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Quiz about Modern Music
Quiz about Modern Music

Modern Music Trivia Quiz

A few questions about post-war music, which may as well be useful as references if you are not yet familiar with this subject. Have fun.

A multiple-choice quiz by op1n1. Estimated time: 6 mins.
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Author
op1n1
Time
6 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
79,503
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
15
Difficulty
Difficult
Avg Score
7 / 15
Plays
889
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Question 1 of 15
1. Which of the following works was not composed by Luigi Nono? Hint


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Question 2 of 15
2. These two outstanding composers from Hungary are good friends, and were colleagues at the Franz Liszt Conservatory, in Budapest. Who are they? Hint


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Question 3 of 15
3. What term applies better to the composer Bryan Ferneyhough, author of 'Bone Alphabet', 'On Stellar Magnitudes', and 'Unity Capsule'? Hint


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Question 4 of 15
4. Which one of these composers was born in Switzerland? Hint


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Question 5 of 15
5. Where do the famous New Music Summer Courses take place? Hint


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Question 6 of 15
6. What composer is the author of 'Kontrakadenz'. 'Zwei Gefuhle...Musik mit Leonardo', and 'Ein Kinderspiel'? Hint


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Question 7 of 15
7. Where was the composer Emmanuel Nunes born? Hint


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Question 8 of 15
8. Which work by Olivier Messiaen is said to have paved the way to 'Total Serialism' music? Hint


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Question 9 of 15
9. This composer is known for his almost provocative posture, as well as for his aleatory music creating process. He wrote 'Music of Changes' and '4'33'' Hint


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Question 10 of 15
10. IRCAM means 'Institut de Recherche et de Coordination Acoustique-Musique' (Institut of Research for Coordination Acoustics and Music). True or False?


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Question 11 of 15
11. Former Mayor of Venice, he is the author of the libretto for 'Prometeo, Tragedia dell'ascolto', by Luigi Nono. Who is this Italian philosopher? Hint


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Question 12 of 15
12. 'Penser la Musique au jour d'hui' (Music Today) is a book written by what French composer? Hint


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Question 13 of 15
13. Which of these composers is known for writing Spectral music? Hint


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Question 14 of 15
14. Who wrote several works, all called 'Sequenza' (sequences), for different solo instruments? Hint


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Question 15 of 15
15. Which one of these composers was NOT born in the United States of America? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Which of the following works was not composed by Luigi Nono?

Answer: Mantra

 Mantra (1970), for two pianists, is a Karlheinz Stockhausen composition. Prometeo, Tragedia dell'ascolto (1981-85) is Nono's masterpiece. Varianti (1957) is a work for solo violin, strings and woodwind, and Incontri (1955) is to be played by a miscellaneous of 24 instrumentalists.
2. These two outstanding composers from Hungary are good friends, and were colleagues at the Franz Liszt Conservatory, in Budapest. Who are they?

Answer: Gyorgy Kurtag and Gyorgy Ligeti

 Ligeti and Kurtag went to Budapest to study with Bela Bartok. Bartok died on the very day they were addmited.
3. What term applies better to the composer Bryan Ferneyhough, author of 'Bone Alphabet', 'On Stellar Magnitudes', and 'Unity Capsule'?

Answer: New Complexity

 His music is indeed highly complex, and trust me, using his scores to practice your sight-reading will only cause sever damage to your ego.
4. Which one of these composers was born in Switzerland?

Answer: Beat Furrer

 Beat Furrer was born in Schaffhausen, Switzerland in 1954. Luca Francesconi was born in {Milan,Italy;} Philippe Hurel was born in Domfront, {France;} and Wolfgang Rihm was born in Karslruhe, Germany.
5. Where do the famous New Music Summer Courses take place?

Answer: Darmstadt, Germany

 The Darmstadt Ferienkurse is a summer school for composers and interpreters. It was created in 1946, and it was intended to stimulate the creation of new music.
6. What composer is the author of 'Kontrakadenz'. 'Zwei Gefuhle...Musik mit Leonardo', and 'Ein Kinderspiel'?

Answer: Helmut Lachenmann

 Helmut Lachenmann was born in Stuttgart in 1935. He is the creator of 'Musique concrete instrumentale', and stands as one of the most original composers of all time.
7. Where was the composer Emmanuel Nunes born?

Answer: Lisbon, Portugal

 Emmanuel Nunes is probably the most well-known portuguese composer. His most interesting works are, perhaps, 'Quodlibet' and 'Machina Mundi'. He lives and teaches in Paris.
8. Which work by Olivier Messiaen is said to have paved the way to 'Total Serialism' music?

Answer: Mode de Valeurs et Intensites

 'Mode de Valeurs et Intensites' is part of 'Quatre Etudes du Rythme'. Total Serialism is a music in which every sound, or sound-structure is pre-determined, and is characterized by a total differentiation of sounds. Messiaen created and rejected this technique.
9. This composer is known for his almost provocative posture, as well as for his aleatory music creating process. He wrote 'Music of Changes' and '4'33''

Answer: John Cage

 Cage was one of the most radical composers. 4'33', for instance, is a piano piece consisting of precisely 4 minutes and 33 seconds... of silence.
10. IRCAM means 'Institut de Recherche et de Coordination Acoustique-Musique' (Institut of Research for Coordination Acoustics and Music). True or False?

Answer: True

Ircam is situated in Paris and stimulates Electronic Music, as well as the development of technologie for New Music.
11. Former Mayor of Venice, he is the author of the libretto for 'Prometeo, Tragedia dell'ascolto', by Luigi Nono. Who is this Italian philosopher?

Answer: Massimo Cacciari

 Massimo Cacciari is an important italian Philosopher and he was friends with Luigi Nono. Berlusconi is currently (June 2002) the italian Prime Minister. Nanni Moretti is a film director (he married Nono's daughter, Sylvia). Umberto Eco is an author and a semiologist.
12. 'Penser la Musique au jour d'hui' (Music Today) is a book written by what French composer?

Answer: Pierre Boulez

 This book had an enormous influence on Music creation of almost all composers in the 60's and 70's. It takes Total Serialism a step forward.
13. Which of these composers is known for writing Spectral music?

Answer: Tristan Murail

 Spectral music is based on the analysis of sound phenomena, like frequency spectre. Murail is one of the creators of the concept. Gerard Grisey is another important 'Spectral' composer.
14. Who wrote several works, all called 'Sequenza' (sequences), for different solo instruments?

Answer: Luciano Berio

 Berio wrote them, and the others didn't. It is as simple as that. :-)
15. Which one of these composers was NOT born in the United States of America?

Answer: Lennox Berkeley

 Sir Lennox Berkeley was born on May 12th 1903, in Boar's Hill, Oxford, and died December 26 1989, in London.
Source: Author op1n1

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bullymom before going online.
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Referenced Topics
Music   Classical Music   French Language   True or False   Mixed Humanities   London   Italian Language   Woodwind   Germany   Strings   Portugal   Composers   Switzerland   Twentieth-Century Classical Music   Keyboards   Italians: Famous & Historical   Paris   French: Famous & Historical   Violin   Portuguese Language  

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