Sum of the Parts Quiz | Classical Music

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What is the number of keys (both black and white) on a standard full size piano keyboard added to the number of valves on a trumpet?

Answer: 91

There are 88 keys on a standard full size piano keyboard - 52 white and 36 black. A trumpet has three valves. Eighty-eight plus three totals ninety one, the answer above. The trumpet existed as an instrument long before valves were commonly adopted onto them from the 1830s.

2. What is the number associated with Haydn's 'London' symphony?

Answer: 104

Haydn's so-called 'London' symphony is numbered 104. Haydn symphonies 93-104 are often known as the London symphonies and were written between 1791 and 1795.

3. Elgar's 'Variations on an Original Theme (Enigma)' begins with the theme and ends with the finale, but how many variations are there in between?

Answer: 13

The variations all have names and are:

1. C.A.E.
2. H.D.S.-P.
3. R.B.T.
4. W.M.B.
5. R.P.A.
6. Ysobel
7. Troyte
8. W.N.
9. Nimrod
10. Dorabella
11. G.R.S.
12. B.G.N.
13. Romanza

These were all based upon the characters of friends of Elgar and most of the variations are called after either the name or the initials of the friend the variation was based on. Only the last variation (the Romanza) does not identify the name of the friend behind it, although there have been many theories put forward as to which of Elgar's friends this might be. Elgar named the finale after himself.

4. Continuing with Elgar - the tune 'Land of Hope and Glory' comes from one of his 'Pomp and Circumstance' marches, but which one?

Answer: 1

Elgar published five 'Pomp and Circumstance' marches in his lifetime. A sixth was published in 2006 by composer Anthony Payne based on outlines Elgar had left for a sixth march.

5. In 'Peter and The Wolf' by Prokofiev, the humans in the story are Peter (played by the strings), Grandfather (played by the bassoon) and the Hunters (played by the woodwind section, with the percussion playing their gunshots). But how many different animals feature in the story, with their own accompanying music?

Answer: 4

The featured animals are Bird (played by the flute), Duck (played by the oboe), Cat (played by the clarinet) and Wolf (played by three horns).

6. In Holst's 'The Planets Suite' each movement is named after a different planet, but how many planets are featured?

Answer: 7

The featured planets are:
Movement 1 - Mars
Movement 2 - Venus
Movement 3 - Mercury
Movement 4 - Jupiter
Movement 5 - Saturn
Movement 6 - Uranos
Movement 7 - Neptune

Pluto was discovered and classified as a planet during Holst's lifetime, but after he had written his 'Planet Suite' (although this status as a planet was officially altered in 2006). Despite the discovery of this 'planet', Holst did not write an eighth movement for the planet, although a number of composers have since written their own movements for Pluto.

7. Some of Beethoven's symphonies have names as well as numbers, but what is the number of his 'Pastoral' symphony added to the number of his 'Eroica' symphony?

Answer: 9

Beethoven's 'Pastoral' symphony was his symphony number six, while his 'Eroica' was symphony number three. Only one other Beethoven symphony has a name - number nine, the 'Choral' symphony.

8. One of Tchaikovsky's famous works is an overture written to commemorate the defense of Moscow against Napoleon's army. Known for the use of canons at the end of the piece, its title includes the year the battle against Napoleon was won. What year is this?

Answer: 1812

Tchaikovsky personally conducted his '1812 Overture' at the opening of Carnegie Hall in New York in 1891.

9. Camille Saint-Sa�ns' "Le Carnaval des Animaux (The Carnival of the Animals)" references many animals within its movements, but how many movements are there?

Answer: 14

The movements are:

1 - Introduction and Royal March of the Lion
2 - Hens and Roosters
3 - Wild Asses or quick animals
4 - Tortoises
5 - Elephant
6 - Kangaroos
7 - Aquarium
8 - Characters with Long Ears
9 - The Cuckoo in the Depths of the Woods
10 - Aviary
11 - Pianists
12 - Fossils
13 - The Swan
14 - Finale

10. Composer John Cage famously wrote a piece of music consisting only of silence. The title of the piece is the length of time it lasts, but how long is this?

Answer: 4 minutes, 33 seconds

Despite no notes being played in this piece, it is still split into three movements within the total 4 minutes 33 seconds it takes to 'perform.'

Source: Author bswng

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
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Sum of the Parts Trivia Quiz

All the answers are numbers, but based on your knowledge of popular classical music. Enjoy!

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