CM/M's Guide to Classical Music by Rockers

15 Points Per Correct Answer - No time limit  

1. Ludvig van Beethoven (1770-1827), a German composer and piano virtuoso, was one of the giants of classical music. Which of these classic rockers literally took the Fifth when they asked Beethoven to roll over? Chuck Berry All of these The Beatles The Electric Light Orchestra

2. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893), a Russian composer, was known for melodic romantic music. He wrote both "Swan Lake" and "The Nutcracker Suite". Which of these classic rockers marched to one of his tunes? B. Bumble and the Stingers The Ventures Emerson, Lake and Palmer All of these

3. Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908) was one of Russia’s group of composers called "The Mighty Handful". His opera, "The Tale of Tsar Saltan, of his Son the Renowned and Mighty Bogatyr Prince Gvidon Saltanovich and of the Beautiful Swan Princess", is usually called just "Tsar Saltan". In Act Three Scene One, Gvidon is marooned on an island with his mother. He first saves and then is rewarded by a magic swan. The swan transforms him into a certain insect so he can fly to see what his father is doing and not be recognized. Which of these classic rockers play their own arrangement of the music that accompanies that flight? The Police Manowar The Grateful Dead All of these

4. Aaron Copland (1900-1990) is known as the dean of American composers and he championed the importance of home grown American music. He wrote modern music for theater, schools, ballet and movies. Which of these classic rockers played his music with great fanfare? Styx Emerson, Lake and Palmer All of these The Rolling Stones

5. Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881) a Russian composer, is grouped with Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Mily Balakirev, Cesar Cui and Alexander Borodin, and they are known as "The Mighty Handful". They strove to infuse a decidedly Russian flavor into their music. Which group of classic rockers exhibited their take on one of his most famous works? All of these The Moody Blues Emerson, Lake and Palmer Yes

6. Gustav Holst (1874-1908) was English and the composer of a seven-movement orchestral suite called "The Planets". The first movement is called "Mars the Bringer of War". I first heard it as background music on the old Buster Crabbe serial "Flash Gordon". Which of these classic rockers played their homage to the Red Planet? Love Sculpture All of these David Bowie King Crimson

7. Johann Chrysostom Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) was an extremely prolific and important German composer of the classical period with over 600 works. Many are acknowledged masterpieces of classic symphonic, choral, opera and chamber music. Astonishingly, all were written by the age of 35. Which of these classic rockers played for Mozart’s side? Episode Six The Monkees Van Halen All of these

8. Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) was a German composer of the Baroque period. He was famous as an organist, although he was not well known as a composer while he lived. His contemporaries thought him old-fashioned, but early in the 19th century his genius became revered. Amongst his works such as "The Brandenburg Concertos", "The Well-Tempered Clavier" and "The Magnificat" he also penned a pretty little piece for a French dance. Which classic rockers set our feet to tapping with their variation of Bach’s dance? Jethro Tull The Doors The Kinks All of these

9. Aram Khachaturian (1903-1997) was an Armenian composer and much of his work was inspired by his native Armenia’s folklore. Along with Dmitri Shostakovich and Sergei Prokofiev, he is referred to as one of the Three Titans of Soviet Music. One of Aram’s pieces involves wild dancing with cutlery. Which classic rockers took a stab at playing this dance? Cream All of these Pink Floyd Love Sculpture

10. Edvard Grieg (1843-1907) was a Norwegian composer best known for his "Piano Concerto in A minor". He also composed the incidental music for fellow Norwegian Henrik Ibsen’s satirical play "Peer Gynt". The extracted music was reorganized as "The Peer Gynt Suite No. 1". The fourth movement of Op. 46, "I Dovregubbens Hall" or, as we know it, "In the Hall of the Mountain King" is one of his most recognized pieces. Which of these classic rockers played the music that accompanied Peer Gynt’s dream of adventure and escape from the Mountain King’s stronghold, pursuit by the King's trolls and a wedding to a pregnant troll princess? Big Brother and the Holding Company The Who Apollo 100 All of these