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British Military Band Music Trivia Quiz

Military Musicians are highly skilled performers that don't get the same recognition as other professionals. They are usually seen in the background of many national and international events. How much do you know about military music?

A multiple-choice quiz by BillMcC. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
BillMcC

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
311,568

Updated
Jul 23 22

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
232

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Gustav Holst is famous for his orchestral suite "The Planets" however he wrote for military bands as well. Imaginatively entitled First Suite for Military Band in (?) and Second Suite for Military Band in (?) what keys are these pieces written in? Hint

F and G

E flat and F

B flat and E minor

C and D

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Question 2 of 10

2. American composer John Philip Sousa is known as the march king. Which of his marches was famously used as the theme for Monty Pythons Flying Circus?
Hint

The Thunderer

The Liberty Bell

El Capitan

King Cotton

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Question 3 of 10

3. Another of Sousa's marches is named after the motto of the US Marine Corps; what is it called?
Hint

Fairest of the Fair

Semper Fideles

Triumph of Time

Homeward Bound

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Question 4 of 10

4. Britain also had its own march king, Kenneth J Alford. He wrote the well known 'Colonel Bogey'. Malcolm Arnold took the theme and wrote a counter melody, using the result as the main theme for which famous war film?
Hint

The Great Escape

The Dambusters

Ice Cold in Alex

Bridge on the River Kwai

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Question 5 of 10

5. The march 'Colonel Bogey' was named after a commanding officer of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders. What did the colonel do to merit this honour?
Hint

He picked his nose

none of these

He was so ugly that he looked like a bogey man

He was an avid golfer

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Question 6 of 10

6. Kenneth J Alford was in fact a pseudonym for the composer. What was his real name?
Hint

Colonel Harland Sanders

Captain Joseph Churchill

Major Frederick Joseph Ricketts

Lt. Brian Johnson

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Question 7 of 10

7. In 1972 the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Military Band and Pipes & Drums had a Number one hit with what famous piece?
Hint

Highland Cathedral

Portsmouth

Chariots of Fire

Amazing Grace

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Question 8 of 10

8. There is a famous military show held in Edinburgh in August each year. What is this this known as?
Hint

The Edinburgh Festival

The Edinburgh Military Tattoo

The Edinburgh Festival Parade

The Big Blaw

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Question 9 of 10

9. On the Queen's birthday parade each year the bands of the household division perform on Horseguard's Parade in London. During the parade at a certain point the bands have to change direction without moving. What do you call this manoeuvre?
Hint

Right Face

Counter March

Spin Wheel

About Turn

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Question 10 of 10

10. The Royal Military School of Music in Twickenham was originally called Whitton Hall. It is now known by the name of the person who had the current building constructed in 1709. Who is it named after?
Hint

Sir Christopher Wren

Sir Godfrey Kneller

Sir Isaac Newton

Sir Gerard Conyers

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

Answer: E flat and F

Holst was a lifelong friend of another famous English composer, Ralph Vaughn Williams. They both shared a love of English Folk Songs which they incorporated into their music.

Holst was a vegetarian at a time when it was almost unheard of, at the end of the 19th century

2. American composer John Philip Sousa is known as the march king. Which of his marches was famously used as the theme for Monty Pythons Flying Circus?

Answer: The Liberty Bell

Sousa was a prolific composer of marches, writing 136 of them in his lifetime. Not only was he a composer but he also wrote 3 novels and an autobiography.

3. Another of Sousa's marches is named after the motto of the US Marine Corps; what is it called?

Answer: Semper Fideles

As well as being the motto of the USMC, "Semper Fideles" is also their official march. The piece was originally written for an operetta which unfortunately remained unfinished.

Answer: Bridge on the River Kwai

Alford is famous as a bandmaster for the Royal Marines band, a position he held from 1930 to 1944. However much of his catalogue was written when he was the bandmaster of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders between 1908 and 1927.

In Britain the theme is well known and has some 'naughty' lyrics relating to Hitler and the deficiency of a part of his anatomy. It's probably one of the first rude songs a child learns in the playground.

5. The march 'Colonel Bogey' was named after a commanding officer of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders. What did the colonel do to merit this honour?

Answer: He was an avid golfer

The title is reputed to allude to the standard of the colonel's golf, a bogey being one over par.

6. Kenneth J Alford was in fact a pseudonym for the composer. What was his real name?

Answer: Major Frederick Joseph Ricketts

He derived his pseudonym from his family - his son, Kenneth; his own middle name, Joseph and his mother's maiden name, Alford.

7. In 1972 the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Military Band and Pipes & Drums had a Number one hit with what famous piece?

Answer: Amazing Grace

The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards is the only armoured regiment in Scotland. As such it was not absorbed into the Royal Scottish Regiment like all the other Scottish infantry battalions a few years ago.

8. There is a famous military show held in Edinburgh in August each year. What is this this known as?

Answer: The Edinburgh Military Tattoo

The Edinburgh Tattoo was started in 1950, and has raised over 5 million pounds for charities. Bands from all over Britain and the Commonwealth take part.

Answer: Spin Wheel

This manoeuvre is not documented in any of the drill manuals. It is an extremely complicated move with the whole band turning on its axis. Some musicians even need to march backwards to complete the change. It is rarely seen outside the Queen's Birthday Parade.

Answer: Sir Godfrey Kneller

The present building is not the first on this site, the current 'house' was reputedly designed by Sir Christopher Wren for his friend Sir Godfrey Kneller. The building name evolved to Kneller Hall through usage and was recognised as this by the time of his Kneller's death in 1723.

Godfrey Kneller was a Court portrait painter to King Charles II and other monarchs, including George I.

Whilst Kneller Hall is the Royal Military School of Music it is primarily for army personnel. The naval equivalent is the Royal Marines School of Music at Deal and the RAF has their school at Uxbridge.

Source: Author BillMcC

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ertrum before going online.
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