Ranz des vaches

views updated May 14 2018

Ranz des vaches (Kuhreigen, Kuhreihen). Cow-procession. A type of Swiss Alpine melody, sung or played on the Alphorn to call the cows scattered over the mountain-side. Every district has its own version, some of which (with modifications) have been introduced into comps., e.g. Rossini's William Tell ov., Beethoven's Pastoral sym., Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique, Schumann's Manfred, Strauss's Don Quixote and Ein Heldenleben. Walton's Façade contains a parody of a Ranz des vaches.