Classical Quiz

Posted by: John Schmidt on 17 October 2000

Woodface is onto a good idea with his music quiz. As that thread is getting a bit long, and leaning mostly towards rock and popular music, perhaps we can start a more classical thread. Judging from the threads on Mahler and Schubert, there's no lack of knowledge. As with the other quiz, if you answer correctly, you can pose the next question. Here's a starter:

In the 1950's Emil Gilels was first allowed out of the Soviet Union to tour. This was the first opportunity for many in the West to hear a performer of the "Russian Piano School", and he played to universal acclaim. Gilels was somewhat overwhelmed, and was heard to say "If you think I'm good, wait until you hear __________" To which other Russian pianist was he referring?

John Schmidt
"95% of everything is crud" - Theodore Sturgeon

Posted on: 29 March 2001 by John Schmidt
The appointment of Agnes Grossman as the first female choir director was what I was thinking of, so you got it and then some. As a bit of trivia, Agnes Grossman was conductor of the Orchestre Metropolitaine de Montreal (not the MSO)for many years before that.

Take it away, Peter.

Cheers,

John Schmidt
"90% of everything is crud" - Theodore Sturgeon

Posted on: 29 March 2001 by Peter Litwack
Two of the greatest piano composers of the Romantic Era dedicated a large scale piano piece to each other (arguably the greatest piano piece by either man). Who were these two titans of Romantic Piano, and what were the respective pieces?
Posted on: 01 April 2001 by JamH
I guess Brahms and Schumann
Posted on: 02 April 2001 by Franz K
I would think its List and Chopin

Possibly Lists h-moll and Chopins B-moll Sonata ?

Franz

Posted on: 02 April 2001 by Peter Litwack
You're both half right. That should narrow it down. Keep guessing.
Posted on: 02 April 2001 by Franz K
So what about Schumanns Fantasie Op 17 and Lists H-moll Sonata?

Franz

Posted on: 02 April 2001 by Peter Litwack
That's exactly right. I love both these pieces (and have struggled mightily to play both of them). The Schumann Fantasie is a bit easier, but the Liszt lays a bit more naturally under the fingers. I just don't have a big enough technique for it.
You're up!
Posted on: 02 April 2001 by Franz K
OK here we go

The central movement of a famous symphonic work was written in reverence to Richard Wagners death.
Here are my questions: Who was the composer, which work and which movement thereof do I refer to?


Franz

Posted on: 02 April 2001 by JamH
I know that Bruckner was writing a
symphony and had a premonition of the
death of Wagner. I can't remember which
one.

He then heard that Wagner had died. He wrote
the symphony thinking of this.


p.s from the sublime to the fun ...

The previous question had possible options
[after hints] :
Brahms + Schumann
Chopin + Listz
Listz + Schumann
Brahms + Chopin
Schumann + Chopin
Schumann + Listz
Listz + Chopin
BRAHMS AND LISTZ

Posted on: 02 April 2001 by JamH
I have cheated [used the Internet] ...

Google gives me from "Bruckner+Death+Wagner"

Adagio of 7th Symphony !!

Posted on: 03 April 2001 by Franz K
Yes, thats the one. So its your turn.

Sorry for the delay in my response, I was late this morning and did not have time to post

Franz

Posted on: 03 April 2001 by JamH
Hello Franz,

Here is my question.

This part of an interview with a living
composer ...

"INTERVIEWER: You wrote your graduate thesis on Bartok's Sonata For Two Pianos And Percussion, and for awhile you seemed to be interested in Bartok.

"COMPOSER: I played several works of Bartok. I liked his work very much.

"INTERVIEWER: It makes sense that you would be interested in Bartok, if you were focused on piano.

"You then played piano with a magician.

"COMPOSER: That was a part-time job. From .... until .... I played almost every night in clubs and bars ... to make a living. And towards the end of my studies, a magician came to the student's dormitory and he asked me to improvise, because I was rather famous in .... amongst the students and younger musicians for improvisation, and I improvised for him and then he accepted my collaboration. We travelled through ...., and he performed his magic and I played the piano, improvising according to his different tricks.

"INTERVIEWER: You were following his movements?

"COMPOSER: Oh yes. And very often covering his movements. So people didn't notice what was happening."


Who is the composer.

James H.

Posted on: 04 April 2001 by Franz K
No idea, any more hints?

Franz

Posted on: 04 April 2001 by Todd A
Gyorgy Kurtag?
Posted on: 04 April 2001 by JamH
1) More from another interview ...

"I am very familiar with [both serious music and the light-music sector]. I spent many years earning a livelihood in every branch of musical entertainment. I was an excellent be-bop musician, but I could also play all the carnival hits. Then I toured ... with a magician and used to improvise while he was doing his conjuring tricks, which I was also good at concealing. If I am at a party and go to the piano I can get everybody dancing and having a good time with my playing."

2) Second hint ..

He has written piano music and also a string quartet. The string quartet is very difficult to perform for technical reasons and I think there has only ever been one performance.

James H.

Posted on: 04 April 2001 by JamH
Forgot to mention : its not Kurtag
Posted on: 04 April 2001 by Todd A
Stockhausen?
Posted on: 04 April 2001 by JamH
Yes its Stockhausen.

Here is the section of the original interview ...

[Its from a magazine called Seconds -- I can give the URL if you need it]

SECONDS: You wrote your graduate thesis on Bartok's Sonata For Two Pianos And Percussion, and for awhile you seemed to be interested in Bartok.

STOCKHAUSEN: Well, for my state examination as a pianist, I played several works of Bartok. I liked his work very much, and I had heard several performances of the Sonata For Two Pianos And Percussion during the time of my studies, and I devoted an entire year to this work, analyzing every note.

SECONDS: It makes sense that you would be interested in Bartok, if you were focused on piano.

STOCKHAUSEN: Yes. He was obviously an excellent pianist, and performed together with his wife.

SECONDS: You then played piano with a magician, Adrion.

STOCKHAUSEN: Oh, that was a part-time job. From 1947 until 1951 I played almost every night in clubs and bars in the city of Cologne, or sometimes even in the afternoons in cafs to make a living. And towards the end of my studies, in 1950, a magician came to the student's dormitory and he asked me to improvise, because I was rather famous in the city of Cologne amongst the students and younger musicians for improvisation, and I improvised for him and then he accepted my collaboration. We travelled through all of Germany, and he performed his magic and I played the piano, improvising according to his different tricks.

SECONDS: You were following his movements?

STOCKHAUSEN: Oh yes. And very often covering his movements. So people didn't notice what was happening.

---

The item is a interview entitled ...

Karlheinz Stockhausen By David Paul
Orginally published in SECONDS #44 ©1997

---

The string quartet is the Helicopter Quartet which is technically difficult to perform since the 4 performers are each in their own helicopter.

---

YOUR TURN !!

James H.

Posted on: 04 April 2001 by Todd A
Which conductor has won the most Grammy Awards of any artist in any genre?
Posted on: 05 April 2001 by Todd A
That wasn't too hard. Your turn, Vuk.
Posted on: 08 April 2001 by Franz K
Wozzeck in Berg`s synonymous opera urinates when a specimen is taken at the doctors; not all performances though stick to this original version and have him "spit" instead.

Franz

[This message was edited by Franz K on SUNDAY 08 April 2001 at 15:57.]

Posted on: 10 April 2001 by Franz K
Puck in a midsummernightsdream?

Franz

Posted on: 11 April 2001 by Nigel Cavendish
L'apres-midi d'un faune, peut-etre?

cheers

Nigel

Posted on: 11 April 2001 by Nigel Cavendish
Which Spanish composer's music is very often played on an instrument he never wrote music for, and whose career was ended by the Germans?

cheers

Nigel

Posted on: 11 April 2001 by John Schmidt
Isaac Albeniz, whose piano music is probably performed more often as guitar transcriptions.

Cheers,

John Schmidt
"90% of everything is crud" - Theodore Sturgeon