Prince Vladimir Odoyevsky - Priére sans Paroles

#jankowskyorganist plays Prince Vladimir Fyodorovich Odoyevsky (1803-1869) Rus. Князь Владимир Одоевский - Молитва без слов He was a prominent Russian philosopher, writer, music critic, philanthropist and pedagogue. He became known as the “Russian Hoffmann“ on account of his keen interest in phantasmagoric tales and musical criticism. At one time, Odoyevsky was actively addicted to magic and alchemy. Because of this, the nickname “Russian Faust” stuck to him. In the 30s and 40s of the 19th century, he wrote and published many children’s fairy tales. Throughout his life, the prince was actively involved in charity work, at his own expense repairing many orphanages and building several hospitals. Prince Odoyevsky is often called one of the first Russian music critics. He also invented a unique clavicon, which is something like a piano with twice the number of black keys. The musical instrument made according to his drawings has survived to this day. In the late 1840s, he commissioned the workshop of Georg Mälzel to build an organ which was named the “Sebastianon” after J.S. Bach. In 1864, Odoyevsky commissioned the Kampe workshop to make an enharmonic grand piano.