alphorn

A curved, wooden, powerful-sounding horn, from five to twelve or more feet long, used by Swiss Alpine herdsmen for signalling. It is sometimes used in orchestral scores.

Also: alpenhorn

Al"pen*horn` (?), Alp"horn` , n. [G. Alpenhorn.]

A curved wooden horn about three feet long, with a cupped mouthpiece and a bell, used by the Swiss to sound the ranz des vaches and other melodies. Its notes are open harmonics of the tube.

 

© Webster 1913