Janissary Bands
by zachlichtenstein
Last week we learned about Janissaries and Janissary Bands, and these topics were very intriguing to me. Janissaries had a reputation for being extremely fierce warriors, and were feared all over Europe and the Middle East. In addition, the Janissary Band, also called Mehter, was the oldest military marching band in the world. It was very interesting to learn that some of the greatest composers, such as Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Mozart, and Ludwig van Beethoven were all greatly influenced by Janissary Bands. This just goes to show how much of an impact Janissary Bands had on the music of its time, as well as future generations.
Here is a link of a video of an Ottoman Janissary Band: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0Fyf63qI_E
This video gives some insight into what a Janissary Band might have looked like, and what they might have sounded like when they were playing for the Ottoman Empire. Something that I noticed from watching this video was the ornate, colorful robes that the members of the band are wearing, as well as the different styles of hats. One can clearly see and hear the Turkish crescent in this video, a percussion instrument with bells that was used by the Janissary Bands. You can also see other instruments of the Janissary Bands, such as the Duval, Zurna, Boru, Nakkare, Kos, and Zil. At about the fifty second mark it was very interesting to learn that the Janissary Bands impressed the people they conquered with the “Turning March of the Janissaries.” In addition, at the eight minute mark, you can see what seems like the leader of the Janissary Bands. It seems as if he is conducting the rest of the band by keeping the pace and setting the tempo. It was also very impressive to observe the discipline and order in which the members of the band played with.
What do people think about Janissary Bands after watching this video? Was it different than what people had imagined when we discussed it in class, or was it similar? Do you think that the Janissary Bands contributed to the fierceness of the army? What are peoples’ thoughts about the sounds of Janissary Bands?
The Thousand-Year Ears 
When watching the video, I can’t help to think of how novel, threatening, and powerful the Janissary Band must have felt to people in that time. To us, we have been exposed to marching bands, parades, etc. so our appreciation for a Janissary Band is not the same. Conversely, the level of fear that a full Janissary Band would elicit now is far less that it would to someone in that time. It obviously had an impression on the greatest composers, as evidenced through Mozart, Beethoven, Hayden, etc. Quite interesting to think about.
It is amazing that this type of Janissary music that was meant to inspire fear in the hearts of enemies led to such an effect on so many composers and audience preferences everywhere. Its funny to think of Mozart or Beethoven composing to please the masses, but it produced so much great music!
This isn’t exactly what I expected to see when I heard the Janissary band’s music in class, but I can understand what they were going for by trying to impress their enemies with their colorful attire and loud, powerful music. Janissary music obviously had a major impact on the rest of the world since some of the most famous compositions of the time, like Mozart’s “Rondo Alla Turca,” were influenced by Janissary music.
This surprises me. These people are a lot cuter than I expected, not like fierce warriors. I imagined them to be strong warriors playing powerful rhythms while showing off their muscle and power.
This gives a picture of what the Janissary Band might have looked like. It really is incredible to think about the effects that this type of music had on great composers, particularly those during the Enlightenment. This distinct, strong sound is definitely unique from other pieces we have heard. Also, the military aspect of these Janissary Bands adds a whole new dimension. The attire and order that is seen in the video certainly must have been compelling, especially with the intent to cause fear.
I thought the topic of Janissary bands was also very interesting because this was one of the first times we encountered music whose purpose wasn’t purely for entertainment. Rather, this type of music evolved in relation to the military and its main purposes included instilling fear in enemy troops and to impress the people that the Ottomans conquered. I wonder if there were any other foreign influences on the mainly Western types of classical music we are studying, since this time period started to connect more distant cultures and ethnic groups.