Historical Ottoman Janissary Band of Music

The tablhane (mehterhane) which is one of the symbols of the emperorship in all Islamic states has been passed to the Ottoman State by the Seljuk State. In 1299 The Selcuk Sultan Alaeddin Keykubat III had sent the sancak as a symbol for the beylik together with drums, etc.

From this date on, which at the same time was accepted as the independence of the Ottoman State, until the period of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror all sultans rose while the nevbet was beaten (played) in respect to the Seljuk emperor. Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror said: "It is unnecssaey to rise in respect to a sultan who has died two centuries ago." and thus abolished the tradition of rising while the mehter was playing.

The mehterhane which for centuries had exeburated the Ottoman soldiers and instilled fear into the enemies was abolished by Mahmud II on 15 June 1826 together with the Janissaries and the other palace corps. Because the Mehterhane was important a military musical organisation called Mizika-yi hümayun (Royal Band) was established as in Europe.

In 1911 Ahmed Muhtar Pasha and Celal Esat (Arseven) founded a new band in order to enliven the mehter. This band was organised in 1914 and took the name of mehterhane-i hakani (Imperial military band). The Mehterhane-i hakani has been united with the army of the World War I. The Mehterhane-i Hakani which served in the War of Independence was abolished after the establishing of the Republic. In 1952 Chief of the General Staff Nuri Yamut sees the Scottish bagpipe band and he orders to reestablish the mehter. Today many counties, provinces, municipalities and army have mehter bands. One of them is the "Istanbul Historical Music Society" which was founded by the Ministry of Culture in 1992.