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| December 2011 |
www.allenorgan.com |
 Latest News from Allen |
 Installation of the Month |
 Allen Christmas Video on the Web |
 Free Christmas Music Downloads |
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Dear e-notes readers:
I suspect that many of you are involved in church music programs, either as organists, music directors or choir members. I myself have the pleasure of serving a congregation in Bethlehem. That's Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, not the other one. And, yes, there is a "Star of Bethlehem" that shines over the town every December. This "Star" is actually a several-story scaffold of electric lights perched on the top of a large hill overlooking the town. When I was a little boy, it had a warmer glow than it does today. 
It seems the incandescent bulbs of my youth have been replaced by LED's of a slightly different hue. They look blue to me but I have it on
good authority that they are actually very "green". If you take the time to drive up the mountain and look at the star in the daytime, it's not very attractive but,
at night, from a distance, it is a rather impressive sight.This star has become a kind of metaphor for me. It catches my attention every Wednesday as I approach my church for choir rehearsal. I suspect that the workers who assemble and maintain it, have an entirely different attitude toward it than those who marvel at it from a greater distance. For those of us who spend December in a seeming unending series of rehearsals and other details of preparation, it's easy to have the mentality of the workers who assemble the star. I have challenged myself to take the time to step back from the tasks at hand and gain the perspective of those who marvel from a distance. It reminds me that this actually can be the most wonderful time of the year. I hope it is for you! Regards, Barry Holben Vice President, Sales Allen Organ Company |
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Latest News From Allen |
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Archbishop Michael J. Sheehan Dedicates the new home of an Allen Q370 organ in Rio Rancho, New Mexico 
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santa Fe's newest church, Church of the Incarnation, located in Rio Rancho, NM was recently dedicated by Archbishop Michael J. Sheehan.
The community is one of the fastest growing in the Archdiocese and is pastored by Rev. Rick Zerwas. The new church was built in a Romanesque/Cruciform design with
seating for about 1,300 people. The Allen Q370 is a 3-manual organ with 7 stop lists, each of which provides 58 speaking stops. Additionally, the instrument is
equipped with OST™ Keying (velocity sensitive keyboards for MIDI voices), and an Allen Navigator™. The console has a walnut finish, traditional moving draw knobs and a
bench designed with a rounded front edge on the seating surface. |
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Allen Installation of the Month That which Technology Hath Wrought Christ Church Episcopal Parish, Kensington Maryland was founded in 1898 and moved into its current beautiful structure in 1958. The church had ongoing problems with its non-Allen pipe/combination organ which had been installed in the late 1970s. It was a three manual lighted draw knob console with 6 ranks of pipes. The current Organist/Choirmaster, Mr. James R. Catlette, had a desire to re-invigorate the music program of the parish with a choral scholars program incorporating a truly Anglican instrument. Today the parishioners are thrilled with their new first-class digital custom Allen organ. Mr. Catlette is a fine organist but his greater love is choral music so he enlisted the help of his longtime friend and colleague Mr. Albert Russell to act as consultant for the organ project. Mr. Russell has had a wonderful career which has spanned many decades. For nineteen years he was the organist and choirmaster at St. John's Lafayette Square, often called "The President's Church", situated directly across the street from the White House. Albert Russell is often referred to as "the Prince of Organists". For example, even as a young man he served as Virgil Fox's assistant at Riverside Church, New York. His successive appointments before St. John's were equally impressive. Read More >> |
 
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Vintage Allen One year anniversary update: Circa 1960 Allen replaced at St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church, Dedham, MA In the 1960s, St. Luke's Evangelical Lutheran Church purchased a Custom Allen TC-3 Organ. The instrument was well-maintained and faithfully served the congregation for some 50 years until it was time to replace the vintage analog organ. Under the direction of the church's newly appointed music director, Robert Potterton III, the church began its search for a new organ. A number of electronic and pipe/electronic combination organs were considered but after visiting with their local Allen Organ representative and subsequently hearing Allen's digital organs in local churches, the committee made the decision to purchase a new Three-Manual Quantum™ Q-370 organ, finished in custom American Walnut veneers! Mr. Potterton is an accomplished organist and is quite adept in his use of MIDI. So naturally, the organ specifications included a full implementation of the Allen VISTA MIDI module, plus velocity-sensitive keyboards! "Though our decision to continue our relationship with the Allen Organ Company was motivated by many factors", Potterton stated, "The entire committee was very pleased with the professionalism of the representatives from G. Paul Music, to say nothing of the incredible quality of this instrument. Now, more than a year after the installation, I continue to find new combinations of sounds and features that enable me to be creative without sacrificing artistic integrity. Our congregational singing has been noticeably stronger, I have greater variety of tonal color at my disposal, and we now have another resource to help us outreach to the community." Additionally, the choir loft underwent extensive renovations to allow the sound of the choir to travel unimpeded into the sanctuary. The Q-370's speaker design includes choir organ for the balcony and a main organ that speaks directly into the sanctuary. |
 
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Hear and see
Allen instruments in all their glory! |
A Special Holiday Treat! Allen Christmas Video on the Web Allen Organ Company's 2011 Christmas Concert Excerpts Each year, the Sales Staff of Allen Organ Company performs a series of 4 Christmas Concerts, each of which draws an audience of about 400. The proceeds of these concerts benefit local charities. We hope you'll enjoy these selections that were part of this year's performances. 
Watch selection 1: youtu.be/T2WdBenTc-g
Watch selection 2: youtu.be/WrKJtDnVwyg |
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Free Christmas 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 • Four Noels; Allen Organ Sales Staff from: 'Tis the Season! Religious Selection • Go tell it on the Mountain; Arr. Charles Lindberg; Kenrick S. Mervine, organist from: Christmas Presence Theatre Selection • Winter Wonderland; Allen Organ Sales Staff from: 'Tis the Season! Click below to visit the music download page: http://www.allenorgan.com/www/store/maindl.html |
Vote for
your favorite Organ of the Month |
Organ of the Month
Vote Today! 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 November 2011 the contestants are: Quantum™ Two-tone Walnut and Oak Three-Manual Protégé™ Oak Two-Manual Quantum™ TO-5Q Theatre Walnut Five-Manual Click here to VOTE! |
Links to popular
Allen Organ web pages |
Allen Organ Company Web Site http://www.allenorgan.com/index.html Allenews Home Web Page http://www.allenorgan.com/www/allenews/mainallenews.html Allen Organ Press Releases http://www.allenorgan.com/www/allenews/mainpressrelease.html Allen Organ Installations http://www.allenorgan.com/www/installations/maininstallations.html |
