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 December 2000 by Peter Litwack
Who was the first singer to record a complete German Lieder cycle?
Posted on: 30 December 2000 by Former member
Well I will have a go - Gerhard Husch.
Giuseppe.
Posted on: 30 December 2000 by Peter Litwack
Giuseppe-Great job. You must know his recordings. My favorites are actually his performances of "Dichterliebe" & "An Die Ferne Geliebte". Of course his "Winterreise" & "Schone Mullerin" are beyond compare, as well.
You're up!
Posted on: 30 December 2000 by Former member
Ralph Vaughan Williams "Songs of Travel" first performed in London 1904 - Queston is whos poetry was used for this work.
Giuseppe.
Posted on: 30 December 2000 by Peter Litwack
Robert Louis Stevenson?
Posted on: 31 December 2000 by Former member
Peter,
Went to the Bryn Terfel concert July this year in which he sang some of the "Songs of Travel"-great voice-nice guy.
Over to you.
Giuseppe.
Posted on: 31 December 2000 by Peter Litwack
In the first part of the last century, often referred to as "The Golden Age of Pianists", there was a pianist who was as famous for his eccentricities, as for his performances of Chopin. Reports from that era say that he sometimes would stride out onto the stage holding a very funky piece of cloth (reputed to be a glove), drape it on the piano, then turn to the audience and mutter in hushed tones "It was the Master's". Who was this pianist, and who was "the Master"?
Posted on: 31 December 2000 by Former member
Arthur Rubenstein and Chopin?
Vuk.
Posted on: 31 December 2000 by Peter Litwack
Vuk-You're right about Chopin, but wrong about Rubinstein. This guy had a reputation for being eccentric!
Posted on: 31 December 2000 by Former member
how about Victor Borge and Chopin.
Giuseppe.
Posted on: 01 January 2001 by Peter Litwack
This guy was considered one of the great players of Chopin during the "Golden Age". I've also heard that he would dip each of his fingers in Cognac before playing a recital!
BTW, another report says that it was a sock of Chopin's that he draped on the piano.
[This message was edited by Peter Litwack on MONDAY 01 January 2001 at 09:51.]
Posted on: 01 January 2001 by Former member
Vladimir de Pachmann?
Vuk.
Posted on: 01 January 2001 by Peter Litwack
Vuk-You got it! Rumor has is that Pachmann claimed the sock was knitted for Chopin by George Sand. Great pianist, though. Ever heard any of his recordings? One of my favorite Chopin players, along with Josef Hofman and Ignaz Freidman.
You're up.
Posted on: 02 January 2001 by Former member
In light of Peter's recent efforts to elevate the quiz into a realm that expert musicologists would find challenging, I thought about the following: when J.S. Bach broke a string on his viola de gamba on October 17, 1723, while playing for the Baron of Wesfalia, which nephew of a minor contemporary composer helped him out with a spare that he happened to be using to secure a loose wig?
If that's too difficult, how about identifying the opera (bonus points for the soprano) in this story:
"As a practical joke the stage hands, who were not too fond of the
large-boned soprano in the title role, replaced the mattress she was
to land on in the Finale [...] with a trampoline. The audience was
treated to the spectacle of her coming back up in different aerial
contortions about 10-15 times, emitting bloody-murder screams
during each bounce into public view."
Vuk.
Posted on: 02 January 2001 by Former member
The Bach one's a bit too hard, but the opera has got to be Tosca.
I don't know which soprano you had in mind, but I remember seeing a production some years ago when Jane Eaglen - a soprano the size of a Panzer - in the title role threw herself off the battlements at the end of the opera and there was general laughter as everyone expected her to crash through the floor.
Ross
Posted on: 02 January 2001 by Former member
quote:
The Bach one's a bit too hard
Ross.
Been listening to Mana lately?
Tosca is the answer. Fire away.
Vuk.
Posted on: 02 January 2001 by Former member
quote:
SOHF
??????
quote:
Been listening to Mana lately?
No, whenever I am tempted to listen to furniture, I increase my lithium dosage.
Who was the soprano in your story?
New question: A character in E M Forster's Howard's End describes this very famous musical work as (quoting from memory) "the most sublime noise ever to penetrate the ear of Man". What is the work? (If I have misquoted, extra points for the correct quote.)
Ross
Posted on: 04 January 2001 by Former member
Oh come on, it's not
that hard. I'm sure some of you have this book sitting on your shelves.
Alright, then, I will give you a clue. The composer is possibly the most famous composer of all time, and this is his most famous symphony. It comes after his fourth symphony, but before his sixth symphony.
If no one answers this, the next question will be really hard.
Vuk, you still haven't told us who the soprano in your story is.
Ross
Posted on: 04 January 2001 by Todd A
Beethoven's 5th Symphony?
Posted on: 04 January 2001 by Former member
Brilliant!
Your question, Todd.
Ross
Posted on: 04 January 2001 by Todd A
Name the first female composer to win the Prix de Rome.
(I'm going to have to read up a little to come up with some better questions.)
Posted on: 04 January 2001 by Former member
Nadia Boulanger?
Posted on: 04 January 2001 by Todd A
Next guess
Posted on: 04 January 2001 by Former member
Then it must be Lili Boulanger.
Posted on: 05 January 2001 by Todd A
You are correct Ross. Nadia apparently did take second or third place prior to Lili taking first, but I was looking for first place. Your question.
