Classical Music in History

15 Points Per Correct Answer - No time limit  

1. The BBC Radio Broadcast used (or misused?) the first notes of a famous composition to announce its European services during the Second World War. Which of Beethoven’s symphonies was used in this way? The Fifth The Third The Ninth The Sixth

2. Who composed the “Te Deum” that later was coined as the opening tune for Eurovision television broadcast? Antonio Vivaldi Charles Gounod Johann Sebastian Bach Marc-Antoine Charpentier

3. In the decade from 1850 to 1860, a famous word related to Italian opera was used as an acrostic for a political slogan. Which operatic word had this political connotation? Answer: (One Word - Five Letters)

4. Jacopo Peri composed in 1600 an opera entitled “Euridice” for the wedding ceremony of a French king. Which French king married Maria de Medici in 1600? Henry II Henry IV Henry III Henry VIII

5. Since the operatic art was invented at the end of the Sixteenth Century, there has been only one ruling monarch who performed personally in an opera. This monarch occupied a role in Francesco Cavalli’s opera “Ercole Amante”. Who was this monarch? Peter I of Russia Victoria I of Great Britain Ludwig II of Bavaria Louis XIV of France

6. Johann Adolf Hasse composed the opera “Egeria” for the coronation of an Austrian monarch in 1764. Who was this opera dedicated to? Leopold I Josef II Maria Theresa Francis I

7. The First World War changed the life of almost everyone who fought in the trenches. A great number of the survivors of trench warfare were handicapped after the war. One of the most famous victims of the First World War was a pianist who had lost his right arm. Richard Strauss, Maurice Ravel and Benjamin Britten dedicated piano concerti for the left hand to this unfortunate musician. Which philosopher was the brother of the pianist described in this question? Ludwig Wittgenstein Claude Levi-Strauss Bertrand Russell Boris Pasternak

8. Many ancient operas were to be performed in a certain period of the year. Francesco Cavalli’s opera “La Didone” (“Dido”, 1641) is a good example of an opera composed for the time of year I hint at in this question. During what period was “La Didone” performed in Venice in 1641? Holy Week Midsummer Advent Carnival Time

9. Popular history declares that there is a curse on certain compositions by (mainly) Austrian composers. It is a fact that many composers did not finish their last composition. Notorious in this respect are the Ninth Symphony by Bruckner, the Ninth Symphony by Schubert and the Tenth Symphony by Mahler. Mozart didn’t complete an ecclesiastical work, which he would have liked performed at his own funeral mass. Which of Mozart’s ecclesiastical work was the object of superstition? Kroenungsmesse Die Schuldigkeit des Ersten Gebots Regina Coeli Requiem

10. Verdi’s opera “Aida” had its first night at the opening ceremony of the Suez Canal. True False