Friday, July 13, 2007

tromba marina: what a strange instrument

According to Rachel Barton Pine, the tromba marina was an 17th century instrument that was created for women to play in German churches instead of the trumpet (which women were forbidden to play). Another name for the instrument is the Nonnengeige, or nun's fiddle. The tromba marina was still being made into the 18th century.

The strange thing is that it actually sounds like a trumpet (there's a sound clip on the tromba marina website).

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