Joachim Tielke

History

Joachim Tielke (1641-1719) was a celebrated German lute and violin maker, born in Königsberg in 1641 and dying in Hamburg in 1719. According to Willibald Leo Lütgendorff, he was the son of Johann Tielke, with whom he moved to Hamburg at a young age. Lütgendorff suggests he hailed from an old lute-making family, likely originating from Königsberg, though John Dilworth identifies his father as Gottfried Tielke. Tielke acquired Hamburg citizenship on July 9, 1669, paying the fee for those not born to citizens. Later that year, on September 7, he married Katharina Fleischer (born April 10, 1646; died December 7, 1724), who also appears to have come from a family of lute makers. Operating as a "Freimeister" due to the absence of a guild for lute makers in Hamburg, Tielke achieved considerable renown. He received numerous commissions from princely courts and was sought out by prominent artists. Lütgendorff notes that Tielke may have traveled to Italy, evidenced by a richly inlaid lute in the Hammer collection in Stockholm bearing the inscription "Joachim Tielke in Fiorenza fecit." He celebrated his golden wedding anniversary on September 7, 1717. Tielke had seven children - three daughters and four sons - none of whom became lute makers, though they may have assisted in decorating his instruments with carvings and inlays.

Craft

• Instrument Types: Joachim Tielke was a prolific maker of lutes, viols of all kinds, violins, and cellos, as noted by John Dilworth. Henri Poidras and Cecie Stainer further mention archlutes, guitars, and citherns.
• Ornamentation: He was renowned for his intensely detailed carving and inlay work, with Willibald Leo Lütgendorff stating he achieved the highest level of artistic ornamentation ever. Baron, a contemporary, described Tielke's lutes with bodies crafted from ivory and ebony, and necks intricately inlaid with gold, silver, and mother-of-pearl.
• Specific Examples of Decoration: Cecie Stainer describes a chiterna in the South Kensington Museum, London, inlaid with tortoiseshell designs encircling mythological deities in ivory, richly ornamented with precious stones. A viola da gamba from 1701 is noted for being entirely inlaid with ivory, including its edges, head, and pegs, with a charmingly designed ivory tail-piece.
• Violin Characteristics: Dilworth identified several violins, including examples from 1684 and 1687, as rare for their discretion and elegance. These instruments featured carved heads, small corners, flowing soundholes with small wings, a medium arch, and a deep, narrow edge flute.
• Tonal Qualities: Baron observed that while Tielke's instruments might not possess particularly strong sound, they were "delicate and pleasant."

Influence

• Stylistic Parallels: John Dilworth notes that Joachim Tielke's work exhibits remarkable similarities in many aspects to that of Christopher Wise, a London maker active around the same period.

Legacy

• Museum Collections: Many of Tielke's instruments are preserved in museums across Europe, with Willibald Leo Lütgendorff noting their presence as valuable showpieces in almost all important museums. Specific examples include a lute in the Lübeck Museum, a pocket violin in the Budweis city museum, and other works in the Braunschweig city museum, Stockholm, and with Claudius in Malmö.
• Documented Instruments: Cecie Stainer and George Hart list numerous instruments, including a lute in the Paris Conservatoire Collection, a chiterna (1665) owned by Mr. George Donaldson, a bass-viol (1669) exhibited in Paris in 1878, a violin (1670) mentioned by Fetis, a guitar (1676), a viola di bordone (1686) belonging to the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde, Vienna, and a viola da gamba (1701).
• Valuation: According to Conrad von Uffenbach, Tielke received "one hundred Marks or fifty Gulden heavy money" for a lute, a price that was still willingly paid by lutenists as late as 1790.
• Historical Recognition: A commemorative publication was issued for his golden wedding anniversary, containing valuable biographical contributions. Despite his significant contemporary reputation, Lütgendorff notes that Tielke fell into "undeserved oblivion" in Hamburg during the 19th century.

Further Information

• Workshop Location: Joachim Tielke maintained his workshop in Hamburg.
• Labeling Practices: His instruments bear labels such as "Joachim Tielke / in Hamburg, An. 1703 Ren. pre G Handel" and "Joachim Tielke, Hamburg, 1704," as cited by John Dilworth. Lütgendorff also notes that his name was sometimes engraved on ivory inlay, for example, "Tielke in Hamburg fecit (1700)."
• Archival Research: Lütgendorff's inquiries to the Hamburg Archive led to Dr. H. Nirnheim's essay "Zur Geschichte des Musikinstrumentenbaus in Hamburg" (1900), which compiled available archival information on Tielke. Earlier articles include those by Julius Thias (1897) and Dr. J. Heckscher (1897) in the Hamburger Fremdenblatt.
• Instrument Catalogues: A comprehensive list of Tielke's instruments was published by De Wit in his journal (1899/1900).

Summary

Joachim Tielke (1641-1719) was a preeminent German lute and violin maker based in Hamburg, renowned for his exceptionally ornate instruments. Born in Königsberg, he established his workshop in Hamburg after moving there with his father, Johann Tielke. A "Freimeister," Tielke was celebrated for his prolific output, crafting lutes, viols, violins, cellos, archlutes, guitars, and citherns. His work is distinguished by intensely detailed carving and inlay, often featuring ivory, ebony, gold, silver, mother-of-pearl, and precious stones, achieving what Willibald Leo Lütgendorff described as the highest level of artistic ornamentation. While noted for their "delicate and pleasant" tone, his instruments are primarily prized for their visual artistry. Many of his creations are preserved in major European museums, and he commanded high prices for his work during his lifetime. Despite his significant contemporary reputation, Tielke experienced a period of "undeserved oblivion" in Hamburg during the 19th century.