Despite its name, the English Horn is not a horn at all, but a variety of oboe, pitched 5 tones lower than the standard oboe. It is really an "Alto" oboe.  It is more usually called by its French name, the "Cor Anglais". It takes its place in the woodwind family in most modern symphony orchestras.

It has a range of 2½ octaves, from the E below middle C, to the 2nd A above middle C.