Easy Classical Music Quizzes Trivia

1. The classic "Don Giovanni" was composed by this great composer from Salzburg, Austria. Who is this classical type?

From Quiz Listening to Music the Classical Way

Answer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, born Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a child prodigy, mastering keyboard and violin in his youth. Mozart has over 600 works to his name. The piece "Don Giovanni" is based on the figure of Don Juan, an infamous womanizer and libertine.

From Quiz Musical Flowers

Answer: Rhine

The opera in question is "Das Rheingold", and the ladies in question are the three Rhine-maidens, guardians of the Rhine-gold itself. By the end of Scene 1 the gold has been stolen from the river by the dwarf Alberich, and it is not until the closing bars of the fourth opera, "Gotterdammerung", that it is returned to the river from whence it came.

From Quiz Classical Music 101

Answer: Igor Stravinsky

'The Rite of Spring' (Original French Title: 'Le sacre du printemps') is a ballet that was first presented on May 20, 1913 at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris by the Ballets Russes. The music was by the Russian composer Igor Stravinsky, the original choreography by Vaslav Nijinsky, and the set design and costumes by Nicholas Roerich. The impresario was Serge Diaghilev. It had the subtitle 'Pictures from Pagan Russia' (translated in French as: 'Tableaux de la Russie païenne').

From Quiz From the New World

Answer: Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky

Tchaikovsky enjoyed a great deal of popularity in his lifetime, hence the invitation to conduct at this very prestigious concert.

From Quiz Listening to Music the Classical Way

Answer: Johann Sebastian Bach

"Toccata and Fugue in D minor" is one of the most recognizable organ pieces. The score has been used in movies such as Disney's "Fantasia", and the 1950 film "Sunset Boulevard". The music is also well received at Halloween parties.

From Quiz Musical Flowers

Answer: Frederick Delius

Although "Summer Night on the River" sounds quintessentially English, it was in fact written in France, while Delius (1862-1934) was staying in a villa near Grez, on the River Loing. While best-known for his evocative orchestral pieces, he also wrote several operas and a large choral work, "A Mass of Life" (1905).

From Quiz Classical Music 101

Answer: Peter Ilitch Tchaikovsky

The Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74, 'Pathétique', written between February and August 1893, is Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's final completed symphony. Tchaikovsky led its first performance on October 28 of that year, in Saint Petersburg, nine days before his death. Its music has been featured in many films and was the basis for many popular songs. The Sixth Symphony was featured during the 2010 Winter Olympics closing ceremony, danced by the National Ballet Company of Russia.

From Quiz Listening to Music the Classical Way

Answer: Frederic Chopin

Frederic Chopin preferred performing in a salon due to its personal nature. In fact, his waltzes were written especially for a salon rather than a ballroom, as was usually the case. However, he did give several public performances, approximately thirty of them. Chopin was also known for his emphasis on the piano and is even believed to have introduced the instrumental ballad.

From Quiz Classical Music 101

Answer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

'The Marriage of Figaro' is a comic opera in four acts, composed in 1786 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The Italian libretto was by Lorenzo Da Ponte, which was based on a comedy by Pierre Beaumarchais. It premiered in Vienna, at the Burgtheater, on May 1st,1786, and is one of Mozart's most successful works.

From Quiz From the New World

Answer: Sergei Rachmaninoff

Rachmaninoff, who battled depression his whole life, as did Tchaikovsky, died in Beverly Hills, California in 1943.

From Quiz Listening to Music the Classical Way

Answer: Sergei Rachmaninoff

The music was used as the theme song in the 1980 movie "Somewhere in Time" starring Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour. It was also used in the movie "Groundhog Day" starring Bill Murray. Murray's character started playing the song on the piano at a party when he saw his love interest walk into the room.

From Quiz Musical Flowers

Answer: Thames

George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) wrote his orchestral "Water Music" at the request of the English King George I, who wanted to hold a concert on the River Thames for himself and members of his court. The concert took place in on 17th July 1717, with the King and his friends sitting in the official Royal Barge while the musicians played on another vessel nearby. The "Water Music" was subsequently published as a three separate suites, in F major, D major and G major.

From Quiz Classical Music 101

Answer: Antonin Dvorák

Antonín Dvorák composed the New World Symphony in 1893, during his 1892 to 1895 visit to the United States. It is Dvorák's most popular symphony, and one of the most popular in the modern repertoire. During his stay in the US, Dvorák wrote the following: "I am convinced that the future music of this country must be founded on what are called Negro melodies. These can be the foundation of a serious and original school of composition, to be developed in the United States. These beautiful and varied themes are the product of the soil. They are the folk songs of America and your composers must turn to them."(source Wikipedia).

From Quiz Musical Flowers

Answer: Piano

The "Yellow River Concerto" is unusual in that its composition was a collaborative effort, put together by a committee of musicians apparently at the specific request of Madame Mao. It had its premiere in 1969 during the Chinese "Cultural Revolution" at a time when performances of most western classical music were strictly forbidden. Musically, it is derivative of such romantic composers as Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky.

From Quiz From the New World

Answer: Maurice Ravel

"Bolero" is the work Ravel is most famous for, but I didn't want to give it away! Ravel enjoyed his trip crossing the U.S. because all the train travel gave the insomniac composer the best sleep of his adult life.

From Quiz Classical Music 101

Answer: Georges Bizet

Georges Bizet wrote the French opéra "Carmen", which was his final opera. The libretto is based on the novella of the same name by Prosper Mérimée. The opera premiered at the Opéra-Comique of Paris on March 3rd, 1875, and was so badly received that after a few performance, in order to stimulate attendance, the theatre was giving tickets away. Bizet died on June 3rd, 1875 of a heart attack, at age 36, and never knew how famous his last work would become.

From Quiz From the New World

Answer: Bela Bartok

Bartok's years in America were not happy ones. He was plagued by illness and poverty. He died in 1945 of leukemia in New York City.

From Quiz Listening to Music the Classical Way

Answer: Theme From "2001: A Space Odyssey"

The beginning part of "Dawn", also known as "Sunrise", is world famous because of Stanley Kubrick's sci-fi classic, "2001: A Space Odyssey". Elvis Presley also used it to open his concerts. "Dawn" has been used as background music for scenes in dozens of comedy movies.

From Quiz Musical Flowers

Answer: Curlew River

"Curlew River" is based on the Japanese Noh play Sumidagawa (Sumida River) by Juro Motomasa (1395-1431), and was first performed in Orford Church, Suffolk, in 1964. Although "Curlew River" transforms the story into a Christian parable, the setting follows such Noh theatre practices as having all the characters played by males, including its main protagonist, the Madwoman.

From Quiz Classical Music 101

Answer: Ludwig van Beethoven

'For Elise' (German: "Fur Elise") is one of Ludwig van Beethoven's best known compositions. It was published 41 years after the composer's death, in 1867. There has been a lot of speculation as to who was the 'Elise' the piece was dedicated to, but it has never been ascertained.

From Quiz From the New World

Answer: Arnold Schoenberg

Next to Stravinsky, Schoenberg was one of the most influential composers of the twentieth century. His music never found popular appeal.

From Quiz Listening to Music the Classical Way

Answer: Germany

Although Austrian by birth, Joseph Haydn wrote the music for the German national anthem "Deutschlandlied". However, the lyrics would come over a century later. The music was originally written to celebrate the birthday of Francis II, the emperor who dissolved the Holy Roman Empire. Because of this, it was originally chosen as Austria's national anthem. In the 20th century, Germans adopted it as their own, although there would be alterations due to World War 2 and the split of East and West Germany.

From Quiz Musical Flowers

Answer: Mississippi

Florence Price was one of the first US women to achieve recognition as an orchestral composer, and completed four symphonies and three concertos. She composed her orchestral "Mississippi River Suite" in 1934, in which she uses a selection of familiar folk songs and spirituals to evoke the atmosphere of the river and those who live along its banks.

From Quiz Classical Music 101

Answer: Giacomo Puccini

Puccini's 'Madama Butterfly', an opera in three acts, was based in part on 'Madame Butterfly' by John Luther Long, published in 1898, and on the novel "Madame Chrysanthème" (1887) by Pierre Loti. The opera premiered on February 17, 1904, at La Scala de Milan, and at first, was not well received. After revisions, 'Madama Butterfly' became the opera most performed in the United States. It is the story of Cio-Cio-San, a Japanese geisha, in love with an American Navy Lieutenant, B. F. Pinkerton, who deserts her and marries an American woman. In the last act, Cio-Cio-San, abandoned and desperate, kills herself.

From Quiz Listening to Music the Classical Way

Answer: Peer Gynt - Morning Mood

Many old classic cartoons use "Peer Gynt - Morning Mood", also known as "Morning", when animals in the forest or barnyard are waking up to start the day. The score was also used in the 1915 film "The Birth of a Nation" as a build up to the Union attack on Atlanta.

From Quiz Musical Flowers

Answer: Edward Elgar

The "Severn Suite" is one of Elgar's last completed works, and was written for the 1930 UK National Brass Band Championship. The composer also arranged it for symphony orchestra, and it is also well known in an arrangement for organ by Ivor Atkins that has been published as Elgar's Second Organ Sonata.

From Quiz Classical Music 101

Answer: Jean Sibelius

The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius wrote the first version of 'Finlandia', (Op. 26), as a symphonic poem, in 1899, and revised it in 1900. Sibelius later redid the 'Finlandia Hymn' as an indivial piece. With words written in 1941 by Veikko Antero Koskenniemi, this hymn is one of the most important national songs of Finland. With different lyrics, it is a Christian hymn ('Be Still, My Soul'), and was the national anthem of Biafra ('Land of the Rising Sun').

From Quiz From the New World

Answer: Giacomo Puccini

"The Girl of the Golden West" was based on a play by David Belasco. Its premiere was very successful, then it seemed to drop out of the repertory. Now it is performed fairly regularly. It is quite a fine opera, although it takes a little getting used to seeing cowboys in an opera singing "Doo da, doo da doo da day".

From Quiz Musical Flowers

Answer: Danube

"Waltz King" Johann Strauss II wrote his waltz "An der schönen blauen Donau", ("At the Beautiful Blue Danube"), in 1866. It was originally written as a choral piece, with words by one Joseph Wey, but it was the version which Strauss later made for orchestra alone that became one of his most popular and successful works.

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