I have a feeling the most common word used for both oboe and English horn is plaintive. I could do without reading that word again! I’ve read about the reedy oboe and, well, that’s darn uncreative, you know? We also get haunting and mournful, penetrating and poignant. Very rarely are we given a happy adjective like joyful—happy words are left to the flutists. I did a search on “rollicking oboe” and came up empty. Go figure. I did find one article mentioning a sprightly oboe, and I’ve read one that called us peeping oboes. The former isn’t bad … actually implies we aren’t all about misery, sorrow and woe. The latter … well … it just makes me think of something else. I’m guessing that’s only my problem, eh?

But an article I read today gave me a new adjective. I kinda like it:

But the 15- minute work’s intricacy and unpredictability are utterly characteristic. “Dialogues” also revels in the sheer play of sonority, from the long, brunette English horn melody that begins the piece to the piano’s brighter, bell-like answer; the piano — played by Pierre-Laurent Aimard — also conversed with the larger ensemble, and gauzy, long-held string chords were some of the piece’s most attractive moments.

Yep. brunette English horn. Nice.