PLATE VIL
" A " M U S I C I A N ' '
BELONGING' TO THE GRAND SIGNIOft
T he opinio», that has.-been* formed of theTuEkisb musfc'%di®pl
Sftt people,hasLeen yeryvarious, iSopie have represented it as harsh,
unskilful, and disagreeable;. while others, on .the. contrary, have
asserted, 'that iOs pleasing, and possesses a strong power.ever the
passions,-, especially when accompanied witft their engaging srtyle
of dancing. - One author has even preferred itstd-the Italian-.,
This di^rence o f opinion may bo accounted for; because the
Turkish military music forms a combination of the-most discordant •
sounds, while that used tiyjltfein the houses is excessively soft; and
has a melancholy expression, by wMcdLlfe: Turks are much affected.
Their, music, however,, is-generally, performed in-awso^-and their
instruments in s is t o f a viqEm with three strings, a viold'amour,
a flute still softer than the German, a- sore-nf 'tabor and Pan’s pipe,
and a 'mandoline strung with. -Wire, having a very dong-handle.
The Italian music has however b'een a, little introduced lajfcgly^-
This portrait represents one of t.he Grand Sigofefs Band ip his
usual habit. He is in the act of playing upon a-mandoline, some.,
M similar to the modern .lyre or Spanish guitar, though it has
fewer strings,than the fetter, and A much longer neck than either.