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I have always been deeply impressed by the sound of a good pipe organ and have constantly worked to make the Allen Organ sound as nearly like a pipe organ as possible. Now that the sound of the Allen is hardly distinguishable from that of a comparable pipe organ, I am compelled to address a much more profound issue. Can Allen now build a better organ than any pipe organ builder. Because of my own great respect for the pipe organ and given all the effort it took over several decades just to match its sound, I have never-until now-put myself in a position to face this question head on.
Carefully considering the most recent advances in Allen's technology, I have come to believe that today Allen can indeed build a better sounding organ than any pipe organ builder. I do not make this claim lightly, nor do I mean to denigrate the skills of pipe organ builders. The real issue is technology-as applied to tone production. Artisans have squeezed every last drop of musical capability out of the air-driven-pipe tone generator technology. Continuing to use air-driven-pipe technology to advance the art of organ building is futile. In sharp contrast, the Allen system offers an exciting future to organ artisans. The present Allen tone producing technology is already superior to anything possible with the air-driven-pipe technology. Therefore, I predict that in the not-too-distant future the pipe organ will be honored mainly as an artifact. The organ of the future will be much more like those being built by Allen today. Carrying this theme still farther, we might even speculate that a future generation might casually refer to their church organ as an Allen digital "pipe organ" in much the same way that we of this generation casually talk about a "steamroller" or a "steam shovel" knowing full well that these machines are no longer driven by steam but rather by diesel or gasoline engines.
To quote Shakespeare, "What's past is prologue...". As a result of our past efforts, Allen Organ Company, today, commands a dominant, worldwide position in the field of non-pipe organs. I have been especially pleased by the acceptance of our products overseas. The effort involved has been spearheaded by my son, Steven, in his position as Vice President of International Sales. I believe it is vitally important for us to understand and be an active part of today's changing world; much of our future markets lie overseas.
Perhaps because Western Europe was the area in which pipe organs were most highly developed over the centuries, a stronger interest in organs continues there as compared to the U.S.A. Organ recitals appear to be better attended and occur with more frequency. Hundreds of Allen Organs have been installed in each of the following countries: Great Britain, France, West Germany, and Switzerland. Scores of them have been purchased in all of the Scandinavian countries, except Denmark. Italy is an example of a country where we have not yet achieved a strong dealer organization. Yet, our organs have appeared there in prominent places through word-of-mouth endorsements.
One example of such an endorsement occurred a few years ago. Through the recommendation of my friend, Bishop Joseph McShea of the Allentown Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church, an Allen Organ was purchased for use in the Sistine Choir Concert Hall in Vatican City, Rome. Bishop McShea was quite familiar with Allen Organs having formerly presided over the St. Catharine of Siena Cathedral in Allentown, the site of an Allen Digital Computer Organ and, decades before, the site of the very first Allen Organ ever built and sold.
After word of the success of the Sistine Choir Concert Hall installation spread, other installations soon followed in the Accademia Santa Cecilia and, more recently, in Our Lady of All Graces Convent in Rome.
In 1986, because of the interest generated by the first two of the above instruments, an Allen Organ was purchased by the Precious Blood Parish Church in Florence, Italy. Soon after, interest apparently was fanned among some members of the congregation who were affiliated with the Teatro Comunale, the main opera house and concert hall in Florence. In 1988, a large three-manual Allen was installed in this establishment. We anticipate that this trend will continue.
Japan is a country which has no "organ culture" of its own. Yet, in recent years, the Japanese have developed a substantial interest in the classical organ, especially the Germanic elements of organ building techniques and traditions. As a result, hundreds of Allen Organs have already been installed in Japan, and I have every reason to believe that our success there will continue.
A most interesting situation recently occurred in Hong Kong. Some years ago we sold an organ to St. John's Anglican Cathedral in that city. Recently, the cathedral decided to upgrade their music program, and this required a more comprehensive instrument. One of our competitors attempted to capitalize on the situation. However, after considering our competitor's offering, the purchasing people of St. John's decided that even the old Allen was more satisfactory than our competitor's newest creation. Having passed this acid test, we were pleased to receive St. John's order for a new and much larger Allen to replace their smaller instrument.
One recent occurrence of particular interest concerns the new Basilique Notre Dame in Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast, Africa. This building, according to an article in the New York Times Magazine on December 25, 1988, is the largest church building in the world next to St. Peter's in Rome. The construction of this edifice is scheduled for completion toward the end of 1989, at which time an Allen Digital Computer Organ will be installed.
Finally, while it may appear to the reader that I have assumed a complaining stance against many of the opposing factors that I have encountered in my fifty years as an organ builder, in actuality these factors represented mere bumps on the road. On the whole, my business experiences have been quite gratifying. Therefore, with few hindsight modifications, I would undoubtedly opt to do things essentially the same way if I had to do them all over again.