The Tradition of Military Music in the Ottoman Period According to the Europeans

The Turks have been engaged in making history instead of writing history, from Turkish tribes in Central Asia to the last period of the Ottomans. For this reason large portion of information for military music tradition are able to obtain Eastern and Western sources. In this study it has been examined that, eleven European travelers’ notes which sheds light on Ottoman mehter (janissary band) tradition and it has been exhibited that their determinations for military music. These travelers, who had been circulating in many parts of Anatolia, were presented quite large and detailed information about the Ottoman culture. These travelers, who have received a good education, are extremely interesting in terms of exhibiting the tradition of military music, in Ottoman period. This study conducted on a tradition of military music and it has big importance the area, because of the first. As a result of this descriptive research, based on literature searching, it has been identified that, the Ottomans had survived mehter in every era; mehter had taken side of the sultan in peace and war; mehter tradition had used for various competitions, in sport games, bayram (holly festival), had announced awaking time and bed time in evenings all Ottomans. Mehter music was forbidden when the Sultan or one of the members of his family deceased or the army defeated. Mehter instruments have holly values; have been hanged on the shrines of the Ottoman Sultans for centuries. Mehter music had become an ensign of Ottoman identity. At the same time, it had become indispensable entertainment and common point of both the public and the palace.

Keywords

Military Music, Mehter (Janissary Band), European Travelers, Music in Ottoman, Ethnomusicology