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Joachim, Joseph, 1831-1907 (violinist)

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 28 June 1831 - 15 August 1907

Biography

Joseph Joachim was born on the 28th of June 1831 in Kittsee (Kopčany/Köpcsény), Hungary (now in Austria), to Franziska Figdor Joachim and Julius Friedrich Joachim, a wool merchant. The family moved in Pest (now Budapest) two years later, in 1833. Joseph’s talent for the violin was recognised very early on and despite their modest means his parents made sure to hire the best violin teacher in the city: Stanislaw Serwaczynski, the concertmaster and conductor of the opera of Pest.

In 1839, Joachim went to live and study in Vienna. He studied privately with Joseph Böhm for more than two years before enrolling at the Vienna Conservatory, where he only stayed one year. His talent was recognised anywhere he went and soon after moving to Leipzig in 1843 he became a protégé of Felix Mendelssohn, who arranged for him to study with Moritz Hauptmann at the Leipzig Conservatory. During this time, Joachim also played in the Gewandhaus Orchestra, which Mendelssohn was conducting, and did a number of public appearances. One of the most important events for Joachim’s early career was certainly his first visit to England on 27th of May 1844, where he played the solo part in Beethoven's violin concerto at the London Philharmonic. It was a tremendous success: his skilful and soulful performance greatly impressed both the audience and reviewers. Joachim played for the English public very regularly throughout his life: after 1866 he visited the country annually and his name appears many times in programmes of popular concerts of chamber music in St James’s Hall in London.

Following Mendelssohn’s death in 1847, Joachim stayed briefly in Leipzig, teaching at the Conservatory and playing first desk at the Gewandhaus Orchestra with Ferdinand David. He soon moved to Weimar where he met Franz Liszt, a Hungarian piano virtuoso and composer who was then one of the principal animators of the 'New German School' along with Richard Wagner. Joachim became one of his avant-garde disciples and served him as concertmaster. However, four years later he dissociated himself from this movement and went on to become the leader and Kapellmeister of the orchestra court in Hanover. He stayed in the service of King George V until 1865; during this time Joachim enjoyed a good salary and considerable freedom, and he took advantage of his five summer months off to make concert tours around Europe.

It’s during this period that Joachim met Robert and Clara Schumann: invited to perform at the Lower Rhine Music Festival in 1853, he deeply impressed the couple when he played the solo part again in Beethoven’s violin concerto. Joachim also met Johannes Brahms shortly after, and introduced him to the Schumanns after being in turn greatly impressed by the talent of the young pianist. Robert Schumann died soon after in 1856, but Joachim, Clara Schumann and Brahms remained lifelong friends: Joachim would often perform with Clara, with him on the violin and her on the piano, and train and exchange musical views with Brahms.

In 1863, Joseph Joachim married the contralto Amalie Schneiweiss, whom he had met during a concert in Hanover in 1862 where she sang Leonore’s aria from Beethoven’s opera Fidelio and he played the Beethoven violin concerto. Amalie had to give up her career as an opera singer to raise their six children, however she was able to keep performing in recital and oratorio settings. The couple divorced in 1884.

In 1865, Joachim quit the service of the King of Hanover and moved to Berlin. There he founded the new Department of Royal Academy of Music (Hochschule für Ausübende Tonkunst) and soon became director. However he did not stop playing for the public, and in 1869 the Joachim String Quartet was formed. It was composed of Karel Halíř (2nd violin) from 1897 on, Emanuel Wirth (viola) from 1877 on, and Robert Hausmann (cello) from 1879 on. The quartet soon came to be known as one of the finest in Europe, and performed in various settings. They toured the continent to give concerts, and gave rehearsals in the Hochschule hall, which students could attend for free. It was also common for the Joachim String Quartet to participate in ‘musical gatherings’ in private homes in Berlin, including the house of Joachim’s own brother Henry.

Joachim maintained close ties with his family, and one of his closest friends and confidents was his nephew Harold Henry Joachim. Harold was a prominent philosopher who taught at St Andrews and Oxford, and also a talented violinist. Joseph and Harold exchanged numerous letters in which they discussed family matters as well as professional and artistic subjects. Joseph kept contact with his nephew during his tours around Europe, and made sure to visit him whenever he was in London or Oxford. Joachim was very pleased when Harold married his daughter Elizabeth in 1907. In a letter recounting the last days of Joseph Joachim, Winifred Holidays recalled that ‘the close of his life was greatly brightened by his delight at the engagement of his daughter Lisel to his nephew Harold, to whom, as you no doubt have seen, he has bequeathed his English “Strad”. Harold is such a delightful violinist himself as to be fully worthy of this priceless possession’ (Coll-1711/2/2). The ‘Strad’ in question was a Stradivarius gifted to Joseph Joachim in 1899 on the occasion of the Jubilee celebration for the 50th anniversary of his debut recital in London. This exceptional violin had been made in 1715 by Antonio Stradivari and was called ‘Il Cremonese’.

This type of celebration and gifts is not uncommon in Joachim’s career, which reflects his immense popularity and the admiration he drew. On the 4th of May 1904, a ‘Diamond Jubilee’ was organised in his honour to celebrate the 60th anniversary of his first appearance in London, once again showing his close ties with England. Joachim was presented with an address and a portrait of himself executed by John Singer Sargent, and the Prime Minister himself attended the event. In 1931, that is to say twenty-five years after Joachim’s death, a commemorative centenary concert was given in Berlin in his honour, with compositions from Joachim himself but also Brahms, Schuman and Mendelssohn. The celebration was opened by a commemorative speech by Joseph’s grandson, Dr Hans Joachim Moser. Another centenary concert was given on the same year in the Queen’s Hall, London. Three members of his family performed for the occasion: his great-nieces Adila Fachiri and Jelly d’Aranyi, and his granddaughter Gabriele Joachim. Donald Francis Tovey, Professor of Music at the University of Edinburgh’s Reid School of Music and Joachim’s friend, conducted the orchestra along with Henry J. Wood.

The strong reaction prompted by Joachim’s death on 15 August 1907 can be noted in very numerous obituaries, eulogies, newspapers articles, and letters from friends mourning the loss of a great man. Joachim was recognised not only for his musical talent, but also for his great human qualities: in a letter recounting a visit by Joseph to his family at Heslemere in August 1889, it is said that ‘the secret of [Joachim’s] greatness … is “the listening soul” which has given him such power over the hearts of his fellow men” (Coll-1711/3/6).

Found in 105 Collections and/or Records:

Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Betty Balfour, c1930

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L720
Scope and Contents

Letter, [n.d], Surrey, Betty Balfour to Donald Tovey. Arranging to meet and escort Joachim and inviting Tovey to stay. Holograph signed.

Dates: c1930

Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Betty Balfour, c1930

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L721
Scope and Contents

Letter, [n.d], Surrey, Betty Balfour to Donald Tovey. Discussion of the Joachim concerts, suggesting the Queens Hall as the venue, the London Orchestra and Tovey as conductor, guarantee of money and suggestions for pianists. Holograph signed.

Dates: c1930

Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Camillo Ritter, 04 April 1923

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L1525
Scope and Contents

Letter, 4 April 1923, Inverness, Camillo Ritter to Donald Tovey. Requesting that Tovey grant Ritter a solo engagement at the Usher Hall to play a Beethoven concerto. Holograph signed.

Dates: 04 April 1923

Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Edward Speyer, 27 November 1906

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L1696
Scope and Contents

Letter, 27 November 1906, Hertfordshire, Edward Speyer to Donald Tovey. Refuting criticism in ' The Times', that Tovey's ensemble gave a bad performance of the Leibslieder waltzes. Typescript signed.

Dates: 27 November 1906

Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from George Parker, 16 August 1922

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L1461
Scope and Contents

Letter, 16 August 1922, Middlesex, George Parker to Donald Tovey. Informing Tovey that Parker is attempting to put on a performance of a Bach work, and wondering if there would be an opening for such a piece at the Reid Concerts. Holograph signed.

Dates: 16 August 1922

Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Harold H. Joachim, 25 January 1938

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L1301
Scope and Contents

Letter, 25 January 1938, Oxford, Harold H. Joachim to Donald Tovey. Concerning the English translation of a letter. Holograph signed.

Dates: 25 January 1938

Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Isabelle W. Hardie, 20 June 1923

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L1220
Scope and Contents

Letter, 20 June 1923, Edinburgh, Isabelle W. Hardie to Donald Tovey. Inviting Tovey to tea, with Hardie and Mr. and Mrs. Joachim. Holograph signed.

Dates: 20 June 1923

Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from J. P. Pemberton, 02 September 1907

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L1486
Scope and Contents

Letter, 2 September 1907, Cambridge, J. P. Pemberton to Doald Tovey. Offering Tovey sympathy over the death of Joachim. Holograph signed, annotated in blue ink by Miss. Weisse.

Dates: 02 September 1907

Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Joseph Joachim, c1900

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L1303
Scope and Contents

Letter, [1900], Joseph Joachim to Donald Tovey. Regretfully explaining to Tovey that Joachim can not perform at a concert as he has to devote his time to his Quartet performances, inviting Tovey to Vienna. Holograph signed, with annotations attached to the back page.

Dates: c1900

Letter to Sir Donald Francis Tovey from Joseph Joachim, 01 February 1931

 Item
Identifier: Coll-411/1/1/L1304
Scope and Contents

Letter, 1 February 1931, Berlin, Joseph Joachim to Donald Tovey. Thanking Tovey for a present and discussion of an issue being. Holograph signed.

Dates: 01 February 1931