The following YouTube below is a re-post of a news broadcast (WAND-TV) telling the story of the organ selected for the Papal Mass with Pope Benedict at Yankee Stadium in 2008. Eventually this instrument was sold to a Church in Central Illinois.
Grafton Piano & Organ and Allen organs have been privileged to have provided organs for many events in the City of Philadelphia - in particular for the Philadelphia Archdiocese. Included were Allen organs for the renown Philadelphia Basilica music director Dr. Peter LaManna, the 1976 Eucharistic Congress and the Canonization of Bishop John Neumann. In 1979 Graftons had the honor of providing an Allen Organ for the special Mass on the Ben Franklin Parkway (Logan Circle) for John Paul II. As one imagine, the pressure and responsibility was immense, but knowing the reliability and close factory support of Allen Organ helped greatly knowing that you have the most-often chosen organ in the world playing for such a prestigious and important event.
More recently Grafton's have provided Allen Organs for the Kimmel Organ Camps (both Verizon Hall and Longwood Gardens), as well as the Magnificat Day and the Knights of Columbus at the Philadelphia Convention Center. We also were honored to provide an Allen RL-58 three-manual organ, a model specially designed by Rudy Lucente, used for the Blessing of Parish Musicians and Archdiocesan Choral Festival with Phillip Stopford at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul (see below video).
The name Allen Organ is legend in the City of Philadelphia, and is the overwhelming and recurring choice when authentic pipe organ sound, support and reliability are paramount.
