ranz-des-vaches
/ˈrɒ̃(s)deɪˌvaʃ/ /ˈrɒn(s)deɪˌvaʃ/(also ranz-de-vaches, rantz-de-vaches) Music
noun
A type of Swiss melody, traditionally played on the Alpenhorn or sung in order to call cows scattered over the mountainside.
- The melody is characterized by the reiteration of short phrases and usually contains an element of improvisation, each district having its own version..
Origin
Late 18th century; earliest use found in Charles Burney (1726–1814), musician and author. From French regional (Switzerland) ranz des vaches from ranz, regional variant (Switzerland) of rang + des of the (plural) + the plural of vache cow, after German regional (Switzerland) Kuhreihen, lit. ‘cow dance’, apparently with the second element misapprehended as Reihe.