A Brief History of the Park Avenue UMC Organ
Information courtesy of the New York City Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.
The organ at Park Avenue UMC has recently been completely refurbished by the trustees, and has received high praise from all who have played it and heard it. Below is a brief history.
The first organ in the present church building was built in 1926 by the Skinner Organ Company of Boston. Skinner provided an attractive organ case on the left side of the chancel, and pipes were also located in two chambers on the nave side of the chancel arch. Factory worksheets show a larger organ was originally planned that included an Echo Organ with four stops and chimes. In 1947, the organ and console were overhauled by Louis F. Mohr & Co., and the prepared-for Tuba Mirabilis was installed.
Skinner Organ CompanyBoston, Mass. – Opus 587 (1926)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 27 stops, 25 ranks, 1,676 pipes
In 1971, a new organ was built by the Schantz Organ Company of Orrville, Ohio. Pipes were installed in existing chambers at the chancel end of the nave and behind the 1926 Skinner organ case. The three-manual drawknob console was located on the right side of the chancel. Specifications were drawn up by Dr. Robert Baker, consultant, in conjunction with Lynden Woodside, organist.
Schantz Organ CompanyOrrville, Ohio – Opus 1022 (1971)
Electro-pneumatic key, stop and combination action
3 manuals, 45 stops, 41 ranks, 2,392 pipes
After nearly forty years of dependable service, the 1971 Schantz organ was in need of a thorough cleaning and non-routine maintenance. The church contracted with Sebastian Glück of New York City to provide necessary work while keeping the organ at least partially playable for services. First, the pipes of each division were removed in stages from the chambers and cleaned, chests were releathered and new reservoirs were installed. As divisions were reinstalled, the organ was rewired to comply with current electrical codes. In the Swell division, the Trompette and Hautbois-Clairon were replaced with new pipes, and the wind pressures were raised slightly. Two other stops were added: an independent 16' Sub Bass in the Pedal and a set of Chimes in the Choir. Glück also regulated and revoiced much of the organ as necessary. Finally, the Schantz console was updated with a new solid-state combination action, and new jambs were installed to accomodate a few additional stops and couplers.
Schantz Organ CompanyOrrville, Ohio – Opus 1022 (1971)
Revised by Sebastian Glück (2010)
Electro-pneumatic action
Solid State combination action
3 manuals, 52 stops, 42 ranks, 2,433 pipes
Bell Choir
PAUMC is spearheading a new addition to our musical worship: the Park Avenue Methodist Bell Choir! Bradley Brookshire, our music director, has outlined a two-phase rollout of the Bell Choir. In Phase One, we will raise funds for purchasing the smallest usable group of bells (called a “peal”), a two-octave peal. A donor list will be posted with the names of people sponsoring individual bells, and this donor list will eventually be engraved on a plaque for display in the church. Bradley hopes to get the ball rolling (and the bells tolling!) by sponsoring the biggest bell in the Phase One set of bells in honor of his late mother.
In Phase Two, in a subsequent year, we will engage in a second round of fund-raising and purchase an additional octave of bells, giving us a three-octave peal with which to make even more glorious music. This will allow us to expand the number of bell ringers.
Below, is a listing of the prices of individual bells. Won’t you join this joyous new avenue of worship at PAUMC by indicating to Bradley your interest in being a bell ringer or by sponsoring a bell?
#15 (2 bells) $494/each
#14 (2 bells) $478/each
#13 $458
#12 (2 bells) $445/each
#11 (2 bells) $435/each
#10 (2 bells) $422/each
#9 $404
#8 (2 bells) $398/each
#7 (2 bells) $382/each
#6 $362
#5 (2 bells) $362/each
#4 (2 bells) $356/each
#3 (2 bells) $352/each
#2 $354
#1 $350
Second Sunday Concert Series: Eugenia Zukerman, Flute (3/11)
Sunday, March 11, 2011 at 2:00pm
EUGENIA ZUKERMAN, Flute
ANTHONY NEWMAN, Organ
Program:
“PIECES FOR THE MUSICAL CLOCK”
HANDEL: “Pieces for the Windsor Castle Clock” arranged for keyboard and flute by Newman/Zukerman
MOZART: Adagio for the Musical Clock KV 616 arranged for keyboard and flute by Newman/Zukerman
BACH: “Music for the Coethen Castle Standing Clock” edited and with flute obligato by Anthony Newman
MESSIAEN: Chants d'Oiseaux for Organ
RICHARD RODNEY BENNETT: “For the East India Nightingale” and “For the starling” from Six Songs for the Instruction of Singing Birds” for Flute
MOZART: Fantasie in f minor KV 594 for the Musical Clock arranged for keyboard and flute by Newman/Zukerman
HAYDN: Pieces for the Musical Clock arranged for keyboard and flute
Please visit http://www.eugeniazukerman.com to find out more information about the artist.
Visit our Concert Series page to puchase tickets and find out more information about the series.
Second Sunday Concert Series
Tickets
Tickets are affordably priced: $20 general admission, $10 seniors, $5 students
To order tickets in advance, download the order form. Mail the completed order form along with your check payable to Park Avenue Methodist Church, Attn: Concert Series, 106 East 86th Street, NYC, NY 10028. You may also pay with PayPal by clicking on the "Donate" button, just follow-up with an e-maiil to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Please attach your order form so we can properly track your donation. Tickets may also be purchased at the door before each concert on an as-available basis.
History
The SECOND SUNDAY CONCERT SERIES was conceived by church member Gary R. Klein in 2001. The first concert began with a four-hand piano concert featuring Mr. Klein and Russian-born pianist, Eugene Feigen. Since that time, the Series has progressed with artists and performers ranging from jazz, to the now 21st century compositions of the Long Island Composers Alliance, to fabulous concerts showcasing young concert artist winners from the Concert Artists Guild. We have been privileged to be hosts to some of the finest performers in the world. Particularly memorable was a concert performed by Soo Bae, a young Korean cellist, who, after winning the Concert Artists Guild competition in 2005 and the Adam International Cello Festival & Competition (New Zealand) in 2006, was awarded a three-year loan of the ca. 1696 Boujour Stradivari cello, the most valuable instrument in the Musical Instrument Bank – valued at nearly 8 million dollars. Those of us who were privileged to hear her concert that day had an unforgettable musical experience – artist and instrument became one and music poured out of both.
We have heard many groups, soloists, and all varieties of instruments. The Long Island Composers Alliance has featured new music concerts for the past five years and a favorite sound emanates from the Theremin. The audience is always entertained by the haunting sounds and personality-filled presentation by Rob Schimmer, a foremost expert on this instrument.
Our concert series has featured:
| The Rachmaninoff Trio | The Phoenix Quartet |
| Rorianne Schrade, pianist | Guitar x 2 |
| Katya Grineva, pianist | Madeline Kole/Richie Iacona Trio |
| Duo Leo | Hugo Goldenzweig, pianist |
| Angelica, choir | Ana Lourdes Rodriguez, pianist |
| William Schimmel, accordionist | The Donny Donable Sextet |
| Tanya Bannister, pianist | Jessica Lee, violin |
| Jennifer Stumm, viola | Stephanie Ho, Saar Ahuvia, duo pianists |
| Michi Wianko , pianist | Sarah Wolfson, soprano |
| Arlene Travis & the Baroque Ensemble | The Fiegien Duo |
| Race for the Sky – a special group in a special concert with music composed by NY composers with excerpts from writings, notes, and poems written in NYC after 911. | |