What is an English horn?

What is an English horn?

The english horn, also known as the cor anglais, is considered the alto member of the oboe family. When called for, the english horn is played by an oboist in the orchestra. It is a double reed instrument pitched in F with a conical bore and so overblows at the octave like the flute, other oboes, and bassoon.

Is a cor anglais the same as a horn?

The term cor anglais is French for English horn, but the instrument is neither from England nor related to the various conical-bore brass instruments called “horns”, such as the French horn, the natural horn, the post horn, or the tenor horn.

When was the cor anglais first used?

It is mentioned in the Penny Cyclopedia from 1838 as “The English Horn, or Corno Inglese, is a deeper-toned oboe […]”, while the first identified printed use of the term cor anglais in English was in 1870. In the UK the instrument is colloquially generally referred to as the “cor”.

Is the cor anglais a transposing instrument?

It is approximately one and a half times the length of an oboe, making it essentially an Alto Oboe in F. The cor anglais is a transposing instrument pitched in F, a perfect fifth lower than the oboe (a C instrument). This means that music for the cor anglais is written a perfect fifth higher than the instrument sounds.

What are some good chamber music pieces for the English horn?

Better known chamber music for English horn includes: Johan Went ‘s Trio for 2 oboes and English horn, Petite Serenade Concertante in F major c. (1790) Johan Went ‘s Trio for 2 oboes and English horn, Divertimento in Bb major c. (1790)

Is a cor anglais a DoubleReed instrument?

Cor anglais. The cor anglais (UK: /ˌkɔːr ˈɒŋɡleɪ/, US: /- ɑːŋˈɡleɪ/ or original French: [kɔʁ ɑ̃ɡlɛ]; plural: cors anglais) or English horn in North America, is a double-reed woodwind instrument in the oboe family. It is approximately one and a half times the length of an oboe.