Rousseau, writing in 1754, calls the Dresden orchestra the first in Europe.

And Burney says in 1772 that the instrumental performers had been some time previously of the first class.

No wonder, then, if the visits of such artists improved the instrumental music of Poland.
From Sowinski's Les Musiciens Polonais we learn that on great occasions the King's band was reinforced by those of Prince Czartoryski and Count Wielhorski, thus forming a body of 100 executants.

This shows that outside the King's band good musicians were to be found in Poland.
Indeed, to keep in their service private bands of native and foreign singers and players was an ancient custom among the Polish magnates; it obtained for a long time, and had not yet died out at the beginning of this century.

From this circumstance, however, we must not too rashly conclude that these wealthy noblemen were all animated by artistic enthusiasm.