Tonight’s Historama discovers how classical music helped the Russian revolution and why improved Soviet air system defense led to an eventual air tragedy.

Weapons in organ pipes

The Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory opened today in 1901.

Adorned with classical columns and mythological statues, it is a true temple for Russian music.

However, Russia’s top musical hotspot has played a number of other roles, too.

During the 1905 revolution, radicals would meet in the Great Hall and hide their weapons in the pipes of its famous organ.

Read more about this event in Russian history

When World War I broke out, the Hall was turned into an infirmary.

Recently renovated, now it is fully back to housing the sounds and followers of Russian music.

Better security – more killings

On this day in 1978, Soviet fighter jets opened fire on a Korean Airlines’ passenger plane, killing 2 on board.

Soviet commanders had failed to establish contact with the plane after it strayed into Russian air space.

The aircraft made an emergency landing and the evacuated passengers were flown back to South Korea on a Pan Am plane.

The episode highlighted flaws in the USSR’s air defense system, because its radars had failed to pick up the jet earlier.

This led to an overhaul of the entire Russian air defense system.

However, improved radar monitoring led to another Korean passenger plane being shot down five years later.

The plane had trespassed only briefly in Soviet airspace, but was tracked and shot down for suspected spying. 269 people died.

Read more on this day in Russian history in our “Russia Now” section

­Copper Riot

Today in 1656, Russia took a step which eventually led to the first inflation crisis.

The country launched the issue of copper coins instead of silver ones.

The system became unbalanced and the new money soon turned into a cheap pile of coins.

As inflation hit new records and people grew poorer, the situation deteriorated, reaching crisis point in 1662 in what was to become known as the "Copper Riot".