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Showing results for "alphorn"

alphorn

British  
/ ˈælpˌhɔːn /

noun

  1. music a wind instrument used in the Swiss Alps, consisting of a very long tube of wood or bark with a cornet-like mouthpiece

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of alphorn

C19: from German Alpenhorn Alps horn

Example Sentences

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See Examples For:

The lineup also includes Mozart’s Concerto for alphorn and chamber orchestra and Ravel’s “Pavane for a Dead Princess.”

From New York Times Jun. 11, 2015

The alphorn got an unlikely boost by way of Pepe Lienhard, a Swiss bandleader who appeared on TV in 1977 performing the hit “Swiss Lady.”

From Washington Post Mar. 16, 2015

The alphorn is a key sound of traditional Swiss music, but you might know it more for the way it looks: Usually about 10 feet long, its silhouette conjures indoor plumbing pipes.

From Washington Post Mar. 16, 2015

Back in the car, Christian said we were now about to meet the “Rolls-Royce of alphorn makers.”

From Washington Post Mar. 16, 2015

"Goldfinger," Shirley Bassey It's less a song than an alphorn to herd people into movie theaters, and Bassey walks the line between seduction and camp with the same dexterity as Sean Connery.

From Time Magazine Archive

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