Definition

1. Noun:
   • A double-reed woodwind instrument: The cor anglais is a musical instrument belonging to the woodwind family. It is similar in construction and fingering to the oboe but is larger and has a lower, more mellow, and melancholic pitch. Its name is French for "English horn," though it is neither English nor a horn.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The solo for the cor anglais in the second movement is beautifully haunting.
  • She is the principal cor anglais player for the symphony orchestra.
  • The composer specifically scored this piece to include the distinctive sound of the cor anglais.

Advanced Usage

• "To play the cor anglais": This phrase describes the action of performing music on this specific instrument.
  • It takes years of dedicated practice to master playing the cor anglais.

Variants and Related Words

• English horn: This is the common English name for the cor anglais. The terms are used interchangeably.
  • The English horn solo is a famous feature of Dvořák's "New World" Symphony.

Synonyms

• Oboe da caccia: A historical Baroque instrument considered a precursor to the modern cor anglais. While similar, it is not an exact synonym as it refers to a specific period instrument.

Noun

1. a double-reed woodwind instrument similar to an oboe but lower in pitch