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Glite Dictionary
krummhorn

krummhorn

1 9.9
A Renaissance wind instrument with a double reed and curved tube that makes a buzzing nasal sound
  • noun
  • /ˈkrʌmˌhɔrn/
  • Archaic
: krummhorn
  • The krummhorn is a unique woodwind instrument known for its curved design and nasal sound.

Examples

  • During the festival, musicians played the krummhorn, delighting the audience with its rich, historical sound.

  • Similar findings were obtained by Voland and Beise (2002), but in a very different historical context: the Krummhorn region in Germany in the period 1720-1874.

    Academic text (2018)

  • In Renaissance music, the krummhorn often accompanies choirs, adding a distinct buzzing tone.

Synonyms

crumhorn
vskrummhorn
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A wooden wind instrument with a curved tube that makes a buzzing sound

is the same instrument but noted for a nasal rather than just buzzing tone
cromorne
vskrummhorn
  • Archaic
9.9

A wind instrument from the Renaissance with two reeds and a curved tube

is the same instrument but emphasizes its alternate historical name

Surface Forms

krummhorn singular
krummhorns plural

Morphology

krummhorn = horn (semi-transparent) = krumm + horn

The element 'horn' is a recognizable English word giving a partial clue to the instrument, but 'krumm' is a foreign element not productive in English, so the full meaning is not fully derivable.

Etymology

Krummhorn comes from the German parts krumm and horn, where krumm means 'bent' and horn means 'horn'. It is a wind instrument with a double reed and a curved tube, and its buzzing, nasal sound makes 'bent horn' a helpful way to remember both its shape and tone.