Reply To: Music theory and the JoCoeuvre
“Speaking of the English Horn, it is one of my favorite instrument names for nonplussing (my word) nomenclature. It is neither English nor a horn, and more often than not it is named in French, as Cor Anglais. WTF!?”
The English (Anguished?) Horn used to be curved much more than it is now (slight bend) and the name is supposedly derived from the French Cor Angle (bent or angled horn) which then was corrupted to Anglais. It’s basically the tenor (contre-alto) member of the Oboe family and I love to play mine when I get the chance. Not related at all to a Bassoon other than that it uses a double reed.