Michal Kleofas Oginski
Encyclopedia
Michał Kleofas Ogiński (25 September 1765 - 15 October 1833) was a Polish composer, diplomat and politician, Lithuanian Grand Treasurer and Russian senator.
) in the Polish Kingdom (part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
). His father Andrius was Lithuanian nobleman and governor of Trakai
, in Lithuania
; his mother, Paula Paulina Szembek (1740–1797), was a daughter of the Polish magnate
, Marek Szembek whose ancestors were Austrians and Yadviga Rudnicka who was of polonised Lithuanian descent (family name's root is of Lithuanian origin and the suffix indicates polonisation of her family name).
Taught at home, young Ogiński excelled especially at music and foreign languages. He studied under Józef Kozłowski
, and later took violin lessons from Viotti
and Baillot
.
Ogiński served as an adviser to King Stanisław August Poniatowski and supported him during the Great Sejm of 1788–1792. After 1790, he was dispatched to Hague as a diplomatic representative of Poland in the Netherlands
and was Polish agent in Constantinople
and Paris
. In 1793, he was nominated to the office of the Treasurer
in Lithuania.
During Kościuszko Uprising
in 1794, Ogiński commanded his own unit. After the insurrection was suppressed, he emigrated to France, where he sought Napoleon's support for the Polish cause. At that period he saw a creation of the Duchy of Warsaw
by the Emperor as a stepping stone to eventual full independence of Poland, and dedicated his only opera, Zelis et Valcour, to Napoleon. In 1810, Ogiński withdrew from political activity in exile and disappointed with Napoleon returned to Vilna. Andrzej Jerzy Czartoryski introduced him to Tsar Alexander I
, who made Ogiński a Russian Senator. Ogiński tried in vain to convince the Tsar to rebuild the Polish State. He moved abroad in 1815 and died in 1833 in Florence
.
As a composer he is best known for his Polonaise
'A Farewell to the Homeland' ('Pożegnanie Ojczyzny') written on the occasion of his emigration to Western Europe after the failure of the Kosciuszko Insurrection
When the Russians occupied Vilnius
, he moved to Warsaw.
The Russians outlawed him and seized all his lands.
Thereafter he lived in exile successively in Vienna
, Venice
and Paris.
He swore allegiance to Tsar
Alexander I of Russia
and settled in Zalesie village, Ashmyany region, in present-day Belarus
. At the new place of living Oginski built a new palace, an English-style park, a greenhouse, a zoopark and collected a lot of books for his library.
, clavichord
and balalaika
. He started composing marches and military songs in 1790's and became popular among the rebels in 1794.
He composed some 20 polonaises, various piano pieces, mazurkas, marches, romances and waltzes.
In 1794 he wrote a polonaise 'A Farewell to the Homeland' ('Pożegnanie ojczyzny').
Some of his other popular works and compositions include:
Life
Ogiński was born in Guzów, Żyrardów County (near WarsawWarsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
) in the Polish Kingdom (part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was a dualistic state of Poland and Lithuania ruled by a common monarch. It was the largest and one of the most populous countries of 16th- and 17th‑century Europe with some and a multi-ethnic population of 11 million at its peak in the early 17th century...
). His father Andrius was Lithuanian nobleman and governor of Trakai
Trakai
Trakai is a historic city and lake resort in Lithuania. It lies 28 km west of Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. Because of its proximity to Vilnius, Trakai is a popular tourist destination. Trakai is the administrative centre of Trakai district municipality. The town covers 11.52 km2 of...
, in Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
; his mother, Paula Paulina Szembek (1740–1797), was a daughter of the Polish magnate
Magnate
Magnate, from the Late Latin magnas, a great man, itself from Latin magnus 'great', designates a noble or other man in a high social position, by birth, wealth or other qualities...
, Marek Szembek whose ancestors were Austrians and Yadviga Rudnicka who was of polonised Lithuanian descent (family name's root is of Lithuanian origin and the suffix indicates polonisation of her family name).
Taught at home, young Ogiński excelled especially at music and foreign languages. He studied under Józef Kozłowski
Osip Kozlovsky
Osip Antonovich Kozlovsky was a Russian composer of Polish or Belarusian origin.-Biography:...
, and later took violin lessons from Viotti
Giovanni Battista Viotti
Giovanni Battista Viotti was an Italian violinist whose virtuosity was famed and whose work as a composer featured a prominent violin and an appealing lyrical tunefulness...
and Baillot
Pierre Baillot
Pierre Marie François de Sales Baillot was a French violinist and composer.Baillot was born in Passy and studied the violin under Giovanni Battista Viotti...
.
Ogiński served as an adviser to King Stanisław August Poniatowski and supported him during the Great Sejm of 1788–1792. After 1790, he was dispatched to Hague as a diplomatic representative of Poland in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and was Polish agent in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. In 1793, he was nominated to the office of the Treasurer
Podskarbi
Podskarbi in Poland then in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was minister responsible for the treasury. Since 1569 also a senatorial office. The title although meaning treasurer can be deconstructed as "under[King]-treasury" - treasury as an old-fashioned adjective...
in Lithuania.
During Kościuszko Uprising
Kosciuszko Uprising
The Kościuszko Uprising was an uprising against Imperial Russia and the Kingdom of Prussia led by Tadeusz Kościuszko in Poland, Belarus and Lithuania in 1794...
in 1794, Ogiński commanded his own unit. After the insurrection was suppressed, he emigrated to France, where he sought Napoleon's support for the Polish cause. At that period he saw a creation of the Duchy of Warsaw
Duchy of Warsaw
The Duchy of Warsaw was a Polish state established by Napoleon I in 1807 from the Polish lands ceded by the Kingdom of Prussia under the terms of the Treaties of Tilsit. The duchy was held in personal union by one of Napoleon's allies, King Frederick Augustus I of Saxony...
by the Emperor as a stepping stone to eventual full independence of Poland, and dedicated his only opera, Zelis et Valcour, to Napoleon. In 1810, Ogiński withdrew from political activity in exile and disappointed with Napoleon returned to Vilna. Andrzej Jerzy Czartoryski introduced him to Tsar Alexander I
Alexander I of Russia
Alexander I of Russia , served as Emperor of Russia from 23 March 1801 to 1 December 1825 and the first Russian King of Poland from 1815 to 1825. He was also the first Russian Grand Duke of Finland and Lithuania....
, who made Ogiński a Russian Senator. Ogiński tried in vain to convince the Tsar to rebuild the Polish State. He moved abroad in 1815 and died in 1833 in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
.
As a composer he is best known for his Polonaise
Polonaise
The polonaise is a slow dance of Polish origin, in 3/4 time. Its name is French for "Polish."The polonaise had a rhythm quite close to that of the Swedish semiquaver or sixteenth-note polska, and the two dances have a common origin....
'A Farewell to the Homeland' ('Pożegnanie Ojczyzny') written on the occasion of his emigration to Western Europe after the failure of the Kosciuszko Insurrection
Chronology
- 1786 – Polish SejmSejmThe Sejm is the lower house of the Polish parliament. The Sejm is made up of 460 deputies, or Poseł in Polish . It is elected by universal ballot and is presided over by a speaker called the Marshal of the Sejm ....
deputy. - 1789 – Sword-bearer of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
- 1790/1791 – Envoy Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. - 1791 – Returned to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania to decide a point of his family lands since Russia had occupied some of themFirst Partition of PolandThe First Partition of Poland or First Partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in 1772 as the first of three partitions that ended the existence of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth by 1795. Growth in the Russian Empire's power, threatening the Kingdom of Prussia and the...
. - 1793 – Deputy to the HrodnaHrodnaGrodno or Hrodna , is a city in Belarus. It is located on the Neman River , close to the borders of Poland and Lithuania . It has 327,540 inhabitants...
Sejm. - 1793–94 – Deputy Treasurer in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
- 1794 – Participant in the Kościuszko UprisingKosciuszko UprisingThe Kościuszko Uprising was an uprising against Imperial Russia and the Kingdom of Prussia led by Tadeusz Kościuszko in Poland, Belarus and Lithuania in 1794...
.- Donated 188,000 złotys, was in command of 480 riflemen.
-
- Twice attempted to enter Minsk GovernorateMinsk GovernorateThe Minsk Governorate or Government of Minsk was a governorate of the Russian Empire. The seat was in Minsk. It was created in 1793 from the land acquired in the partitions of Poland, and lasted until 1921.- Administrative structure :...
to raise BelarusiansBelarusiansBelarusians ; are an East Slavic ethnic group who populate the majority of the Republic of Belarus. Introduced to the world as a new state in the early 1990s, the Republic of Belarus brought with it the notion of a re-emerging Belarusian ethnicity, drawn upon the lines of the Old Belarusian...
against Russian occupation. - Also struggled against PrussiaPrussiaPrussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n intervention.
- Twice attempted to enter Minsk Governorate
When the Russians occupied Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
, he moved to Warsaw.
The Russians outlawed him and seized all his lands.
Thereafter he lived in exile successively in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
and Paris.
- 1802 – Thanks to the good offices of Duke CzartoryskiAdam Jerzy CzartoryskiPrince Adam Jerzy Czartoryski was a Polish-Lithuanian noble, statesman and author. He was the son of Prince Adam Kazimierz Czartoryski and Izabela Fleming....
, Oginski returned to Lithuania.
He swore allegiance to Tsar
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
Alexander I of Russia
Alexander I of Russia
Alexander I of Russia , served as Emperor of Russia from 23 March 1801 to 1 December 1825 and the first Russian King of Poland from 1815 to 1825. He was also the first Russian Grand Duke of Finland and Lithuania....
and settled in Zalesie village, Ashmyany region, in present-day Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
. At the new place of living Oginski built a new palace, an English-style park, a greenhouse, a zoopark and collected a lot of books for his library.
- 1807 – Oginski met Napoleon in Italy.
- 1810 – Oginski moved to St. Petersburg, Russia. There he met the Russian Emperor, who gave Oginski the rank of Senator and Privy Councilor. Also he was conferred decorations upon St Vladimir and Alexander Nevski.
- May, 1811 – Oginski introduced to the Emperor Alexander I of Russia his project of restoring independence of his fatherland. But the Emperor refused.
- 1823 – Oginski moved to FlorenceFlorenceFlorence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
, Italy where lived till the death.
Works
Oginski was fond of Italian and French Opera, played violinViolin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, clavichord
Clavichord
The clavichord is a European stringed keyboard instrument known from the late Medieval, through the Renaissance, Baroque and Classical eras. Historically, it was widely used as a practice instrument and as an aid to composition, not being loud enough for larger performances. The clavichord produces...
and balalaika
Balalaika
The balalaika is a stringed musical instrument popular in Russia, with a characteristic triangular body and three strings.The balalaika family of instruments includes instruments of various sizes, from the highest-pitched to the lowest, the prima balalaika, secunda balalaika, alto balalaika, bass...
. He started composing marches and military songs in 1790's and became popular among the rebels in 1794.
He composed some 20 polonaises, various piano pieces, mazurkas, marches, romances and waltzes.
In 1794 he wrote a polonaise 'A Farewell to the Homeland' ('Pożegnanie ojczyzny').
Some of his other popular works and compositions include:
- Opera 'Zelis et Valcour ou Bonaparte au Caire' (1799).
- Treatise 'Letters about music' (1828).
- 'Memoirs on Poland and the Poles, 1788–1815' ('Memoires sur la Pologne et les Polonais, depute 1788 jusqu'a la fin de 1815'), published in Paris.