The voicer (1): A portrait of Olav Oussoren

‘We seldom read interviews with or portraits of voicers. I don’t know why. When studying the past, data from voicers is often important for understanding tone color and style, but it is often difficult to find because the voicers worked in the shadow of others.’ Frans Brouwer wrote this last August to the editor; he wanted to make a portrait of Olav Oussoren. His suggestion brought the editor to the decision to provide regular portraits of voicers in coming issues.

So this series begins with a portrait of organ builder and voicer Olav Oussoren, who was largely responsible for the success of the Danish firm of Marcussen & Søn, since the 70s. Frans Brouwer visited Olav Oussoren in his house in Aabenraa, interviewed him during a long rainy afternoon in September, and also spoke with his son Halfdan Oussoren, also a voicer with Marcussen & Søn, and with director Claudia Zachariassen.