basset horn

American  

noun

1. an alto horn with a soft tone.

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basset horn British  

noun

1. an obsolete woodwind instrument of the clarinet family

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Etymology

Origin of basset horn

1825–35; < German Bassetthorn < Italian corno di bassetto horn of a somewhat low range. See corn ², basset ¹

Example Sentences

Glendale Noon Concerts Classical works for viola d’amore, basset horn and viola by Stamitz, Krumlovsky and Haydn.

From Los Angeles Times • May 10, 2019

Eve, portrayed by Nicola Jürgensen, a brilliant player of the basset horn, is dressed in a cosmic, space-traveler costume that complements Michael’s.

From New York Times • Jul. 19, 2013

Greenewalt, who used to play clarinet, cello and the piano, now likes to tootle on the basset horn.

From Time Magazine Archive

His mother had a fine mezzo-soprano voice, and at the beginning of his journalistic career, he was a music critic signing himself Corno di Bassetto, which means basset horn.

From Time Magazine Archive

Like the clarinet, the basset horn is a transposing instrument, its music being written a fifth higher than the actual sounds.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 3, Part 1, Slice 3 "Banks" to "Bassoon" by Various