The Portland Chapter Scholarship Fund is in receipt of a memorial gift from the family of Allan J. Van Zoeren, icon of the American organ world for more than a half century and long-time Chapter member. A note from Allan's sister, Dorothea, reads:
Allan J. Van Zoeren -- "music was his world" -- to advance others in this field, we contribute in Allan's memory to the Scholarship Fund, Portland Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. (signed) Dorothea E. Knight
Memorial contributions in memory of Allan J. Van Zoeren may be made to the Portland Chapter of the American Guild of Organists Scholarship Fund, c/o: Ed (Charles E.) Charman, Treasurer, 15267 SE El Camino Way, Milwaukie OR 97267-3141.
Allan J. Van Zoeren, aged 90, died April 27, 2002 in Grand Rapids, Michigan having recently returned to the place of his birth. Allan Van Zoeren was born there on August 3, 1911. He moved to New York City in the late 1920's. There, he served simultaneously as organist and choirmaster at West Park Presbyterian Church and Temple Rodelph Sholom for 28 and 16 years respectively. He was described as a keyboard virtuoso and technician of staggering facility. In 1952, while a pupil of Marcel Dupré and Nadia Boulanger in Fontainebleu, France, he was guest organist and Choirmaster at the American Cathedral Church in Paris. In the 1950's, Mr. Van Zoeren was chairman of the Fullbright Commission for Organ Exchange Students between Europe and the United States.
Along with E. Power Biggs and Robert Noehren, he was instrumental in the Organ Reform Movement of the 40's and 50's which sought to resurrect the organ from the decadence of the theatre organ sound of the early 1900's and restore the American organ to classical prominence. The nobility of today's classic organ in America is due, in no small measure, to the efforts of these three men. The Austin Organ in West Park Presbyterian Church, New York City, was designed specifically in the classic style by Mr. Van Zoeren, and was considered revolutionary at the time of its installation. Testimony to the wisdom of his design and care in tonal finishing is the fact that this organ remains virtually untouched.
He was one of the foremost pipe organ voicers in the United States. He was responsible for the tonal finishing of the pipe organs at Avery Fisher Hall in Lincoln Center, Davies Hall in San Francisco, and at Baylor University; also, many cathedrals and churches, including St. Mary's in San Francisco, Christ the King in Atlanta, Second Baptist in Houston, Coral Ridge Presbyterian in Fort Lauderdale, and the first organ installed in the Crystal Cathedral, Garden Grove, California.
In the 1970's, Mr. Van Zoeren moved to the Portland area where he worked as the tonal finisher for pipe installations of the Rodgers Organ Company, Hillsboro. In the mid 1980's he founded and was President of the Van Zoeren Organ Company. He was unfailing in his devotion as a mentor, gladly passing on the burning torch of his knowledge and experience in organ building. His delight was in "raising up" artisans, adopted into his musical family and heritage, who could live by what he knew to be important laws of good tonal design and architecture. Allan Van Zoeren found his greatest reward in teaching and inspiring others in his art. Among the installations of The Van Zoeren Organ Company were pipe organs in First Presbyterians Church, Vancouver, Washington; First Presbyterian Church, Brooklyn, New York; St. Charles Borromeo, Hollywood; St. Monica's, Santa Monica; St. Francis of Assisi, Palm Springs; and First Baptist Church, Mexia, Texas. A Van Zoeren organ was lost in the fire of First Immanuel Lutheran Church, Silverton, Oregon.
Preceding his illness, Allan was organist for the past five years at St. Timothy Lutheran Church in Portland. He also served at various times as organist of Sixth Church of Christ (Christian Science), Portland. Recently, Van Zoeren oversaw a rebuilding and enlargement of the organ at Colonial Heights Presbyterian Church, Portland, working in collaboration with Phil Baker.
(by Rob Stoltz)
Guy Henderson (writing on the Pipe-Organ Talk Group) writes:
"[Allan] had suffered with a brain tumor and it could not be operated. It was on top of the speech center, and he could not speak and later could not
eat. He died without any suffering... He was 90."
Portland organist Phil Baker writes: "One of the unfortunate things about Allan's life is that he never promoted himself. As a result, there was a legend living here in Portland and very few people even knew about it."
St. Timothy Parishioner, Neal Justice, writes:
"We, my wife and I, and the rest of our congregation also miss Allan. Not only his wonderful music but the man himself. He never gave one the impression of the truly great man that he was. He was always humble and if you did not engage him in conversation, he would leave you with the impression that he just came by once a week to play the organ. "One had to work to get the whole story from Allan. He told me once he was going to Florida for a couple of weeks. It was cold and wet here in Oregon and since I knew he was in his late eighties, I figured it was for a winter vacation. He said, "No, I'm going to tune an organ there." When I asked if there were no organ tuners in Florida, he replied, "It's one I built." "I was astounded to find out how old he was when I first met him. He looked 25-30 years younger and always played with the enthusiasm of someone who truly enjoyed his work." -Neal Justice (Portland Oregon)
Phil Baker writes about the house-organ: "Almost without exception, those who saw [Allan's] house organ were visibly moved. Several times, over the weekend, I hopped on the bench and rattled off a Bach fugue and a popular tune or two from days past. All were impressed with the sound of Allan's genius. The Van Zoeren sound is Allan's gift to God and to the world. An estate sale at Allan's Portland home was held... neighbors all remarked that they looked forward to warm weather because that was the time when Allan would open up the sliding glass door onto the back deck as well as windows in various parts of the house and then the organ music would pour forth."
A former colleague writes:
"...[Allan] seemed almost an icon of the organ world; indestructible, but of course mortal too, as the rest of us. As late as February, he was still playing services and traveling to organ jobs in southern California. I was privileged to know him and call him "friend" and mentor for almost 27 years -- less than a third of his long, productive life. But what valuable experiences and fond memories those years brought! While not everyone might have agreed with all his ideas and philosophies, certainly no one could deny that his was a life fully devoted to our instrument: the organ and its music. Often blunt in his opinions, he stood for the highest ideals of building and sound and performance. "Allan was a patient and thorough teacher, to whom I owe the foundations of any of my own voicing capabilities. And he was generous in sharing his knowledge with many others, also. But beyond vast knowledge and experience in organbuilding and music, he was wise and kind at the human level. I and my family, and many, many others received the full measure of this wisdom and kindness over the years, as he opened his heart and his home to us. I never saw him too busy, or unwilling, to help a friend. "I feel that I owe him a great debt that I can never repay, and the organ world and countless churches that have benefited from his talents as well. But I feel he must now be enjoying the great reward and well-deserved rest his wonderful life has earned him." -- Tom Goodapple (Colleague, Portland Oregon)
Portland Chapter Member Rick Anderson writes:
"Many of you may remember Allan Van Zoeren who served for much of the 70s and 80s as Tonal Director at Rodgers."
"Allan passed away of a brain tumor at age 90 on Saturday, April 27. Allan had lived in Portland since 1974 before moving to the care of his sister, Dorothea, in [Grand Rapids], Michigan only last month."
"Allan was known for his vast pipe organ knowledge and for his pipe voicing abilities. He was a teacher, skillfully passing on his pipe organ knowledge to many. He performed at the American Guild of Organists Convention in Detroit in 1986 and knew many of the great organists of our time including Virgil Fox and E. Power Biggs.
"Allan served as Rodgers' Tonal Director beginning with the five manual Rodgers Carnegie Hall Organ installed in 1974 through the five manual, 192 rank Rodgers Second Baptist Houston pipe organ installed in 1987. He briefly left Rodgers to found Harrah/Van Zoeren Pipe Organs, later Van Zoeren Pipe Organ Company which was purchased by Rodgers and integrated into the company in 1984.
"Rodgers' position as the world's largest builder of organs with pipes over the past 30 years was greatly molded and influenced by Allan Van Zoeren. Rest in Peace, Allan." --- Rick Anderson
Contact the web author for further information.
Walter Krueger, A.A.G.O., Past-Dean, Portland Chapter, me fecit 