompette
32
8
  Bourdon
32
4
  Clairon
32
4
  Flûte
32
4
  Chalumeau
32
    Gros Plein Jeu VII ranks
224
       
               
Couplers
    Grande Orgue – Pédale   Positif – Grande Orgue
    Positif – Pédale   Echo – Grande Orgue
    Echo – Pédale    
 
Sources:
     Ochse, Orpha. The History of the Organ in the United States. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1975.
     St. Thomas Church web site: www.saintthomaschurch.org/stopsgo.html
     Self, William. For Mine Eyes Have Seen. Worcester: Worcester Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, 1990.
     Taylor & Boody Organbuilders web site: http://www.taylorandboody.com
     Trupiano, Larry. Electronic mail (Dec. 12, 2009) with corrections to specifications of G. F. Adams Organ (1969).
     Wright, J. Robert. Saint Thomas Church Fifth Avenue. New York: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company and Saint Thomas Church Fifth Avenue, 2001.

Photos:
     deZanger, Arie. St. Thomas Church exterior.
     Lawson, Steven E. Taylor & Boody console.
     Stein, Ken. Gilbert F. Adams organ (1969).
     Van Pelt, William T. Taylor & Boody organ case.
 
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