Antoni Radziwiłł

Prince Antoni Radziwiłł (1775–1833) was the owner of Nesvizh, Olyka and Przygodzice, the Duke-Governor of the Grand Duchy of Posen [Poznań], a politician and a patron of the arts, as well as a gifted composer and cellist. Radziwiłł was especially partial to the music of Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Maria Szymanowska. Chopin was favoured by Radziwiłł and stayed with him in Antonin in 1829. He dedicated his Trio for Piano, Violin and Cello in G minor op. 8 to the Prince. Radziwiłl’s own Compositionen zu Goethes ‘Faust’ [Compositions on Goethe’s ‘Faust’], which took him nearly 25 years to compose, is worthy of recognition. Goethe himself took an interest in this work and viewed it favourably.