Monochord

[William R. Brohinsky]

The picture gives me every belief that this is not merely a monochord, 
but rather a tromba marina.

The monochord was usually plucked. I don't actually know of a tretis 
that refers to bowing it. Since the fingerboard seems to be occupying 
all the space that there is, I have to wonder if the moveable bridge 
would be much use (if such it is) if you're intended to bow this thing 
over the soundhole. Monochords were usually intended for instruction and 
experimentation in theory of intervals, and rather than a guitar-like 
fingerboard which this one has, they'd be marked with proportions, 
usually in great arcs, with other notations. None of that seems visible 
in this picture.

On the other hand, the Tromba Marina was actually intended to be bowed 
at the other end, so a movable bridge would make some sense. More over, 
the trombamarina was usually equipped with drones, one of which would 
have a bridge with one long foot. The bridge would balance on one foot, 
with the other just barely not touching the top of the instrument, and 
when bowed, would tap the top, making a rasping sound which was 
apparently much favored.

The tromba marina was a harmonic instrument: the bow excites the string, 
which makes different notes by the placement of the finger very lightly 
over marked positions which brought forth that harmonic. The sound was 
likened to the trumpet (hence tromba). Because of it's ease of making 
the notes (easily into the second and third and even fourth octave of 
harmonics) it was favored as an instrument for cloistered nuns to use in 
worship in place of the trumpet (which apprarently was either not 
allowed or not favored for women to use) and the instrument also carries 
the moniker 'nuns fiedel' or nun's fiddle.

There appears to be only one tuning peg visible, though. Are the other 
strings pulled on the same peg as the existing string? Are there other 
pegs out-of-sight?

It may be misleading that there is a metal string on it at all. Most all 
instruments of that era would have had gut strings. Then again, it is 
hard to make out the carving in the side, so this might be a more 
fanciful recreation or even a late renaissance instrument. How well does 
the string seem to fit into the bridge and nut grooves? does it look 
like some 'aftermarket' adjustment for a different kind of string was made?

Are there any maker's marks on the thing? How about some physical 
dimensions for the box?

That bow is the big thing: I just don't remember any references to 
monochords (or polychordal monochords, which the ones with more than one 
string were usually called) with ornate bows. And that bow looks more 
like a recreation from iconography,  with the usual high arch.

It'd really help to have some length and width specs and to know about 
tuning pegs for the extra strings, and the shape of the moveable bridge!

raybro