Pennsylvania company installs organ at the Vatican
Original airdate: 12/21/2017 | When the order first came into Allen Organ, it came from the very top.
"We had some moments like, 'Wow, this is unbelievable,'" begins Allen Organ President Steve Markowitz.
In October, Markowitz got a phone call from the Vatican. They'd heard the sounds of an Allen Organ, and decided that's what they needed - and they needed it fast.
"There were custom requirements of this order that required employees to stop what they were doing and get on this project, and they went the extra step because they knew how important this project could be," Markowitz says.
Within three weeks, the organ was ready, and it, along with Steve and his team, headed overseas knowing they'd end up somewhere, just not exactly where.
"We weren't exactly sure where we were or where we were going," Steve tells us.
Read the full story at WFMZ.com:
www.wfmz.com/ne...
Пікірлер: 137
How terrible! Why doesn’t he Vatican finally accept the donation of the originally offered Cavaille-Coll organ?
@StoreeDenson
3 жыл бұрын
Because Cavaillé-coll company has died.
@joeyboi87
2 жыл бұрын
My thoughts exactly. Allen organs sound absolutely horrendous these days. Not to mention the fact they are bloody ugly
They should have made a call to Casavant or Ruffatti and built a replica of the Cavalille-Coll Pipe Organ in the location it was going to be, and link that organ to the one in the front and have them played by one console to balance out the sound so it wouldn't be too loud in the front, or too quiet in the back. The current pipe organ maybe undersized for the entire sanctuary, but is still VERY sweet and beautiful sounding despite its small size. A Cavaille-Coll Replica from Casavant or Ruffatti would have been a perfect addition to compliment the small pipe organ in the front, and add to the magnificent treasures of the sanctuary. Hopefully this Allen is only a temporary fix because they really need a much larger organ for the entire sanctuary.
@OrganNLou
3 жыл бұрын
Or builders like Mascioni who make REAL organs
@ThatcherNelson
2 жыл бұрын
Ruffatti is amazing
@Chris9017
2 жыл бұрын
@@ThatcherNelson I would LOVE to see a Ruffatti/Casavant/Walker hybrid. It would sound AMAZING!!!!
@briandobbelaere3918
10 ай бұрын
Yes, so much for authenticity in the church. Next they will install electric candles.
Casavant could have fixed any issues with the pipe organ. Casavant's factory in Canada is like the Vatican of organ building.
@oscaralbertotocco8230
5 жыл бұрын
Fratelli Rufatti, Mascioni, Pronesti, Pedrazzi, etc, etc, etc. Ci sono molte fabbriche di organi a canne in Italia per importare un'elettronica dagli Stati Uniti alla Santa Sede, è capito?
@Chris9017
2 жыл бұрын
Casavant, Ruffatti, and Walker should have teamed up for they could have built the grandest replica of the purposed Cavaille-Coll. Fortunately this embarrassing Allen has since been taken out and the small pipe organ is once again the main stay after several petitions.
Having worked in the engineering dept. at Allen, I can state the company is dedicated to accurately replicate the most intricate harmonics generated by pipes organs. It is an amazing company, truly one of the almost unknown technical gems of the U.S.A.
@maxpowerofficial69
Жыл бұрын
no
@jimmorgan5612
8 ай бұрын
I think Rogers has a much better sound.
The quality of music has never been that good, in fact the quality of music in the general through the catholic has gone down hill for years
Where are the money collect for the Cavaille-Coll's largest organ?
@williamrich7638
5 ай бұрын
It went for indulgences.
While the MASSIVE PIPE ORGAN STILL be used... I hope so, because the Allen still does not have the sweet sound of the Pipe ORGAN. Where is the Pipe Organ? What mode is it? How many rakes?
@TheMikeOrganist
6 жыл бұрын
Yes, but not in the Pope's Masses... I think it's a shame for Vatican to have an electronical organ, as it is the most important church of all roman catholicism... The "old" organ hat 70 or 80 stops and 4 manuals.
@NorfolkSouthern-xt3xx
6 жыл бұрын
Rakes? I think you mean ranks!
@OrganNLou
3 жыл бұрын
@@NorfolkSouthern-xt3xx The new organ "Rakes" the ears!
Allen Inc. bungled this installation.
I could think of a number of other digital instrument manufacturers I would probably select of Allen. But like food, organs are to taste. And I’ve never been a big fan of the stringy sounds of the principle chorus found on most Allen’s.
Triste époque, même pas un orgue digne de ce nom dans ce lieu magique ! juste un petit appareil, particulièrement laid avec du plastic et des fils électriques; Lamantable et regrettable.
A very sweet story.
it's a very ugly situation in the music of church.
@praestant8
6 жыл бұрын
Especially the Catholic Church.
@NorfolkSouthern-xt3xx
5 жыл бұрын
@@praestant8 Well then,...whenever you have the money to start your own church,you can decide on which organ you want in there! Until you are able to do that,stop bitching about the organ the Vatican chose! THEIR MONEY,...THEIR CHURCH,...THEIR DECISION!
@renfredclowes4297
4 жыл бұрын
@@NorfolkSouthern-xt3xx Excuse me, the Vatican belongs to the WHOLE CHURCH!
Should’ve done a Marshall and Ogletree organ.
@OrganNLou
3 жыл бұрын
Yes that would have been WAY BETTER!
Sounds terrible, too bad they didn't want to go with a virtual organ like Hauptwerk.
@NorfolkSouthern-xt3xx
6 жыл бұрын
That would have been even WORSE! I have heard Hauptwerk,and I DO NOT like it's sound at all! TOO bland sounding,and with it being PC based,it would NEVER work in church. Maybe fine for home hobbyist use,...but wouldn't work well for church. You also need to realize that you're listening to that organ on tiny computer/laptop speakers,..and videos here on youtube NEVER does ANY organ justice,...pipe OR digital/electronic.
@OrganNLou
3 жыл бұрын
@@NorfolkSouthern-xt3xx DO you even know what a Hauptwerk organ is??? Its a Virtual organ, where sample sets (or REAL recorded organs are set up in individual stored sets, playable on a midi console. Which sound WAY better than any Allen or electronic organ can possible sound! St John the Divine use a Hauptwerk organ now (go listen)!
@maxpowerofficial69
Жыл бұрын
@@NorfolkSouthern-xt3xx clearly you do not know ANYTHING about an organ.
@yoshiunknown
7 ай бұрын
Even worse lol.
An electric organ. What a shame.
Sounds absolutely AMAZING!!
We need a Renaissance for sure. Music art should enhance the liturgy and be authentic. This electric appliance should not have made its way into that church. Save your money and buy a real organ with pipes and if you dont have enough money ......sing a cappella until you do. W
@birdwing98
5 жыл бұрын
Did you listen to the reason given for choosing an electronic organ? So that many sets of speakers could be used to provide even sound levels throughout a space that seats 12,000 people. "The pipe organ was too loud in front, and too soft in the rear."
@NorfolkSouthern-xt3xx
5 жыл бұрын
@@birdwing98 He obviously didn't!
@Sharkattackguy
5 жыл бұрын
@@birdwing98 sshould never ever buy and electronic organ for any reason except to practice with at home.
@OrganNLou
3 жыл бұрын
EXACTLY No more "toasters"
@jasondennison9669
2 жыл бұрын
@@OrganNLou all electronic organs are burnt toasters
I think the other element is they had 3 weeks to get it together. Really how much could they devote to the esthetic to match its surroundings. Listen at least there is music in the church rather than nothing. I recorded for a pipe oragn co. in NJ for years and being honest it would have been great to have real pipes and air but we dont know the whole story. Lets give them some props here.
The people at the Vatican can't read their own documents. The PIPE ORGAN is the instrument of the church. Dummies.
I often thought that the organ in St Peters was of little importance. In comparison to other places of worship where we see these magnificent displays of pipes etc.... St Peters never got a look in......just my opinion....
I guess we don't know the full story? Too loud in the front of the church and too weak in the back? This must be some special purpose one off need? The finish on the console is gaudy, hardly a blend to its surroundings? I love Allen organs but I question this installation? As I said, a more complete story about its need and purpose would be helpful..
@PointyTailofSatan
6 жыл бұрын
The organ probably needs an Echo division.
@swc789rjp
6 жыл бұрын
They were given mere WEEKS to get an organ built and installed there. The Vatican choir director had heard an Allen of this size recently and needed it mainly for the choir, and something that was portable. It takes MONTHS to build a custom 4- or 5-manual and they got the call in October for an organ that was needed by Christmas Eve. Allen provided exactly what was requested and did so in record time. I listened to the Christmas Eve Mass and couldn’t believe how good the organ sounded. Then again, in THAT space most any organ would sound good!
@NorfolkSouthern-xt3xx
5 жыл бұрын
@@swc789rjp You're right,...that is EXACTLY how this came about! I heard bits and pieces of the mass,and I agree,...the organ sounded good. May I add that those who think otherwise should have their hearing checked. My hearing is JUST FINE,so don't anybody tell me mine needs checked.
@maxpowerofficial69
Жыл бұрын
@@NorfolkSouthern-xt3xx yes you need your ears checked DEFINETLY.
Wow...
Not a good sound from the Allen digital organ here; there are lots of critical accounts on the Internet of this Vatican installation. The Johannus Live organ series, for example, is much better. Likewise, Hauptwerk with the Marcussen & Sons St Laurenskerk sample set in Rotterdam is much better. Allen has lost the technological race against competitors who have much better product offerings. These Allen instruments sound so synthetic and weazy.
@StoreeDenson
3 жыл бұрын
I don't think using hauptwerk would be a good idea because somehow using a sample set with a large acoustic inside a building with a large acoustic sounds horrible. I have tested it doesn't work too well. They can use Organteq because it has no acoustic at all and fits well with the idea of Casavant and Cavaillé-coll.
@tommorris3688
3 жыл бұрын
@@StoreeDenson From Sonus Paradisi, it is feasible to buy "dry" samples that are compatible with Hauptwerk software. I agree with you that, for reverberant buildings, two lots of reverberation (i.e. one from sampling, and the other from the acoustic of the building in which the sound is reproduced is sub-optimal).
@StoreeDenson
3 жыл бұрын
@@tommorris3688 Yes. I agree. Mostly I am a Pitor Grabowski sample user. But on the other hand it is a great crime that the Vatican had alot of time to get a beautiful pipe organ but instead waited and got digital.
@tommorris3688
3 жыл бұрын
@@StoreeDenson The Catholic Church seems in general very pragmatic about costs. In Scandinavia and United Kingdom, there are huge numbers of churches with pipe organs and small congregations aged on average 70 years +; there will not be the money to maintain these large pipe organs, let alone rebuild them, so the trend in the protestant churches will eventually converge to the catholic church approach that is quite happy to use modern contemporary digital instruments.
@tommorris3688
3 жыл бұрын
@@StoreeDenson Problem is that most of the Allen Computer organ instruments have a very inferior sound. Johannus Live, Hauptwerk, Piotr Grabowski, Sonus Paradisi seem to be doing a much job than Allen.
I don't get it. How come there is more dislikes on the Video?
@TheMikeOrganist
6 жыл бұрын
Because this organ isn't a real pipe organ, but a electronical "improvisation". And most organists want the St. Peter's Basilica to have a very big real pipe organ. This is, why there are many dislikes.
@Sharkattackguy
6 жыл бұрын
Fratelli Ruffatti should build a pipe organ for the basilica. Cassavant wanted to build one for them free of charge years ago This electronic toaster is a crime. I hope it is temporary. They need only to add a gallery organ over the front doors...
@NorfolkSouthern-xt3xx
6 жыл бұрын
Typical 'pipe organ snob",...the church DOES have a real pipe organ,..but if you listen to the video,..it was said the pipe organ was inadequate as it was too loud in some parts of the church,..and other parts could not be heard as well. The vatican did right be choosing Allen! Digital is here to stay,..and it was better than having no organ at all. Some people need to get over the stigma that if the sound is not made by pipes,..it's not a real organ.
@Sharkattackguy
6 жыл бұрын
It isn't a real organ which is the point. Cheap and is sounds so...
@NorfolkSouthern-xt3xx
6 жыл бұрын
Sorry,..but I disagree!
They should've at least gone with Rodgers
@bsgarey
6 жыл бұрын
Allen is better built! More reliable!
@jaredcroal804
6 жыл бұрын
TheJakeman789 To see an organ like that in St Peter’s makes me sad to say the least. Right you are, at LEAST they could have gotten a Rodgers. At the end of the Christmas mass at the Vatican this organ was played in solo, and it sounds absolutely deplorable. What a shame!
@TheJakeman789
6 жыл бұрын
Jared Croal Yes. I have an Allen Protege at home to practice on and I play a Rodgers every Sunday, very noticeable difference.
@TheMikeOrganist
6 жыл бұрын
Jared Croal Yes, you're totally right!! Can I watch the Christmas mass at Vatican online? I am very interessted in how this "very beautiful" improvised organ "fills" this Cathedral with sound...
@resultant64
6 жыл бұрын
Depends on the model... chk out the hector olivera Allen organ model... What do you think of Johannus organs>>?
L'Eglise est vraiment malade. Ah cette église conciliaire quel dégât. Le mystère de l'église est vraiment parti Mgr Lefebvre doit se retourner dans ça tombe.
A great story.
@maxpowerofficial69
Жыл бұрын
no
@yoshiunknown
7 ай бұрын
It's been removed
fake pipes
@TheJakeman789
3 ай бұрын
Not even pipes, speakers!!!
Team Johannus!
An organ that will last a life time.
@Sharkattackguy
6 жыл бұрын
not the electronic one of course
@NorfolkSouthern-xt3xx
5 жыл бұрын
@@Sharkattackguy Yes he did mean the Allen! Allen takes the art of organ building VERY SERIOUSLY,and builds their organs to a VERY HIGH standard! Their customer support is unmatched in the organ industry as well,...supporting organs made nearly 70 years ago,...even tube organs that are still in service. You won't get that with Rodgers as they have been sold countless times....where as Allen is STILL ran by the same family since the beginning.
@Sharkattackguy
5 жыл бұрын
@@NorfolkSouthern-xt3xx Sorry... electronic organs are fake.
@NorfolkSouthern-xt3xx
5 жыл бұрын
@@Sharkattackguy Nope,...sorry,dude! It's just as much a REAL organ as the pipe organ,...only difference is it's sound is produced digitally/electronically instead of being wind blown! No one is going to tell me any differently! IMO,...the ONLY organ that can honestly be considered fake is that Hauptwerk "virtual organ" crap,..if you can even call it an organ,...which I don't. We can fight about this all day,...but I'm not going to waste my breath on someone who thinks that a pipe organ is the ONLY organ in the world,and anything other than that is fake. Hauptwerk "Virtual" organ is fake,...but NOT Allen! You can call me an "Allen snob",...if the organ anything else but Allen,..it doesn't exist as far as digital organs go! Don't even mention that "R" word,...or the "J" word around me,...or even the "V" word. As far as pipe organs go,...I have heard Austin,Reuter,A.E. Schleuter,and Ruffati,...I like Austin,and Reuter's sound best.
@Sharkattackguy
5 жыл бұрын
@@NorfolkSouthern-xt3xx An organ has pipes and is winded.