Music
Music is a vital part of our heritage, our worship, and our contribution to the community. St. Paul Lutheran Church is blessed to have a worship space that is acoustically lively and rich, so that both our own musicians and those from other groups benefit from making music here.
Our organ, though not originally constructed for this space, fits perfectly. It’s an unusually adaptable instrument that is equally comfortable with Baroque or Romantic music and almost everything in between. 2008 marked its 100th anniversary at St. Paul, though it was built in 1882. Scroll down for detail on the history and specifications of our organ.
Our music director, Christopher Greene, conducts a small but powerful choir composed entirely of church members. The choir leads our worship music together with the organ on most Sundays and presents special pieces for festivals and concerts.
Schola Cantorum on Hudson rehearses weekly in our nave and regularly presents concerts at St. Paul as part of a busy concert season throughout the NY / NJ metro area. Other musical groups also present concerts in our space from time to time. To explore using St. Paul as a performance space, contact our parish administrator (who also happens to be our music director, Chris Greene).
Organ
The organ at St. Paul Lutheran Church was constructed by J.H. & C.S. Odell pipe organ builders in about 1882. It has 32 ranks of pipes on 2 manuals with a full pedal board.
In 1907 or 1908, it was moved from a Reformed church in Plainfield, NJ, to St. Paul. At that time, it was a tracker organ, using mechanical action powered by a hand-turned blower. It was then electrified and converted into an electro-pneumatic organ. The organ was restored in 1950 by Odell. In 1995, after water from a nor’easter damaged the swell chest beyond repair, the organ was rebuilt by Stanton Daugherty Pipe Organs. The great chest was also restored at that time.
Recently the swell chest was again damaged by water, making about four ranks of pipes unusable. Various stops on the great chest also need attention. Insurance may cover some of the cost, but we are looking for ways to raise $45,000-$65,000 to completely restore our organ.