The legacy of Georgy Ivanovich Blagodatov and modern organology: following in the footsteps of the XV anniversary International Organology Congress "Blagodatovsky Readings"

The creative legacy of the outstanding organologist, musician, conductor, artist and cultural figure Georgy Ivanovich Blagodatov (1904–1982) outlined the activities of the Organology sector of the Russian Institute for the History of the Arts and its scientific forums in the field of organology, caused a response in a number of reports and events of the XV International Organology Congress "Blagodatov Readings" held in November 2024, and also allowed to recall the scientific works and achievements of the scientist, his contribution to the formation and development of the St. Petersburg school of organology. Headed by I.V. Matsievsky, a leading Eurasian organologist, Doctor of Art History, professor, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences and International Academy of Informatization, the forum has become a center of attraction for the best organologists from different regions of Russia and abroad, as well as young novice researchers of musical instruments and instrumental music over its more than 30-year history. The most important achievement of the St. Petersburg School of Organology is the development of an advanced methodology for the study of musical instruments and instrumental music. The systemic ethnophonic method, developed by I.V. Matsievsky based on the experience of studying various regional and ethnic instrumental traditions, is fruitfully applied throughout the Eurasian continent and beyond, which was confirmed at the 15th Congress. The article highlights the scientific issues of the XV International Organology Congress "Blagodatov Readings", dedicated to the 120th anniversary of the birth of G.I. Blagodatov, touches on the history of this scientific forum and its organizer, the Organology Department of the Russian Institute for the History of the Arts. Scientific directions are being formed at organology forums, a methodology for studying musical instruments and instrumental music is being developed, issues of preserving and reviving musical instrumental traditions are being raised, new scientific ideas are being tested that have access to creative practice. The 15th Congress became the focus of such scientific areas of organology as ethnoorganology, campanology, instruments of academic musical culture, historical organology, reconstruction of musical instruments, musical museology, musical archaeology and anthropology, and also witnessed the emergence of such a trend as musical architecture.