Better Pipe Organ Database

Unknown Builder (1961)

St. Augustine Presbyterian Church
838 East 165th St.
New York City: The Bronx, NY

Note: Not playable. (in this location)

Images

2011-08-21 - Church exterior (Photograph by David Schmauch via the NYC AGO NYC Organ Project, submitted by Jeff Scofield/Jeff Scofield)

2011-08-21 - Nameplates (Photograph by David Schmauch via the NYC AGO NYC Organ Project, submitted by Jeff Scofield/Jeff Scofield)

2011-08-21 - Console (Photograph by David Schmauch via the NYC AGO NYC Organ Project, submitted by Jeff Scofield/Jeff Scofield)

2011-08-21 - Church interior (Photograph by David Schmauch via the NYC AGO NYC Organ Project, submitted by Jeff Scofield/Jeff Scofield)

Consoles

Main

Organ type: Traditional With Roll Top
Console position: Console in Fixed Position, Left
3 manuals
15 stops
49 registers
4 divisions
Key action Type: Electrical
Stop action Type: Electrical
Stop layout Type: Stop Keys Above Top Manual
Manual compass: 61 notes
Pedal compass: 32 notes
Pedal Type: Concave Radiating (Meeting AGO Standards)
Has crescendo
Combination action: 'Hold and Set' Pneumatic/Mechanical
Has combination thumb pistons
Has combination toe pistons
Has tutti toe pistons

Notes

2020-11-10 - St. Augustine Presbyterian Church was founded in 1938 by the Rev. Edler Garnet Hawkins. During the 1940s and 1950s, the congregation grew to more than a thousand members, which included mostly African-Americans and Puerto Ricans. In 1964, Rev. Hawkins was elected the first African-American moderator of the United Presbyterian Church, and served St. Augustine until his death in 1977. The brick neo-Gothic building was constructed in 1906 for the Woodstock Presbyterian Church; that congregation merged into the Home Street Presbyterian Church in 1938. This theatre organ was built in 1931 by the Austin Organ Company for station WHK of the Radio Air Service Corp. in Cleveland, Ohio. Austin's Op. 1778 was known as a "unified" (theatre) model, and it included a three-manual Art Deco console and an automatic player. The organ cost $16,500. In 1950, the organ was donated to the Bethel Home of the World Headquarters of the Jehovah's Witnesses in Brooklyn, where it was installed in new building addition then underway. The organ was used there until about 1960, at which time the organ was in need of major repairs. The Witnesses decided that pipe organs did not fit into their religious profile and, in 1961, the organ was sold and moved to St. Augustine Presbyterian Church in The Bronx. Charles Scharpeger recorded the following specifications for Louis F. Mohr & Co., on two occasions: once in February 1962, and the following on January 7, 1963. Pipecounts are suggested, based on typical specifications by Austin of that time. As of 2009, the organ is unplayable as the console appears to be disconnected and the pedalboard has been detached and placed in a corner. The pipework in the chambers is in good shape, but the unenclosed Tibia (centered under the window) is in bad condition. -Jeff Scofield

Stoplist

Source: Courtesy of the NYC AGO Organ Project

       The Bronx New York
       St. Augustine Presbyterian Church

       Austin   Op. 1788   1931/1961   3/15
       _______________________________________________

       GREAT (encl w/CH)          SWELL

   16' Tibia          tc      16' Bourdon           61
   16' Concert Flute  tc       8' Diapason          73
   16' Viole de Gambe 61       8' Stopped Flute     12
    8' Diapason       61       8' Viole d'Orchestre GT
    8' Tibia          73       8' Viole Celeste     GT
    8' Concert Flute  61       8' Violoncello       GT
    8' Gemshorn       61       4' Flute d'Amour     12
    8' Viole de Gambe 12       4' Muted Viole       73
    8' Viole Celeste  49   2 2/3' Nazard             7
    8' Violoncello    61       2' Piccolo            5
    4' Tibia          12       8' Trumpet           GT
    4' Concert Flute  12       8' Oboe              73
2 2/3' Concert Flute   7       8' Vox Humana        GT
    2' Concert Flute   5          Tremolo
   16' Vox Humana     tc          Sub
    8' Tuba           12          Unison Off
    8' Trumpet        12          Super
    8' Kinura       prep          
    8' Vox Humana     61          CHOIR
       Tremolo
       Sub                     8' Tibia             GT
       Unison Off              8' Concert Flute     GT
       Super                   8' Gemshorn          GT
       Chimes         25       8' Violoncello       GT
       Harp                    4' Concert Flute     GT
       Celesta             2 2/3' Nazard            GT
                               8' Tuba              GT
       PEDAL                   8' Trumpet           GT
                               8' Clarinet          73
   32' Resultant Bass --          Tremolo
   16' Open Diapason  12 GT       Sub
   16' Violone        GT          Unison Off
   16' Bourdon        SW          Super
    8' Open Diapason  GT          Chimes            GT
    8' Tibia          GT          Harp              GT
    8' Flute          GT          Celesta           GT
    8' Violoncello    GT
   16' Trombone       12 GT

       [Received from Jeff Scofield November 10, 2020]

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