A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Krummhorn

by Edward John Hopkins

KRUMMHORN (i.e. crooked-horn), Cromorne, Cremona, Clarionet, Corno-di-Bassetto. The various names given to an Organ Reed Stop of 8 feet size of tone. Modern English specimens, which are found under all the foregoing names except the first, are estimated in proportion as their sound resembles that of the orchestral Clarinet. The Cremonas in the organs built by Father Smith (1660) for the 'Whitehall Banqueting House,' etc., and those by Harris in his instruments at St. Sepulchre's, Snow Hill (1670), etc., were doubtless 'voiced' to imitate the first-named and now obsolete crooked-horn. They were never intended to represent the violin, into the name of which its own had nevertheless been corrupted. The pipes are of metal, cylindrical in shape, short, and of narrow measure, the CC pipe being only about 4 ft. 6 in. in length, and 1¾in. in diameter.

[ E. J. H. ]