Corno inglese

As Printed on a Score

The Italian name labels the cor anglais staff, as Corno inglese, C. ingl. or Cor. ingl.; the second or third oboist often plays it, so changes appear in the oboe part. It is written in treble clef a perfect fifth above the sound (in F). Do not confuse it with Corno, the horn: inglese is the whole difference.

Abbreviations: C. ing., C. ingl., Cor. ingl.

Also spelled: Corni inglesi

How Composers Use It

The alto of the oboe family, in F, sounding a fifth below written and down to E3. Its tone is darker and more veiled than the oboe’s, with a pastoral or melancholy cast, ideal for long, slow solos over quiet strings — the Largo of Dvořák’s “New World” Symphony is the classic case. It is weaker at the top than the oboe; keep important lines in its middle and low registers and give a doubling oboist time to change.

Example

Tchaikovsky, 1812 Overture: the score gives the cor anglais its own staff, labelled “Corno Inglese”, among the Italian-labelled woodwinds.

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