What is an Ottoman janissary band?
Ottoman janissary bands are thought to be the oldest type of military marching band in the world. The band’s music is called janissary music because the janissaries formed the core of the bands. It is believed that the first janissary band was sent to Osman Gazi, the founder of the Ottoman Empire, by Seljuk Sultan Alaeddin III as a present along with a letter that saluted the newly formed state. From then on every day after the afternoon prayer, the janissary band played for the Ottoman sultan. In the mid and late 19th century, however, the tradition went into decline along with the Ottoman Empire. But in 1953, the janissary band legacy was fully restored as the band of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) on the occasion of the celebration of the 500th anniversary of the fall of stanbul to Ottoman forces. Today, the janissary band is largely ceremonial and considered by many Turks as a stirring example of heroism. The standard instruments employed by the band are the ks (a large bass drum r
