Composers Mixture Trivia

91. Who said of one of his symphonies that it was "more an expression of feeling than painting in sound"?

From Quiz Romantic Composers and Their Works

Answer: Beethoven

Beethoven was talking about his Sixth Symphony, better known as "The Pastoral." Beethoven chose to use symbolism in his works rather than to interpret nature literally.

From Quiz More Composers Behaving Badly

Answer: Maurice Ravel

The piece was 'Bolero'. Ravel, on hearing about the lady, commented 'At least someone has the right idea'. He called it 'orchestration without a tune'.

From Quiz Famous Composers

Answer: Beethoven

It's quite surprising that Beethoven only composed one opera. He composed nine symphonies and five piano concerti.

From Quiz Brain Buster II

Answer: Schubert

Once he lied to him by telling him that his newest piece was getting rave reviews, when actually it wasn't even finished!

From Quiz Classical Music Brainbuster

Answer: Lully

Conducting in France at this time was done by banging a large wooden staff on the floor, even in concert recitals!

From Quiz The Dirt on Famous Composers

Answer: Chopin

Chopin's mistress - Aurora Dudevant - wrote under the pen name George Sand, and occasionally dressed as a man.

From Quiz Classical Composer Anecdotes

Answer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Mozart was the son of the Kapellmeister to the Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg.

From Quiz Twentieth Century Composers

Answer: Aaron Copland

The American composer, Joan Tower, wrote five versions of a composition entitled 'Fanfare For The Uncommon Woman' inspired by the title of Copland's 'Fanfare For The Common Man'. Copland's music frequently appears in television commercials.

From Quiz Music By the Numbers

Answer: 24

Bach composed one prelude and fugue for each major and minor key in each book. Therefore, each book had 24 preludes and fugues making 48 in total. The two books of "The Well-Tempered Clavier" were composed about 20 years apart.

From Quiz Music By the Numbers Part 2

Answer: 26

"La Traviata" is the most performed opera of the last decade. His opera "Rigoletto" includes the extremely well known aria "La Donna E Mobile".

From Quiz 'Twas Once Said

Answer: Claude Debussy

Achille-Claude Debussy (b.1862 - d.1918) was a child prodigy and was admitted to the famed Conservatoire de Paris at the age of ten. He first achieved fame a mere sixteen years before his death with the composition of his first and only completed opera "Pelléas et Mélisande" in 1902. Debussy was influenced by authors such as William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens and even created an operatic work based on Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Fall of the House of Usher". He in turn was counted as an influence to a number of composers, among them the likes of Béla Bartók who said, "Debussy's great service to music was to reawaken among all musicians an awareness of harmony and its possibilities".

From Quiz Canadian Composers

Answer: Claude Vivier

Vivier's life ended as tragically as it began. He was murdered in his Paris apartment by a male prostitute, just a few weeks before his 35th birthday.

From Quiz Composers and their Compositions

Answer: Finland

Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) was a Finnish composer and violinist. He is recognised as the Finland's greatest composer and it is through his music that he helped develop national unity in the country's struggle to gain independence from Russia. It is through his seven symphonies that he is best remembered. His best-known compositions are "Finlandia", Karelia Suite", "Violin Concerto" and the Finnish epic "Kalevala". Jean Sibelius was born on December 8 and each year the nation celebrates "Flag Day" also known as the "Day of Finnish Music".

From Quiz Right Composer - Baroque Edition

Answer: Winter, The Four Seasons

"Winter" is one of the four movements of "The Four Seasons", one of Vivaldi's most famous works. "La Folia" was composed by Corelli. "Messiah" was composed by Handel. "Concerto for Two Horns" was written by Telemann.

From Quiz Slavic Soul

Answer: Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

Based on the "One Thousand and One Nights" or "Arabian Nights" tale, "Scheherazade" has vibrant and colorful oriental undertones made vivid by the use of woodwinds and strings. Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov was one of The Five, a group of Russian composers who chose to incorporate Russian melodies, fairy tales and folklore in their compositions. They were Mily Balakirev, César Cui, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Alexander Borodin and Modest Mussorgsky.

From Quiz Classical History Mix

Answer: Mozart

Mozart died as he was composing his great "Requiem Mass", and dictated the last measures in sketch form.

From Quiz Composers

Answer: Dvorák

The most popular song from Dvorák's opera "Rusalka" is 'Mìsíèku Na Nebi Hlubokém', ('Song to the Moon'). You can hear a version of it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRwswE3Mu-A

From Quiz The Dilettante's Guide to Classical Music

Answer: Dido

Purcell's opera "Dido and Aeneas" was first performed in 1684. The main characters are Dido, Queen of Carthage, and Aeneas, a Trojan prince finding shelter in Carthage after the Greek armies have sacked Troy. A love story unfolds between these two, but alas: Aeneas has to move on, ordered by the gods, and will found a city in Italy. Dido's heart breaks when Aeneas pursues his journey, and she commits suicide by leaping up a pyre. Henry Purcell (1659-1695) has left us, besides the aforesaid masterpiece, four other complete operas, as well as instrumental music for various scenes in other musical theatre plays. The red herrings I've offered you, are other female characters from the Aeneid, although they don't appear in Purcell's opera. Andromache is the famous wife of the Trojan Prince Hector, and Aeneas is one of Hector's third cousins. Creusa is Aeneas' wife, who gets killed by the looting Greek in Troy. Lavinia is Aeneas' second wife, daughter of King Latinus and matron of the Roman pedigree.

From Quiz Various Vacancies: Violin Virtuosi

Answer: Bela Bartok

Bela Bartok (1881-1945) is the one we're looking for. He started playing the piano when he was only five years old, and gave his first recital when he was eleven. Bartok's best known works are "Kossuth", a symphonic poem composed in 1903, his opera "Bluebeard's Castle" (1911), his "Concerto for Orchestra" (1944), his "Sonata for Solo Violin" (1944) and his "Piano Concerto Number 3" (1945). The "Sonata for Solo Violin" was composed especially for Yehudi Menuhin, who premiered the work in 1944. Beethoven (1770-1827) was a German composer best known for his nine Symphonies. Grieg (1843-1907) was a Norwegian composer. His most famous work is the music to Henrik Ibsen's theatre play "Peer Gynt". Moroder (born 1940) is an Italian composer who frequently works for movie scores (for example "Midnight Express", "Flashdance" and "Top Gun").

From Quiz Notes From a Small Island

Answer: Hebrides Overture

Although German born, Mendelssohn made several visits to Britain and met Queen Victoria and her husband, Prince Albert who were admirers of his work. While in Scotland, working on his 'Symphony No. 3', known as the 'Scottish Symphony' he visited the Hebridean Islands and was inspired to write a work, which premiered in 1832, about his visit. Fingal's Cave is on an uninhabited island named Staffa, in the Inner Hebrides off the west coast of Scotland. Mendelssohn's work popularised the area leading to visits by poets such as Wordsworth and Tennyson, the author Jules Verne and the artist J.M.W. Turner, who painted it in 1832.

From Quiz Empedocles Goes Classic - Earth

Answer: Peer Gynt

Edvard Grieg (1843-1907) was a Norwegian pianist and composer. Besides "Peer Gynt", the music we were looking for, he also left us a piano concerto and some lyric pieces for piano. Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906) was a famous Norwegian playwright and poet. The theatre play "Peer Gynt" relates to a young man, reputedly good for nothing. He wanders off, dreams about meeting trolls (one of them takes him "In the Hall of the Mountain King"), travels through Africa and the Middle East, and finally comes home to his beloved one, who sings a lullaby to him ("Solveig's Song"). Parts of Grieg's music were later rearranged by the composer himself into two suites, which contain all the highlights of "Peer Gynt": "Morning Mood", "Aase's Death", "In the Hall of the Mountain King" and "Solveig's Song". "Eddan" is a symphonic poem by Mats Wendt (born 1965). "Vinland Saga" is an album by the Norwegian band Leaves Eyes, a group that produces symphonic metal. "Secret of the Runes" is an album by the Swedish symphonic metal group Therion.

From Quiz Empedocles Goes Classic - Water

Answer: Der Zarewitsch

All these operettas were created by Franz Lehar (1870-1948), an Austrian-Hungarian composer. The "Wolgalied" ("Volga Song") is a very emotional song from "Der Zarewitsch". Here are the German lyrics (you can find many recordings of the song on internet): "Es steht ein Soldat am Wolgastrand, Hält Wache für sein Vaterland In dunkler Nacht, allein und fern. Es leuchtet ihm kein Mond, kein Stern. Regungslos, die Steppe schweigt. Ein Träne die ins Auge steigt. Und er fühlt wie's im Herzen frisst und nagt Wenn ein Mensch verlassen ist und er klagt und er fragt Hast Du dort oben vergessen auf mich Es sehnt doch mein Herz auch nach Liebe sich Du hast im Himmel viel Englein bei dir Schick doch eines davon zu mir." For those of you who don't speak German, copy this text and paste into an online translator and you'll get the general idea of this song. I prefer the original German lyrics, though. The operetta "Der Zarewitsch" is loosely based upon the history of Alexei, the eldest son of Czar Peter the Great. Alexei eloped with his beloved. In the true history, Alexei was caught and imprisoned, and died waiting his execution. In the operetta however, Czar Peter dies. The other operettas are set in Vienna and China ("Das Land des Lächelns") or in Paris ("Die lustige Witwe" and "Der Graf von Luxemburg").

From Quiz Empedocles Goes Classic - Air

Answer: The Airport of Vienna

"1,000 Airplanes on the Roof" premiered in 1988. This melodrama is a monologue with musical accompaniment. The protagonist recalls some meetings with extra-terrestrials. Meanwhile a holographic show is performed. Looking at the title, there is no place more appropriate for this melodrama than an airport. And indeed, the first night was at the Vienna airport. Philip Glass (born 1937) is an American composer. He has created at least nine symphonies and ten concerti, as well as 25 operas or music theatre plays. The beach refers to Philip Glass' first music theatre play, "Einstein on the Beach". Both other options refer to John Cage (1912-1992). The church in Halberstadt, Germany is the location where Cage's piece "As Slow as Possible" is performed. The show started in 2000 and the last note will be played in 2639. The Barbican in London had the first orchestral performance of Cage's piece " 4'33'' ", a musical joke in which not any note is performed during four minutes and thirty-three seconds. Musicians just turn score papers.

From Quiz Empedocles Goes Classic - Fire

Answer: Daniel

"The Burning Fiery Furnace" is based upon a story found in the book of Daniel. King Nebuchadnezzar was angry with Daniel's friends Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. These three were faithful disciples of Daniel's and prayed to the LORD. Nebuchadnezzar locked Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in a burning furnace. But the LORD watched over his servants. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were unhurt by the fire, and when the King looked into the furnace he saw a fourth figure, vaguely human, comforting Daniel's three friends. Daniel was not in the furnace with his friends. Another story tells us how Nebuchadnezzar's successor Darius threw Daniel in a lions' den. But an angel of the LORD protected Daniel, and the lions didn't harm him. Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) was a British composer. The parables for church performances (including "The Burning Fiery Furnace") are not the highlights in his career: these are the operas, including "Peter Grimes" and "Death in Venice".

From Quiz Boom Bang-A-Bang

Answer: Johann Strauss II

The Strauss family included many prolific composers, but it was Johann Strauss II, who was known as "The Waltz King", who was responsible for well-loved pieces such as "The Blue Danube" and the opera "Die Fledermaus, which became the most famous. The "Thunder and Lightning" polka was composed in 1868. His father, Johann Strauss I, did not want him to become a musician. He wanted him to be a banker, not for any fear that his son would eclipse him, but because he did not want him to live the sometimes uncertain financial life of a musician.

From Quiz Hear, Again?

Answer: Ein' Feste Burg ist Unser Gott

Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809-1847) was of Jewish descent but raised non-religiously and later converted to the Lutheran church. Mendelssohn's Fifth Symphony, the "Reformation Symphony", was originally written to honor the 300th anniversary of the Augsburg Confession in June 1830, but a streak of ill health in the first half of 1830 and anti-semitic sentiments in Berlin where Mendelssohn was still seen as Jewish led to his work not being considered for the celebrations although it was essentially finished in May. Mendelssohn ultimately took two more years to revise and refine the symphony before giving it just one public performance. Still dissatisfied with the work, he refused to publish it and it was only in 1868, long after his death, that this symphony was finally printed as his 5th symphony (even though it was the second one finished) and performed again. It is still one of his least performed works.

From Quiz Panis Angelicus

Answer: Cavaleria Rusticana

"La Gazza Ladra" ("The Thieving Magpie") is one of the operas by Gioacchino Rossini (1792-1868). Rossini (1792-1868) was a Romantic composer. He completed at least 56 works for musical theatre, including "Il Barbiere di Siviglia" ("The Barber of Seville") and "Guillaume Tell". "I Quattro Stagione" ("The Four Seasons") is not an opera, but a series of violin concerti by Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741). These violin concerti are usually performed without any lyrics, but there exist four sonnets (perhaps written by Vivaldi himself) to accompany the music. Apart from 500 concerti and 90 sonatas, Vivaldi found also the time to compose 46 operas, of which I'll cite "Orlando Furioso" and "Il Tamerlano". "I Pagliacci" is the masterpiece of Ruggiero Leoncavallo (1857-1919). He left us 11 operas and 7 operettas. Mascagni (1863-1945) composed at least 18 works for musical theatre, but only his "Cavalleria Rusticana" makes part of the standard repertoire of operas that are frequently performed. The choir sings "Gli aranci olezzano" to sketch peaceful scenery in the beginning of the opera. Alas things turn bad soon afterward...

From Quiz More Classical Composers

Answer: Gustav Holst

"Mercury", "Mars" and "Jupiter" are most recognizable to many as they are often found in films and TV as theme music.

From Quiz Music, Maestro!

Answer: Soap

Beethoven, born 1770, initially studied under the renowned Joseph Haydn for several years, then went on to become a composer himself of stupendous works. He is one of the most influential composers of all time. His works spanned the period between the Classical and Romantic eras in classical music. Sadly, he began to lose his hearing in the 1790s, yet continued to compose, conduct, and perform, even after becoming completely deaf. At the premiere of his Ninth Symphony, which he conducted, he had to be turned around to see the tumultuous applause of the audience, and hearing nothing, he began to weep - and that, my friends, is heartbreaking.

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Last Updated Aug 30 2025 5:49 AM

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