poll on the english horn?

The english horn is used frequently in orchestras! Any major symphony orchestra has a full-time english horn player.

If it seems rare, maybe it's because Bach, Mozart and Beethoven made very infrequent use of them, and never in an orchestral setting. Berlioz wasn't the first to write for english horn (EH), but his are the earliest frequently-performed orchestral works with EH in the repertoire. There is an iconic solo in Berlioz's Symphony Fantastique.

In the 20th century its popularity really took off in orchestral music. Both Debussy and Ravel make great use of the EH, as well as second Viennese school composers Schoenberg, Webern and Berg.

It has a lovely sound when played well, but it's one of the most difficult instruments to master. Perhaps because it's never a student's sole instrument, but rather played by oboe players, it's been my experienced that most young EH players struggle with tone, consistent sound production, and most of all intonation.

Even in professional orchestras, english horn players struggle to play in tune. Or, often, the other winds struggle to play in tune with the english horn!

What you heard was probably the story of the first performance of Franck's Symphony in d minor.

People were shocked because an English horn solo in a symphony was un-heard-of.

Yet one of Haydn's symponies, written fully a century earlier, called for an English horn duet.

Apparently English horn duets were okay but not English horn solos.

I agree with you on the sound, but it is more mellow than the oboe so that gets used to "cut through." It seems a long time since I've seen a close-up of anyone playing Cor Anglais on any broadcast of classical music. Yet, when I was a kid, I clearly remember seeing the instrument being featured prominently in classical music settings.

... the scores haven't changed, so maybe it's just me.

I agree with your assessment of its sound. Why, it is almost never used in an orchestra setting?

Tradition, maybe? Convention? We will probably have to settle for, an "enigma".

Two examples of it's gorgeously haunting sound for any not familiar with it:

The second movement from Cesar Franck's "Symphony in D-minor": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaAht0IENpo

The famous Act III Prelude from Richard Wagner's "Tristan und Isolde"(please ignor first 10 secs.): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Yb4923UPIQ

Alberich

Joel <=== best answer (my vote)

I've seen it (EH) featured a few times in TV recordings so people like me can *see* what's making that sound.

It's an amazing musical instrument

(what Mozart could have done with it ... LOLOL)

I think it's good. I have an English horn. its in my car....

simples.....