Crumhorn

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A historical wind instrument with a curved shape and capped double reed, traditionally made of wood and used mainly in Renaissance music ensembles
2. A wooden early music instrument featuring a bent body and a reed enclosed in a protective cap, producing a buzzing, nasal tone typical in period performances
3. A capped double-reed woodwind device from the Renaissance era, recognized by its distinctive curved design and its characteristic nasal sound used in consort music

Etymology: The crumhorn gets its name from a sharp bend in its body. The German "Krummhorn" means "bent horn," from "krumm," meaning crooked or curved, and "Horn," the German word for a wind instrument (the same root as the English "horn"). The instrument's distinctive J-shaped bore, which curls back on itself at the bottom, is what earned it the label. English borrowed the term directly from German, so the name describes the physical object rather than its sound or use. The instrument itself was prized in Renaissance ensembles, and its double reed sits under a protective cap, which lets the player shape the sound without the reed being pressed directly by the lips.

Synonyms: curved reed instrument, renaissance wind instrument