ranz des vaches

From (Swiss) French ranz des vaches.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈɹɒ̃(s)deɪvaʃ/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈɹɑ̃(s)deɪvəʃ/

ranz des vaches (plural ranz des vaches)

1. (music) Any of numerous traditional Swiss melodies played on the alpenhorn, originally to call cows in from the mountains. [from 18th c.]
   • 1972, William F. Mainland, translating Friedrich Schiller, Wilhelm Tell, II.1:

     The herald cries his summons to the lists,

     But no sound comes to these sequestered valleys;

     I only hear the melancholy note

     Of cowbells and the dreary ranz des vaches.

From Swiss variant of rang (“rank”) + des + vaches, after dialectal German Kuhreihen (with second element Reihen (“dance”) misinterpreted at Reihe (“row”)).

• IPA^(key): /ʁɑ̃ de vaʃ/, /ʁɑ̃s de vaʃ/

ranz des vaches m (plural ranz des vaches)

1. (music) ranz des vaches