Michael Mietke

Michael Mietke I (c. 1656/1671 – 1719) was a German harpsichord and harp maker, whose sons also became instrument makers.

He apparently lived his entire life in Berlin and is known to have been an instrument maker there from, at the latest, 1695. He succeeded Christoph Werner in 1707 as official maker to the court. He delivered a harpsichord to the court at Köthen in 1719 on the recommendation of Johann Sebastian Bach, which was probably the instrument for which Bach composed Brandenburg concerto no.5 as a show-piece.

Three of his harpsichords survive: a single-manual, in Hudiksvall, Sweden, is signed 'Berlin, 1710'. In Schloss Charlottenburg, Berlin, there is one single-manual, which belonged to Queen Sophie Charlotte, and one double-manual, both unsigned and probably made for the court.

Michael Mietke II (5 March 1702 – April/August 1754) was his son; he became harpsichord maker to the Königsberg court in 1728.

Georg[e] Mietke (31 January 1704 – 1770), also his son, left Berlin in 1729, moving to Danzig, and then in 1739 to Königsberg, where he had a licence to build 'Claviere, und musikalische Instrumenten' in 1747.

Friedrich Mietke (1746 – c. 1805) was the son of Georg Mietke, and was taught by him until 1765. He became maker to the court in 1770.

Sources

• Dieter Krickerberg: 'Mietke', Grove Music Online ed. L. Macy (Accessed 2007-05-18), http://www.grovemusic.com/