Jochim Richborn

Joachim Richborn (died 1684) was a German organ builder, active in north Germany and Scandinavia during the second half of the 17th century. He was one of the most influential organ builders in Hamburg before and during the career of Arp Schnitger.

Life

Joachim Richborn came from Hamburg and was possibly a pupil of the organ builder Friederich Stellwagen. In 1676 he was involved in the repair of the organ in the (Hamburg), and he also carried out work in Møgeltønder, Denmark.

Richborn's first major new-build was the organ of the first church to be built on the site of the present Lutheran church of St. Michael in Neustadt, Hamburg. During the first years of his independent career, he is often found associated with Matthias Weckmann, who was organist of St. James' Church, Hamburg between 1655 and 1674. Weckmann was also a god-parent to members of Richborn's family.

In 1673 Richborn carried out major alterations to the large organ of St. Mary's Church, Lübeck for Dieterich Buxtehude, and the following year to the large organ of St. Catherine's Church, Hamburg, for Buxtehude's friend Johann Adam Reincken. Between 1671 and 1673 Richborn made substantial enlargements to the organ of St James' Church, Lübeck, extending it to 51 stops and three manuals; some of his registers remain today. Letters written in chalk on the pipework of this organ, to indicate the pitch of the pipes, match writing found in the case of the former rood-screen organ, indicating that this smaller organ was also Richborn's work. The rood-screen organ was reconstructed by Mads Kjersgaard in 2003, based on the preserved positive organ at the , Sweden.

Richborn built organs around the North Sea and Baltic East coast regions of Germany from East Frisia through North Frisia as far as Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Scandinavia. Only two instruments in Germany and one in Sweden have survived the intervening centuries substantially intact, including the important and almost completely original , Wittmund, from 1681. Pipes from this organ were used as models by the Dutch organ builder for ranks in the great and pedal divisions of his 2001-2002 organ in the , Bremen.

In 1794 a small Richborn organ of 1684 was moved from the chapel of the castle of Bützow to the parish church of Ruchow, where it was set up by Heinrich Schmidt of the monastery of Dobbertin in 1796. The move cost 150 Reichstalers and was funded by princess Juliane of Schaumburg-Lippe. The organ was later rebuilt. It resurfaced in 2012, when it was found in Malchow Abbey by Friedrich Drese, the director of the . The organ was restored by Jehmlich Orgelbau Dresden and inaugurated on 4 June 2016. It is the oldest remaining positive organ in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

In 1684 Richborn began a new organ for St Nicholas church Elmshorn (a town 30km north of Hamburg), but he died before finishing the work; the organ was completed by Arp Schnitger. Richborn's son was also an organ builder, continuing in the tradition of Schnitger.

Organs on which Richborn worked

The roman numerals indicate the number of manuals. An uppercase "P" indicates an independent pedal organ with its own sounding stops, while a lowercase "p" indicates a pull-down pedal linked to the keyboards, merely allowing the player to play manual keyboard notes with their feet. The Arabic numerals indicate the number of sounding registers (i.e. stop-knobs excluding accessories such as tremulants and couplers). Organs listed in italics are no longer extant.

Organs built by Richborn

160x160px II 9 Origin unknown, but ascribed to Richborn based on similarity to the Lübecker Positiv (1673). Given to Skokloster church (a former convent church near Skokloster Castle) by Carl Gustaf Wrangel in 1674. Moved to Häggeby in 1804, then Kalmar in 1843, and rehoused in Skokloster since 1931. It was restored and reconstructed by Mads Kjersgaard in 1964, some original parts remaining. approx. 1670 Hamburg St. Michael's Church II/P 20 His first large project, with approval by Matthias Weckmann and the organist of the church, Frank Dietrich Knoop (died 1679). The organ was replaced between 1712 and 1714 by a new organ (III/P 52) by Arp Schnitger, which was itself destroyed by fire in 1750. 1673 Lübeck St James' Church, Lübeck center 160x160px I 8 Originally a rood-screen organ, whose pipework and mechanism were destroyed along with the rood-screen itself in 1844. The casework survived, serving as a cupboard, until 2003 when it was reconstructed to a working organ by Mads Kjersgaard. 1674 Grevesmühlen I/P 12 no longer exists 1684 Ruchow, in Mustin I 5A positive organ played while standing, of similar construction to an organ in La Laguna, Tenerife. Built in 1684 according to an inscription in the bellows, first recorded in use in the chapel of Bützow Castle in 1770, then moved to Ruchow by Heinrich Schmidt in 1796. Schmidt integrated the organ into a larger instrument, parts of the original being lost. In 2012 the organ was recognised as Richborn's work by comparison to the Lübeck and Skokloster organs. Restored to what is assumed to be its original state by Jehmlich Orgelbau Dresden in 2015. 1677 Berdum, a suburb of Wittmund I 6 Sold to Grimersum in 1789 and later replaced 1679 Møgeltønder, Denmark center 160x160px I 9 Modified in 1906 by Marcussen & Søn; in 1957 Rudolf von Beckerath added a Rückpositiv. The organ is reckoned to be the oldest complete church organ in Denmark. The church formerly served as the chapel for Schackenborg Castle 1680 Norrköping, Sweden Hedvigs kyrka (German church) 18 Burnt down along with the church in 1719 1680s La Laguna, Tenerife Convento de St. Catalina center 160x160px II/P 23 Richborn died before completing the organ; it was finished by Arp Schnitger. The casework and façade remain.

Other works

160x160px II/P 25 Repairs; Richborn was recommended to the parish by Matthias Weckmann. Modern disposition III/P/35 1668 Groden, a suburb of Cuxhaven St. Abundus Repairs 1671 Hamburg Orphanage Rebuild of Positiv 1671 Uetersen Rebuild; no longer extant1671–1673 Lübeck St James' Church center 160x160px III/P 51Major enlargement of the ; some of Richborn's ranks survive. 1673 Lübeck St. Mary's Church A rebuild of the large organ, carried out for Dietrich Buxtehude1676–1677 Hamburg St. Maria Magdalena Repairs1664–1682 Hamburg St. Catherine's Church center 160x160px IV/P 58 Enlargement and repairs, several new registers, including a 32' principal for the pedal; some pipework preserved.