ALLEN ORGAN INSTALLATIONS
Village Community Presbyterian Church
Rancho Santa Fe, CA
87 Stop Four-Manual Pipe and Digital Combination Organ
The organ story at Village Community Presbyterian Church in Rancho Santa Fe, California began in 1985 with the installation of a pipe organ. This organ was unusual in that it was fully unified with over 75 stops derived from the 21 ranks which were arranged in two swell chambers behind the choir loft at the rear of the Sanctuary.
The church had outgrown its small sanctuary many years prior to undertaking a major construction project that ultimately changed the entire campus, providing a new Sanctuary with the organ and choir in the center of the Chancel. The old organ chambers became the new Narthex, and about half of the original Sanctuary is now a Chapel containing a two-manual Allen organ.
It was a 'given' that the pipe organ must be saved though clearly, more resources were needed for the anticipated larger Sanctuary as well as the greatly expanded music program. Ultimately, the church chose the hybrid route and Allen was selected as the builder of choice.
The finished instrument is a combination of the original 21 pipe ranks rearranged to form Swell and Choir divisions, plus ten new unenclosed pipe ranks including a complete Great principal chorus, two flutes, and a 16' pedal Diapason. This is all married to a new four-manual Heritage 87 stop combination pipe and digital organ. The Interlaced Audio is placed among the pipes, and in antiphonal and dome positions. The installation is highlighted visually by the exposed pipework and extensive frontal casework.
Allen Artists Jonas Nordwall and Aram Basmadjian performed the Inaugural Concerts on this exquisite instrument.
