"I consider and deem as unprofitable instruments those such as the rebecs [a bowed instrument developed from an Arab instrument] and trumpet marines [tromba marina, the subject of this post; a bowed string instrument that sounds like brass]." --Sebastian Virdung, 1511, in his instruction manual on instruments
Once again, this blog is featuring something from the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) near Phoenix, AZ. This stringed instrument, the tromba marina, sounds like brass. The name can also feature as a stop on an organ, if you know anything about organs. (The musical type, not the body part kind 🎹 🫁🧠🫀!) If the name "tromba" reminds you of "trombone", yes, there is a loose connection. The word "trombone" comes from the Italian for "large trumpet." The tromba marina was thought to sound like a trumpet.
