ALLEN NEWS


Allen Provides Music for Papal Visit to USA

Allen Organ Company of Macungie, Pennsylvania has been chosen as the exclusive organ builder to provide instruments for the first Pastoral visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the United States between April 15th and 20th. Allen is pleased to provide a selection of large three and four-manual instruments for the three major public appearances that will be made by the Pontiff. On April 17th, the Pope will be celebrating Mass at the new Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. On Saturday, April 19th, His Holiness will be visiting with the youth and seminarians on the grounds of St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers, New York. Finally, on Sunday, April 20th, a Solemn Pontifical Mass will be held at Yankee Stadium in New York City. Allen Organ Company is honored to participate in this historic occasion. Allen Organ is the largest builder of church organs in the world and has provided instruments for other Papal visits around the world.

A local television station has done a nice story on this event relating to Allen Organ Company:
    http://wfmz.com/view/?id=249695


Allen Provides Music for Papal Masses in Germany

    Please click here for the news article


Allen Organ on Good Day Philadelphia

On Wednesday, September 21, 2005, Good Day Philadelphia (Fox 29 - WTXF) visited Allen Organ Company.

Via a satellite link-up from Allen Organ, reporter Nick Smith and his production crew featured live organ-building and employee interviews from Allen's Wood Shop, Final Assembly and Final Test areas. Three 2-1/2 minute segments plus corresponding short "teasers" were broadcast. Not only did Fox's TV audience learn first-hand about organ building, a number of Allen employees got to experience the unique excitement of live TV!

To see recordings of this live broadcast, please click on your connection speed below:

Windows Media Player - DSL or Cable
Windows Media Player - Modem Dial-Up






Virgil Fox Touring Organ


See a custom Allen
Organ being built
Click Here for more about First Digital Musical Instrument

Allen Organ Acquired by Smithsonian Institution

Allen Organ Company has announced that the world's first digital musical instrument, the Allen Digital Computer Organ, has been acquired by the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. The organ was manufactured by Allen in 1971 and installed in St. Andrew's Lutheran Church, Easton, PA. In the mid 1990's, after being traded in for a new Allen organ, this organ was placed on display in Allen Organ's factory museum.

Allen Organ Company played a pioneering role in the development of digital sound. When introduced 1971, the Allen Digital Computer Organ was one of only two consumer products in the world to utilize digital technology. The other, the digital calculator, was introduced during the same year. Other musical instruments based on digital sound technology would not be offered for nearly a decade. In addition, the technology used in the Allen Digital Computer Organ was a significant step toward the development of many modern digital sound devices, such as CD's, MP-3 players, personal computer sound cards and much more.

Allen Organ Company has been committed to advancing the art of organ building through new technology for more than sixty years. In addition to introducing the world’s first digital organ, Allen was granted the pioneering analog organ patent in 1938.

"We see the Smithsonian's decision to acquire this first digital musical instrument as an acknowledgement of the key role that Allen played in the development of digital sound technology," said Barry Holben, Vice President of Sales at Allen Organ. "This technology was groundbreaking in 1971, and set the stage for many other digital products that changed the way the world experiences music."