lude that these wealthy noblemen were all animated by artistic
enthusiasm. Ostentatiousness had, I am afraid, more to do with it than
love of art for art's sake. Music was simply one of the indispensable
departments of their establishments, in the splendour and vastness of
which they tried to outdo each other and vie with sovereign rulers. The
promiscuous enumeration of musicians, cooks, footmen, &c., in the lady's
description of a nobleman's court which I referred to in the proem,
is in this respect very characteristic. Towards the middle of the last
century Prince Sanguszko, who lived at Dubno, in Volhynia, had in his
service no less than two bands, to which was sometimes joined a third
belonging to Prince Lubomirski. But, it will be asked, what music did
they play? An author of Memoirs of the reign of Augustus III tells us
that, according to the Polish fashion, they had during meal-times
to play national airs, polonaises, mazurkas, &c., arranged for
wind-instruments, with or without violins. For special occasions the
Prince got a new kind of music, then much in favour--viz., a band of
mountaineers playing on flutes and drums. And while the guests were
sitting at the banquet, horns, trumpets, and fifes sounded fanfares.
Besides the ordinary and extraordinary bands, this exalted personage
had among his musical retainers a drummer who performed solos on his
instrument. One is glad to learn that when the Prince was alone or had
little company, he took delight in listening to trios for two violins
and bass, it being then the fashion to play such ensemble pieces. Count
Ilinski, the father of the composer John Stanislas Ilinski, engaged for
his private theatre two companies, one from Germany and one from Italy.
The persons employed in the musical department of his household numbered
124. The principal band, conducted by Dobrzyrnski pere, a good violinist
and conductor, consisted of four violins, one viola, one violoncello,
one double bass, one flute, one oboe, one clarinet, and one bassoon.
Villagers were trained by these players to assist them. Then there
was yet another band, one of wind instruments, under the direction of
Karelli, a pupil of the Russian composer Bartnianski [Footnote: The
Russian Palestrina, whose name is oftener met with in the forms of
Bortnianski and Bortniansky]. The chorus was composed of twenty four
voices, picked from the young people on Count Ilinski's estates. However
questionable the taste of man
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