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| August / September 2014 | www.allenorgan.com |
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 ATOS Convention Tonal Quality Demo |
 Letter To Allen New Life To An Older Allen |
 Congratulations! |
 Website Addition Interactive |
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Dear Readers: This issue of e-notes includes an account of a recent "acid test" proving, beyond the shadow of a doubt, the authenticity of Allen organ sound. An Allen organ, loaded with digital samples taken from a famous Barton theatre organ, was placed side-by-side on stage with the very same Barton and the two organs were featured in a concert. And, the audience was none other than the American Theatre Organ Society, the world's largest group of theatre organ aficionados. Reactions to the concerts can be read below. We enjoy the opportunity of being put to the test, whether that means fulfilling unique customer needs or proving that Allen really does provide realistic pipe organ sound. We hope you enjoy, equally well, the stories that follow. Best Regards, Barry Holben Vice President, Sales Allen Organ Company |
| ATOS CONVENTION UPDATE: Tonal Quality Demonstration Successful |
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The accolades from the ATOS two-organ concert that featured an Allen digital organ and a renowned Barton pipe organ continue coming in. On Sunday evening, July 6, conventioneers were treated to a two organ concert with organists Mark Herman and David Gray at the Warren Performing Arts Center in Indianapolis, Indiana. One of the organs played was the Center's renowned 1927 Barton Theatre Organ with 18 ranks of pipes installed at Warren in 1997. The other instrument played in the concert was the Allen three manual 21-rank T321Q-SP with three sets of speaker cabinets. This Allen organ included a specification actually sampled from the Warren Performing Arts Center's Barton pipe organ making for a most interesting tonal comparison in front of the most demanding of theatre organ enthusiasts. |
The Allen T321Q-SP (left) and the Warren Performing Arts Center's 1927 Barton 
The Allen T321Q-SP |
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Having a digital organ compared in the same room
and under the same conditions to a fine pipe organ is the
most challenging test of a pipeless organ's technology and capabilities. It demands that the organ be able
to produce not only the smallest nuances of pipe sound, but to also have the individual ranks build up into
magnificent choruses, which has made the organ the King of Instruments. Playing back a virtual recording will
not stand up to this unforgiving test. The two organ ATOS concert once again demonstrated that Allen digital organs sound like quality pipe organs. With multiple tonal Suites now available in many Allen instruments, customers can choose the specific style of pipe organ sound they desire. Allen Organs supply the real thing. There is nothing virtual about Allen sound! Another attendee emailed Allen Organ expressing his opinion about his concert experience: Subject: [Allen-Organ-Owners] Allen organ vs. Barton I was at the 2104 ATOS convention and heard the Allen and Barton organs. Frankly, I was amazed. I sat in the balcony, and the difference between the two organs in both sound and volume was minimal, if any .... the Allen definitely held its own. It was played alone on at least 4 occasions, and the Barton was also played alone several times, so it was easy to hear the sound of each by itself. The Allen ..... the organ, I believe, was a T321Q-SP. From where I sat in the balcony, the floor shook on the Allen's low notes, maybe even a little more than the Barton's. As I sat there listening to the Allen alone, I thought about all the complicated mechanism involved in the Barton.....pipes, wind chests, reservoirs, blowers, relays, tremolos.....and all the maintenance, tuning, and tweaking involved. Now don't get me wrong, I love the pipe organ, and in fact had one in my home for 35 years. But as I heard that Allen play, I thought why would a theatre even want a pipe organ anymore when they could have a sound like this in a couple of hours? |
| MUSIC PROGRAM - Rapid City Area Schools Organ Program, South Dakota |
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In a recent correspondence to Allen Organ, Bill Evans
writes: We are the proud owners of the (Allen Organ ADC-8350DK) instrument formerly installed at Central Presbyterian in Terre Haute, Indiana. It is now installed in our 800 seat Milo Winter Auditorium at Stevens High School in Rapid City, South Dakota, and I must say, the installation is fabulous--if you heard it, you would agree! It is truly incredible how Allen's ADC technology at 25+ years old, with great voicing and proper speaker locations, is a match for the most current instruments offered today---nothing takes the place of a bit of space to let an instrument like this sing! It sounds WAY better than in its previous location, and is only matched by our Cathedral's 70 rank Casavant (which was also a transplant of a spectacular Larry Phelps instrument). Our school district is serious about music education, and organ study is included in our priority list. We are currently working on incorporating an independent study organ credit into our music curriculum utilizing local church organists as adjuncts to our regular instrumental music staff. |
Stevens High Chamber Strings AGO performance 
Stevens High School's Milo Winter Auditorium stage with the Allen ADC-8350DK and speakers awaiting installation |
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Our goal is to train the next generation of church
musicians through appropriate exposure to great music because, as you know, this training of the youth
is seriously lacking in most churches today. We use this instrument in every choral and most orchestral
performances throughout the year at Stevens High School. Our orchestra program involves about 1200 students district-wide-120 of those strings are here at Stevens High! My 130 member Symphonic Orchestra played the dedication of the Allen in a spectacular performance of the Saint Saens Organ Symphony. The kids, parents and school board were totally thrilled by this great sound! Our Music Memory Competition involves all 3rd to 6th Graders district-wide. Students will study 10 masterworks in their general music classes throughout the course of the year-usually featuring an organ piece or two-while learning about the form, the composer, and the history of the piece. The kids listen to recordings of these pieces dozens of times throughout the course of the year-ALL of our students are exposed to some organ literature. The competition culminates at year's end with the Black Hill Symphony playing short excerpts in a 'name that tune' competition. 4th and 5th Graders compete to represent their school at this district-wide final where we attempt to fool the students by changing up the pieces. For example, a few notes of a major symphony might be transposed to solo tuba, or Toccata and Fugue in d minor played on recorders. The kids never miss! Our local organ virtuoso, Justin Matters (of aluminum pipemaking fame) usually performs a huge organ work for the kids during intermission. It's almost surreal to see sixteen elementary principals, who have never promoted anything but basketball teams for most of their careers cheering on their "music teams". Great music will only survive with this sort of nurturing. Bill Evans Orchestra Coordinator, Rapid City Area Schools |
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NEWS!
Allen Organ donated to the Tobin Center For The Performing Arts, San Antonio, Texas |
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Mr. Bruce Johnson of San Antonio, Texas, has donated
his Allen Organ to the Tobin Center For The Performing
Arts. This facility, scheduled for completion in early
September, promises to be one of the premier concert
halls in North America! Allen will be the official instrument of the Tobin Center For The Performing Arts, courtesy of Mr. Bruce Johnson. Click here to visit the new Tobin Center website! - submitted by Dale Johnson, Allen Organ Dealer, Lewisville, Texas |
Photograph courtesy of: The Tobin Center For The Performing Arts |
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CONGRATULATIONS!
Lance Luce honored as ATOS Organist of the Year, 2014! |
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Congratulations to Lance Luce who was designated
as the 2014 Organist of the Year during the July ATOS
Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana. Lance is an internationally acclaimed theatre organist having played hundreds of concerts all over the United States, Canada, England and Australia. His concerts are praised for appealing to audiences of all ages, containing a wide variety of musical styles. Congratulations Lance, on this lifetime accomplishment! To read more about Lance's accomplishments click here! |
Lance Luce, left, received the 2014 Theatre Organist of the Year award during the 2014 ATOS Convention in Indianapolis. |
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WEBSITE UPDATE!
Interactive Web Pages |
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A recent change to the Allen web site now allows the
viewer to 'mouseover' an exterior console image, or
interior electronics image to discover what makes
Allen Organs so unique. Open any model on the Chapel™ or Bravura™ models pages and start mousing-over to learn some very important details about Allen Organs. Both the Lumitech™ and Drawknob Package Option models are available for comparison. The informational tabs including the features, audio system, gallery pictures and additional informaton have been moved to the top allowing better browsing for laptop users. Click here to experience this new feature! |
The L-322t DK model page is shown with highlights pointing to various key components, both external and internal. |
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Allen Video on the Web
At Allen, we are constantly reminded on the longevity of our instruments being played throughout the world. And that's a very good thing. But there comes a time when one needs to ask "just how long is long?" If you have an older Allen organ, and have been contemplating a new organ purchase, this video emphasizes the 'Top Ten Reasons' to trade in your old Allen organ! 
Watch Video:
"Top Ten Reasons To Trade In Your Old Allen Organ"Click here to go directly to the Video section of our website |
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Free MP3 Downloads Nothing tells the Allen story better than the sound of our instruments. Recordings of an Allen organ are the next best thing to hearing one in person. In each e-notes we feature a few selections that demonstrate the pipe-like quality of our digital organs in a wide variety of musical styles. Enjoy! To Download: right click on the song title, then click "Save As". Classical Selection • Moment Musicale In F Minor; Schubert; arr. Curley Performer: C. Curley; Suite: Classic Allen From: The Sounds of Bravura™ Religious Selection • When We All Get To Heaven; S. Clark Performer: Allen Artist; Suite: American Classic From: Colors of Quantum™ Theatre Selection • Just One Of Those Things; arr. Hazleton Performer: Tom Hazleton; Suite: Wurlitzer From: Suite Sounds Historique™ Historique III™ Click below to visit the music download page: http://www.allenorgan.com/www/store/maindl.html |
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SPECIAL PROJECT UPDATE!
Curved French Terrace Console |
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The Curved French Terrace Console project has come to an end and is awaiting final installation in its home in Chantilly, Virginia! We hope you enjoyed this project as much as we did! Click to review The Curved French Terrace Project |
The Extended Curved French Terrace organ in its new home! |
Vote for
your favorite Organ of the Month |
Organ of the Month Thank you all for your votes last month and for your enthusiasm! The previous Organ of the Month winner was the Quantum™/Custom Walnut/Satin Ebony Finish Four-Manual. Click the link below to visit the AllenOrgan.com site for photos and more! http://www.allenorgan.com/www/allenews/organoftheweek/2014/20140217/OrganOfTheWeek.html Choose your favorite from the list below. In the next issue of e-notes, we will let you know which one of these beauties was the readers' choice for Organ of the Month! For Aug./Sept. 2014 the contestants are: • Quantum™/Custom Walnut Custom Finish Three-Manual • Quantum™/Custom Walnut Finish Three-Manual • Bravura™ Pipe/Digital Combination with optional Drawknob Package Cherry Walnut Finish Three-Manual • Bravura™ Pipe/Digital Combination with optional Drawknob Package Black Satin/Walnut Finish Four-Manual • Bravura™ Walnut Finish Three-Manual • Quantum™/Custom French-Terrace Walnut Finish Three-Manual • Bravura™ with Allen Portatif™ and optional Drawknob Package Walnut/Oak Finish Three-Manual • Quantum™/Custom Curved French-Terrace Walnut/Oak Finish Three-Manual |
Links to popular
Allen Organ web pages |
Allen Organ Company Web Site http://www.allenorgan.com/index.html Allen News http://www.allenorgan.com/www/allenews/mainallenews.html Allen Organ Installations http://www.allenorgan.com/www/installations/maininstallations.html Allen Organ Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Allen-Organ-Company/102311786594094 |
