english horn
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A double-reed woodwind instrument: The English horn 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 sound is produced by vibrating two reeds tied together.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The solo for the English horn in Dvořák's "New World Symphony" is famous.
- She is the principal English horn player for the city's symphony orchestra.
- The composer specified a mournful melody for the English horn in the second movement.
Advanced Usage
- "To play the English horn": This phrase describes the action of performing music on this specific instrument.
- He learned to play the English horn after mastering the oboe.
Variants and Related Words
- Cor anglais: This is the standard term for the instrument in British English and many other languages. "English horn" is primarily used in American English.
- The score lists the part for cor anglais.
Synonyms
- Cor anglais: The British English term, directly equivalent.
- Alto oboe: A descriptive term highlighting its relationship to the oboe and its pitch range.
Notes on Meaning
- Despite its name, the English horn is neither English nor a horn. It is believed the name is a corruption of the French phrase (angled horn), referring to its historically curved shape, which was later misunderstood as (English horn). It is a woodwind instrument, not a brass horn.
Noun
- a double-reed woodwind instrument similar to an oboe but lower in pitch