The cor anglais (UK: , US: or original French: [kɔʁ ɑ̃ɡlɛ]; plural: cors anglais), or English horn (mainly 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, 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. The fingering and playing technique used for the cor anglais are essentially the same as those of the oboe, and oboists typically double on the cor anglais when required. The cor anglais normally lacks the lowest B♭ key found on most oboes, and so its sounding range stretches from E3 (written B♮)...
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Dv CA extrait.jpg
Dvorak, court extrait de la 9e symphonie « du Nouveau Monde », 2e mouvement Largo, premières mesures...
English Horn ca. 1860–70.jpg
English Horn
ca. 1860–70
Successors of Johann Tobias Uhlmann
English Horn picture.jpg
An English Horn, or Cor anglais.
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Range of an English horn (Cor anglais), self made graphic
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Written range of an English horn (Cor anglais), self made graphic