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| Woodwind instrument | |
|---|---|
| Classification | |
| Hornbostel–Sachs classification | 422.112-71 (Double reedaerophone withkeys) |
| Developed | about 1720 from theoboe da caccia |
| Playing range | |
 Written pitch, notated in F, sounds aperfect fifth lower  Sounding pitch | |
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Thecor anglais (UK:/ˌkɔːrˈɒŋɡleɪ/,US:/-ɑːŋˈɡleɪ/[1][2] or originalFrench:[kɔʁɑ̃ɡlɛ];[3]plural:cors anglais), orEnglish horn (mainlyNorth America), is adouble-reedwoodwind instrument in theoboe family. It is approximately one and a half times the length of an oboe, making it essentially analto oboe in F.
The cor anglais is atransposing instrument pitched inF, aperfect fifth lower than theoboe (a C instrument).[4] This means that music for the cor anglais is written aperfect 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♮) belowmiddle C to C6 two octaves above middle C. Some versions being made today have a Low B♭ key to extend the range down one more note to sounding E♭3.
The pear-shaped bell (calledLiebesfuß) of the cor anglais gives it a more coveredtimbre than the oboe, closer in tonal quality to theoboe d'amore. Whereas the oboe is the soprano instrument of the oboe family, the cor anglais is generally regarded as thealto member of the family, and the oboe d'amore—pitched between the two in the key of A—as themezzo-soprano member.[5] The cor anglais is perceived to have a more mellow and plaintive tone than the oboe.[6] The difference in sound results primarily from a wider reed and aconical bore that expands over a greater distance than the oboe's; although darker in tone and lower in pitch than the oboe, its sound is distinct from (though naturally blends with) the sound of thebassoon family. Its appearance differs from the oboe in that the instrument is notably longer, the reed is attached to a slightly curved metal tube called thebocal, or crook, and the bell has a bulbous shape ("Liebesfuß").
The cor anglais is usually notated in thetreble clef, a perfect fifth higher than sounding pitch. Alto clef written at sounding pitch is occasionally used, even by as late a composer asSergei Prokofiev. In late-18th- and early-19th-century Italy, where the instrument was often played by bassoonists instead of oboists, it was notated in the bass clef an octave below sounding pitch (as found inRossini'sOverture toWilliam Tell). French operatic composers up toFromental Halévy notated the instrument at sounding pitch in themezzo-soprano clef, which enabled the player to read the part as if it were in the treble clef.[5]
Although the instrument usually descends only to (written) low B♮, continental instruments with an extension to low B♭ (sounding E♭) have existed since early in the 19th century.[7] Examples of works requiring this note (while acknowledging its exceptional nature) includeArnold Schoenberg'sGurre-Lieder,Gustav Mahler'sDas Lied von der Erde,Heitor Villa-Lobos'sChôros No. 6, andKarlheinz Stockhausen'sZeitmaße.Antonín Dvořák, in hisScherzo capriccioso, even writes for the cor anglais down to low A, though it seems unlikely that such an extension ever existed.[8]
Reeds used to play the cor anglais are similar to those used for an oboe, consisting of a piece of cane folded in two. While the cane on an oboe reed is mounted on a small metal tube (the staple) partially covered in cork, there is no such cork on a cor anglais reed, which fits directly on the bocal. The cane part of the reed is wider and longer than that of the oboe. Unlike American-style oboe reeds, cor anglais reeds typically have some wire at the base, approximately 5 mm (0.20 in) from the top of the string used to attach the cane to the staple. This wire serves to hold the two blades of cane together and stabilize tone and pitch.
Perhaps the best-known makers of modern cors anglais are the French firms ofF. Lorée,Marigaux, and Rigoutat, the British firm ofT. W. Howarth, and the American firmFox Products. Instruments from smaller makers, such asA. Laubin, are also sought after. Instruments are usually made fromAfrican blackwood (aka Grenadilla), although some makers offer instruments in a choice of alternative woods as well, such ascocobolo (Howarth) or violet wood (Lorée), which are said to alter the voice of the cor anglais slightly, producing a more mellow sound. Fox has recently made some instruments in plastic resin and maple, the latter being the wood traditionally used forbassoons.
The termcor anglais is French forEnglish horn, but the instrument is neither from England nor related to the various conical-bore brass instruments called "horns", such as theFrench horn, thenatural horn, thepost horn, or thetenor horn. The instrument originated inSilesia about 1720 when a bulb bell was fitted to a curvedoboe da caccia-type body by the Weigel family ofBreslau. The two-keyed, open-belled, straight tenor oboe (Frenchtaille de hautbois, "tenor oboe"), and more particularly the flare-belledoboe da caccia, resembled the horns played by angels in religious images of theMiddle Ages. This gave rise in German-speaking central Europe to theMiddle High German nameengellisches Horn, meaningangelic horn. Becauseengellisch also meantEnglish in the vernacular of the time, the "angelic horn" became the "English horn". In the absence of any better alternative, the curved, bulb-belled tenor oboe then retained the name even after theoboe da caccia fell into disuse around 1760.[9] The name first appeared regularly in Italian, German, and Austrian scores from 1749 on, usually in the Italian formcorno inglese.[10]
The earliest known orchestral part specifically for the instrument is in the Vienna version ofNiccolò Jommelli's operaEzio dating from 1749,[11] where it was given the Italian namecorno inglese.[12]Gluck andHaydn followed suit in the 1750s,[13] and the firstEnglish horn concertos were written in the 1770s. The Schwarzenberg Wind Harmonie of 1771 employed 2 cors anglais as well as 2 oboes, 2 bassoons and 2 horns. Johan Went was first cor anglais and Ignaz Teimer (father of the Teimer brothers) was second cor anglais. The first oboe trios were composed by Johan Went for the Teimer brothers. The oboe and cor anglais writing in these original Bohemian/Viennese trios by Johan Went and Joseph Triebensee are notable as written by oboists for oboists and include some early examples of florid virtuosic writing for the cor anglais, paving the way for similar writing to come. In 1796 Johann and Franz Teimer died. The first recorded performance of an oboe trio was 1793 (which Beethoven attended). While the Teimer brothers performed in Vienna and environs, over 20 oboe trios were composed. Phillip Teimer continued to play the cor anglais in Schikaneder's opera house in Vienna. He also sang some roles with the company due to his sonorous bass voice. Many cor anglais parts were specially written for him by Stengel, Süssmayr, Paer, Winter, Weigl, Eberl, Eybler, Salieri, Hummel, Schacht and Fisher.[14]
Considering the name "cor anglais", it is ironic that the instrument was not regularly used in France before about 1800 or in England before the 1830s.[13] It is mentioned in thePenny Cyclopedia from 1838 as "The English Horn, or Corno Inglese, is a deeper-toned oboe [...]", while the first identified printed use of the termcor anglais in English was in 1870.[15] In the UK the instrument is colloquially generally referred to as the "cor".[5] The local equivalent for "English horn" is used in most other European languages, while a few languages use their equivalent of "alto oboe".
Due to the earlier bowed or angular forms it took, the suggestion has been made thatanglais might be a corruption ofMiddle Frenchanglé (angular, or bent at an angle,angulaire in modern French),[16] but this has been rejected on grounds that there is no evidence of the termcor anglé before it was offered as a possible origin ofanglais in the late 19th century.[17]
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Until the 20th century, there were few solo pieces for the instrument with a large ensemble (such asorchestra orconcert band). Important examples of such concertos and concertante works are:
David Stock's concerto "Oborama" features the English Horn and its other members as a soloist, the instrument changing in each movement. (ex. Oboe D'amore in movement 3 and Bass Oboe in movement 4)
† Though concertante in nature, these are just orchestral works featuring extensive solos, with the player seated within the orchestra
Better knownchamber music for English horn includes:
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The English horn's timbre makes it well suited to the performance of expressive, melancholic solos inorchestral works (includingfilm scores) as well as operas. Famous examples are:
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