English horn: Brief Description — VSL
“The cor anglais, or English horn, is the alto instrument of the oboe family (oboe: soprano, oboe d’amore: mezzo-soprano, English horn: alto, Heckelphone: baritone). In 19th century scores the English horn was called for as alto oboe.”
English horn: Instrument Studies for Eyes and Ears — Jacobs School of Music
Instrument Studies for Eyes and Ears, by Don Freund, site designed by Reid Merzbacher
English horn: Playing Techniques — Vienna Symphonic Library
“In general, the same playing techniques are possible on the English horn as on the oboe. Owing to its voice-like sound it was used mainly for the performance of cantilenas, especially in the Romantic orchestra, but nowadays all the most common playing techniques of the oboe are also required of the English horn.”
English horn: The Orchestra Up Close — Orchestre Métropolitain
“Part of the woodwind family, the English horn is a larger version of the oboe with a pear-shaped bell, usually made of grenadilla wood. There is usually only one in an orchestra and the player sits in the oboe section. The player blows into a double reed which vibrates and resonates into the instrument, producing a sweet and melancholic sound. The range of the English horn is slightly lower than that of the oboe.”
Oboe: The Orchestra: A User's Manual — Andrew Hugill
“The aim of The Orchestra: A User's Manual is to provide information about the orchestra, orchestration, composition and instruments, for the benefit of anybody with an interest in the subject.”