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Peter the Great imported clavichords into Russia. At this time in Russia, "clavichords" (клавикорды) includes clavichords, harpsichords, clavorgans, and pianos. Although Peter the Great had imported clavichords from Europe, music for these instruments wasn't published until circa 1783. The music playing when this web page loads is authentic 19th century Russian clavichord music.
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The architecture of Peter the Great's palace: "Peterhoff" is a gift to the world. However, many people overlook what was central in Peter the Great's mind: specifically, that Peterhoff celebrates Russia's access to the Baltic. An examination of the wonderful statues and fountains, on a waterfall where the water empties into a canal that leads directly to the Bay of Finland, and the Baltic beyond is the founding principle of the architecture of Peterhoff. Inside the palace itself can be found many paintings by the famous Russian artist "Aivazovsky" of battle scenes (most importantly, of battles to gain access to the Baltic). The main building of Peterhoff, showing the canal that leads directly to the Bay of Finland and then to the Baltic, may be seen above.
Peter the Great was convinced of the importance of Russia's access to the Baltic. He initiated the construction of a network of canals called the "Vyshnii Volochek System" (between Moscow and St. Petersburg) that would promote trade and industrial develoment by extending trade from the interior of Russia to the Baltic. The increased Baltic trade would also expand the Baltic fleets as well as serve as a source of industrial concentration as well as capital formation.
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