The old Allen Organ at St. Jude's was ready to be replaced, due to it's deteriorating condition and out-dated technology.
This lovely church is situated amongst historically designated houses dating from the early 1800's. St. Jude's has a rich musical history, and the committee, headed up by Allan Smith, spent a long time searching for the best solutions to their musical needs.
This 3 manual Phoenix has 73 stops and 24 audio channels with Antiphonal, a Lexicon delay system to enhance the acoustic, and a Positif console in the balcony to accompany the choir when singing from that location. Phoenix installed new speaker chambers on either side of the front of the Nave (pictured at bottom right), thus raising the Great and Choir speakers higher up compared to the old organ. Phoenix designed and built the new platforms with gothic arched facades to blend with the buildings architecture. The Swell and Pedal Division speakers were placed in the old pipe chamber.
The old Allen organ, which was the largest ever installed by that company in Canada, at the time, had the speakers mounted on the walls below where the new chambers are located, and they detracted from the appearance of the lovely sanctuary. They also covered part of the beautiful brick keying of the gothic windows, and the choir, standing directly below the old speakers, complained that the sound was too loud. Now, with the new Phoenix AcoustiCube speakers located much higher in the beautiful new chambers, it is aesthetically pleasing and better musically for choir and congregation.
The moveable console has tracker touch, ebony and faux ivory Laukhuff keyboards from Germany and Harris Pau Ferro drawknobs with domed inserts. Quality, Swedish-built Lab Gruppen power amplifiers were used for the 24 channels.
The story of the new Phoenix Organ at St. Judes has come full circle. Phoenix President Donald Anderson was a young 17 year old organ student and practicing on the original Casavant pipe organ at St. Judes, Oakville the day the committee from St. John's, Elora came to view the Casavant, with the idea of purchasing it, back in 1967. They did just that and the Casavant was replaced by an Allen organ. Phoenix Organs, under the direction of Donald Anderson, recently added 24 Phoenix stops to that St. John's, Elora Casavant organ and Phoenix also recently installed the new organ at St. Judes. Please see the St. John's Elora Installation page on this website.
