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 tea 
 
 Oak Street 
 UNCLASSIFIED 
 
 spts ♦ 
 
IN THE COLLEGE OF 
 THE CITY OF NEW YORK 
 NEW YORK, N. Y. 
 
 THE 
 
 ERNEST M. SKINNER COMPANY 
 BOSTON 
 
®®E ®J5«AW 
 
MjE ©MAN 
 
 dl refill 
 
 OW little we realize the great changes 
 distinguishing the modern organ from 
 the organ as it was in the day of 
 Bach! How limited the resources of 
 the organ-builder of one hundred years ago 
 compared with those of his successor of to-day! 
 In contemplating the possibilities of the organs 
 of mechanical actions and light air pressures, 
 one finds little difficulty in understanding why 
 few of the great masters have been attracted to 
 the organ. The imperishable writings of Beeth- 
 oven, Wagner, Tschaikowsky, were conceived in 
 the voices of the orchestra, and without the 
 orchestra they would have been impossible. 
 Bach wrote for the organ, but his are the writings 
 of prophecy, and it remained for the instruments 
 .\J of our day to voice his greatness. 
 
 The spirit of the twentieth century found a 
 promising field for its genius in the unfinished 
 labors of the nineteenth, and the king of instru- 
 ments is coming into its own. 
 
 The thought of the great masters finds perfect 
 expression in the orchestra, but the voice of the 
 organ is full of appeal, and if it falls indifferently 
 upon the ear of this generation, it will find recog- 
 nition in another, and help to make our day to 
 become ancient. The beauty of the voice of one 
 singer does not turn us from the charm of another, 
 and both must find their fulness in the best there 
 is in music. 
 
 4 
 
 T 
 
 6 
 
S*t ®K«AN 
 
 Breadth of view must save the organ of to-day 
 from being ahead of its time. It may no longer 
 be said that the organ is cold, without tempera- 
 ment, and lacking in expression. The modern 
 organ is abounding in temperament and virility, 
 its small voices are full of characteristic charm and 
 lovely contrasts, its ensemble is rich in power and 
 authority, and the music of the masters is its just 
 heritage. Its resources will never be revealed by 
 anything less. The superiority of the organ to 
 the orchestra in one particular should balance its 
 lack in another, for none are insurmountable. 
 
 The technique of the organ-builder of to-day 
 exceeds his necessities. His judgment must define 
 his art, and his discretion wait on both. 
 
 E. M. s. 
 
S<iit ©MAN 
 
 SimtrilulUirii 
 
 HE conditions architecturally and acous- 
 / I tically under which this organ is placed 
 are ideal, and presented an opportunity 
 for building a great work of art. It is 
 left to others to say how these conditions have 
 been met. The details of construction contribut- 
 ing to whatever degree of excellence has been at- 
 tained in this instrument will be found below. 
 
 The tone of the organ, upon which the success 
 of the instrument depends, is a subject much more 
 difficult of description than the most complicated 
 portions of the mechanism. 
 
 There are no terms in which to picture a tone 
 that assume a value beyond a generality. We may 
 say that a tone is full, stringy, reedy, or fluty. We 
 cannot make a drawing of it, or a record of par- 
 ticular value, as a means of reproducing it else- 
 where, so we can only say about the tone of this 
 organ that the voicing has been done with most 
 careful consideration of the acoustic properties of 
 the edifice, and with a view to giving it magnitude 
 befitting its setting. The scaling of the pipes, 
 the weight of material used, the proportions of 
 the' various parts of each pipe, have been devel- 
 oped by the builders, as the result of observation 
 and comparative records made during many years 
 of investigation. 
 
 The utmost consideration has been given the 
 disposition of the various departments of the organ, 
 in order that the tone should not be obstructed. 
 
OTjlE ©St<SA?f 
 
 Reflecting surfaces have been employed to throw 
 the tone into the Auditorium. The swell boxes 
 are of lath and plaster, substantially backed, as 
 in ordinary building construction. 
 
 Great care has been observed in so voicing the 
 stops that each shall blend with the other without 
 losing its own individuality. The aim of the 
 builders has been towards flexibility and virility. 
 
 The dominating note of the instrument is cheerful 
 and buoyant. Attention is called to the Orchestral 
 Oboe, the Erzahler, the Vox Humana, the Dulcet, 
 the Tubas, and the thirty-two feet Bombarde, on 
 account of their unusual quality and what they 
 contribute to the resources of the organ. 
 
 The action is electro-pneumatic. Its capacity 
 for attack and repetition is far in excess of the 
 ability of the player to overtake it. This great 
 speed serves to make it sympathetic. It is an in- 
 dication that its design and mechanical principles 
 are correct; that the pneumatics have sufficiently 
 large windways; that the valves are properly poised, 
 not over-weighted, and that they accomplish their 
 function without excessive motion. 
 
 The mechanism of the finest grand piano is far 
 slower and less responsive than a perfect modern 
 electro-pneumatic organ action. The pressures 
 upon which the organ is voiced are indicated in the 
 specification, a study of which will show the great 
 possibilities of this instrument. It should be 
 heard, however, in order to appreciate its resources, 
 as the success or failure of a work of this kind de- 
 pends upon the way in which it is carried out. 
 
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eiini (M(SAN 
 
 ©tyr (JDrgatt ttt tljr (grrat Ufall 
 (ftfUrgr of the (Citg of Nrw fork 
 
 ^grriftratunt 
 
 (great (Organ (61 notes) 
 
 Feet 
 
 1. Diapason ... 16 
 
 2. Bourdon .... 16 
 
 3. First Diapason . 8 
 
 4. Second Diapason 8 
 
 5. Third Diapason 8 
 
 6. Gross Floete . . 8 
 
 7. Gamba 8 
 
 8. Gedackt 
 
 9. Erzahler 
 
 10. Octave . 
 
 11. Flute . 
 
 12. Fifteenth 
 
 13. Trumpet 
 
 Feet 
 
 8 
 
 8 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 2 
 
 8 
 
 S»mrU (Organ (61 notes) 
 
 Feet 
 
 1. Bourdon . . . . 
 
 2. First Diapason . 
 
 3. Second Diapason 
 
 4. Gross Floete . . 
 
 5. Gedackt .... 
 
 6. Spitz Floete . . 
 
 7. Salicional . . . 
 
 8. Viol d’Orchestre 
 
 9. Voix Celestes . . 
 
 10. Aeoline .... 
 
 11. Octave 
 
 16 
 
 8 
 
 8 
 
 8 
 
 8 
 
 8 
 
 8 
 
 8 
 
 8 
 
 8 
 
 4 
 
 12. Flute 
 
 13. Salicet 
 
 14. Flautino . . . . 
 
 15. Cornet (3 ranks) 
 
 16. Trumpet . . . . 
 
 17. Cornopean . . . 
 
 18. Horn 
 
 19. Oboe 
 
 20. Vox Humana . . 
 
 21. Clarion . . . . 
 Tremolo 
 
 Feet 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 2 
 
 16 
 
 8 
 
 8 
 
 8 
 
 8 
 
 4 
 
mmMi 
 
 (ttltnir ©rtjatt (61 notes) 
 
 I. Dulciana . . 
 Diapason 
 Gamba . . 
 Concert Flute 
 Dulciana . . 
 
 6. Unda Maris 
 
 7. Quintadena . 
 
 Feet 
 
 l6 
 
 8. Flute . 
 
 9. Violino 
 
 10. Piccolo 
 
 11. Fagotto 
 
 12. Clarinet 
 
 13. Orchestral 
 Tremolo 
 
 Oboe 
 
 Feet 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 2 
 
 16 
 8 
 8 
 
 (Nos. 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, and 13 may also be drawn 
 on the Solo Manual.) 
 
 ©ttjan (61 notes) 
 
 Feet 
 
 1. Stentorphone . . 8 
 
 2. Philomela ... 8 
 
 3. Dulcet (2 ranks) 8 
 
 4. Flute 4 
 
 Feet 
 
 5. Tuba ^ f 16 
 
 6. Tuba >85 pipes ■< 8 
 
 7. Tuba ) (4 
 
 8. Tuba Mirabilis . 8 
 
 (Nos. 5, 6, and 7 may be drawn on the Great Manual.) 
 
 Jlr&al ©rgau (32 notes) 
 
 Feet 
 
 1. Diapason ... 32 
 
 2. First Diapason . 16 
 
 3. Second Diapason 16 
 
 4. Violone .... 16 
 
 5. First Bourdon . 16 
 
 6. Second Bourdon 16 
 (From Swell, No. 1.) 
 
 7. Dulciana .... 16 
 
 (From Choir, No. 1.) 
 
 8. Quinte . . . .10 2-3 
 
 9. First Flute ... 8 
 
 Feet 
 
 10. Second Flute . . 8 
 
 11. Viola 8 
 
 12. Gedackt .... 8 
 
 13. ’Cello 8 
 
 (From Swell, No. 9.)- 
 
 14. Flute 4 
 
 15. Bombarde ... 32 
 
 16. Ophicleide ... 16 
 
 1 7. Trombone ... 16 
 
 (From Solo, No. 5.) 
 
 18. Tromba .... 8 
 
SW ©MAN 
 
 The organ has twenty-nine couplers, thirty-three 
 combination pistons, most of them being duplicated 
 by pedals, a balanced crescendo pedal, a sforzando 
 pedal and great and swell to pedal reversibles. 
 
 The Swell, Choir, and Solo Organs are enclosed 
 in separate cement swell boxes. 
 
 The Great, Choir, and part of the Swell and Pedal 
 are voiced on six inches wind pressure. Nos. 2, 16, 
 
 17, 18, and 21 in the Swell, Nos. 1 and 2 in the Pedal, 
 and the flue work of the Solo organ are on ten inches. 
 
 Nos. 5, 6, and 7 in the Solo are on fifteen inches, 
 and No. 8 in the Solo and Nos. 15, 16, and 18 in the 
 Pedal on twenty-five inches. 
 
 Movable console. Electro-pneumatic action. 
 
ii«t ©SUSAN 
 
College of the City of New York* 
 Department of Music, 
 
 July 14, 1908. 
 
 My dear Mr. Skinner: 
 
 I want to express to you my very great satis- 
 faction in what you have accomplished with the 
 organ in the Great Hall of the City College. 
 
 The comprehensive scheme of the instrument y 
 together with its superb environment , gave you an 
 opportunity such as few builders have had. It is 
 not too much to say that this opportunity has been 
 fully met by you. 
 
 We had planned and hoped for an organ which 
 should be notable among the great concert organs 
 of the world. This you have given us , and our 
 hopes and expectations have been more than realized. 
 
 The work is your masterpiece. 
 
 Where so much is fine , it is hard to particularize. 
 It would be difficult to say in which department the 
 organ is finest, but there is a balance and blending 
 of all parts which leaves nothing to be desired. 
 
 If I were asked to name the points in which this 
 instrument is notable , I would mention , among 
 other things , the remarkable brilliancy of the full 
 Swell , the dignity of the Diapasons , the superb 
 Pedal organ , the smoothness of the Reeds , includ- 
 ing the great Tuba Mirabilis , which is the crown 
 of the organ , and not forgetting its accompanying 
 Pedal reed of thirty-two feet the Bombarde , which 
 is certainly not surpassed in the world. 
 
 To splendid tone qualities we must add a mechan- 
 
iiffit ©8®A5i 
 
 ism which is well-nigh flawless. In three months 
 of recitals nothing went wrong. This speaks vol- 
 umes for correctness of mechanical principles and 
 perfection of workmanship. 
 
 I most heartily congratulate and thank you for 
 what you have achieved. 
 
 Faithfully yours , 
 
 (Signed) SAMUEL A. BALDWIN , 
 H e ad , Department of Music. 
 
 We have received permission from Mr. Lemare to 
 print the following private letter : — 
 
 New York, Sept. 24, 1908. 
 
 My dear Mr. Skinner: 
 
 I have had an opportunity this week of trying 
 your fine organ in the City College , and my admira- 
 tion and enthusiasm for its beautiful tone lead me 
 to write you this letter. 
 
 You have not only given them big tone , but also 
 infinite variety , in the way of tone-color , in the 
 softer stops , some of which , I must say , are most 
 exquisitely-voiced. 
 
 While there are some things with regard to the 
 Console arrangements which I do not approve , 
 yet I feel I should be unjust if I let this interfere 
 with my general criticism of the work as a whole. 
 
 You have certainly triumphed beyond my ex- 
 pectations, and have given the people of this great 
 
WMk® 
 
 city an organ of which the whole country may 
 well be proud. 
 
 I am sorry to hear that you have been so ill , and 
 I sincerely hope that you may soon be fully restored 
 to health , and able to continue a successful and 
 artistic career , such as I am convinced is in front 
 of you. 
 
 With sincere compliments , 
 
 I am , 
 
 Tours very truly , 
 
 {Signed) EDWIN H. LEM ARE. 
 
 New York, Sept 27, 1908, 
 
 My dear Mr. Skinner: 
 
 You have asked for my honest opinion of the 
 New York City College organ. Here it is. 
 
 Please do with it what you like. 
 
 Yours sincerely , 
 
 {Signed) CLARENCE EDDY. 
 
 New York, Sept. 17, 1908. 
 
 My dear Mr. Skinner: 
 
 It is with the utmost pleasure that I offer my 
 hearty congratulation ■ upon your magnificent organ 
 in the Great Hall of the New York City College. 
 
 I do not hesitate in saying that it is without 
 exception the most artistic and perfectly balanced 
 organ I have ever heard. 
 
 The voicing of the various stops has been done 
 
with such consummate skill that not only is each 
 individual diapason, flute, string, and reed tone 
 thoroughly musical and characteristic , but so refined 
 that they blend superbly each with the other , and 
 combine into a truly harmonious and satisfying 
 ensemble , while the effect of the full organ, with its 
 brilliant tonal lustre , is absolutely inspiring. 
 
 Certain string and reed tone stops , like the Dulcet, 
 Vox Celestis Unda Maris, and Orchestral Oboe, 
 possess a peculiar charm which makes them most 
 distinguished , but they are well matched by the 
 wonderful dignity and purity of the Diapasons 
 and the Tubas. 
 
 From a player s standpoint the action and me- 
 chanical accessories controlling to perfection this 
 splendid instrument leave nothing to be desired , 
 but are alike thoroughly admirable . 
 
 I am with warmest regards , 
 
 Tours most sincerely , 
 
 {Signed) CLARENCE EDDY. 
 
 Brooklyn, N.Y., Aug. io, 1908. 
 
 Dear Mr. Skinner: 
 
 City College organ is the one instrument in this 
 country where beautiful quality is combined with 
 overwhelming grandeur of tone such as is heard 
 only in the Cathedrals of England. 
 
 Tours sincerely , 
 
 (Signed) SCOTT WHEELER. 
 
mm WMK® 
 
 New York, Feb. 3, 1907. 
 
 My dear Mr. Skinner: 
 
 Whenever I am called upon to play one of your 
 organs , it is with a deep satisfaction that I compose 
 my programme. I know that every stop has an 
 artistic value: be it soft or loud , each one is an 
 eloquent voice; and , whatever may be the character of 
 the composition I choose to perform , I know that 
 I will find the tone quality which will bring it out. 
 The touch of your organs is delightful, and one feels 
 perfect comfort when seated at the desk , — a feature 
 for which the organists will thank you. 
 
 With best wishes for your future success , I remain 
 Tours cordially , 
 
 (Signed) GASTON M. DETHIER . 
 
WALTON 
 
 ADVG. & PTG. CO. 
 BOSTON, MA8S.