A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Tan-ta-ra
TAN-TA-RA. A word which occurs in English hunting songs, and is evidently intended to imitate the note of the horn. One of the earliest instances is in 'The hunt is up,' a song ascribed by Chappell to Henry VIII's time:—
The horses snort to be at the sport,
The dogs are running free,
The woods rejoice at the merry noise
Of hey tantara tee ree!
Another is 'News from Hide Park,' of Charles II's time:—
One evening a little before it was dark,
Sing tan-ta-ra-ra-ra tan-ti-vee, etc.
But the word is as old as Ennius, who has
At tuba terribili sonitu taratantara dixit.
[ G. ]