Which instrument is pitched in F and transposes by a perfect fifth (lower) relative to written?

• A. Horn in F
• B. English horn
• C. Bb trumpet
• D. Bassoon

Answer: (A)

Transposition occurs when an instrument sounds a different pitch than what is written. For an instrument pitched in F, the sounding pitch is a perfect fifth lower than the written pitch. So, when the player reads a C, the note that sounds is F, which is a fifth below the written note.

This makes the horn in F the classic example of an instrument that fits the description: it is pitched in F, and its parts are written so that the concert pitch you hear is a perfect fifth lower than what’s written. Among the given choices, this is the instrument that directly demonstrates that relationship. The Bb trumpet transposes by a whole step (not a fifth), and the bassoon typically sounds as written (non-transposing). The English horn is also in F and transposes to concert pitch a fifth lower, but the horn in F is the standard, textbook instance emphasized for this transposition.