basset horn
/ˈbasɪt ˌhɔːn
/noun
An alto clarinet in F, typically with a bent mouthpiece and upturned bell.When it came to the clarinet family, one must admit that the basset horn does sound a trifle canine, but as with flutes and saxophones, soprano, alto, tenor, baritone or bass always flowed on in logical order....
- The concert opens with a special arrangement of the Magic Flute overture and the programme includes the well known Serenade for 13 Wind Instruments in the original version using a basset horn.
- Because Mozart wrote for the basset horn in some 20 works, makers kept it available, and it was also used by Beethoven, Spohr, Mendelssohn, and Richard Strauss.
Origin
Mid 19th century: from German, translation of French cor de bassette, from Italian corno di bassetto, from corno 'horn' + di 'of' + bassetto (diminutive of basso 'low', from Latin bassus 'short').