Allen Organ Company Museum Tour Early Analog Years: 1937 - 1958

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Large speaker used in early 32' pedal stop experiments
Large speaker used in early experiment of 32' Pedal Stops

During the Early Analog Years:

  • 1947: Allen installed the world's first three-manual electronic organ in St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Catasauqua, Pa. Years later, when a fire in the church damaged that organ, it was replaced with a new three-manual Allen digital organ.
  • 1949: Full-range, high-fidelity stereo audio equipment was incorporated in Allen installations. These tone cabinets incorporated 15" and 12" speakers plus special horn tweeters for the highest frequencies. Speakers were also placed on the baffle of the Gyrophonic Projector. During this time, the Allen was the only electronic organ available spanning this wide range of musical frequencies.
  • 1950: “Purely Electronic Carillon,” “Harp Percussion,” and sustain effects were introduced. The Carillon could be connected to outside speakers for a fine low-cost outdoor Carillon.
Allen Organs 'Built to Last' advertisement
  • 1952: “Chromatic Voicing” was introduced.
  • 1954: Allen built the first four-manual electronic organ.
  • 1955: Allen developed the first electronic 32' stops used with pipe organs. The first electronic 32' was designed by Allen in 1950 for Leopold Stokowski and used to augment the double bass section of the Houston Symphony.
  • 1956: An Allen organ was chosen for an outdoor concert at the American Guild of Organists Convention in New York — Allen’s first national-level nod of approval from this distinguished group of musicians.