Marcussen Organs: an Early History

As some of you may notice, this is the second statement I have written about Marcussen. This is because I am endeavoring to complete a paper on the Marcussen organs. In this paper I will also be using the Marcussen organ to compare mechanical and electric organs. As I continue writing, you will be able to see the paper come together and I am very much looking forward to continuing my research!

Marcussen and Søn was founded in 1806 by Jürgen Marcussen (1781-1860). In 1811, King Frederik VI of Denmark (1768-1839) granted the company a license to build organs in the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein. While these commissions were mostly focused around restoration and rebuilding, in 1819, the group was able to build its first organ in Sieseby Church on the Schlei near the city of Schleswig. The next big change for the company was a partnership with Andreas Reuter (1798-1847). Reuter had apprenticed with Jurgen Marcussen and in 1826 became his business partner. This collaboration ushered in a new era for Marcussen, which was renamed as Marcussen and Reuter. During this time, the company switched its base of locations to Aabenraa where it has remained ever since. During his time working with Marcussen, Reuter invented the tuning slot for voicing during the rebuilding of the organ at Roskilde Cathedral in 1833. Reuter, with his gift for organ-building, would continue to influence the company even after his death in 1847. During this period Marcussen also made great strides in his craft. Marcussen proceeded to invent the box bellows. Box bellows are similar to sewing machines and consist of a small box conducting air into a larger one. The design would serve as the major method for providing the organ’s air-flow for the next 100 years until electric blowers rose to prominence. The time of Marcussen and Reuter vaulted the Marcussen name to distinction and in 1836 the company was awarded with the title of Organ Builders to the Royal Court of Denmark. 

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