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: 04 December 2000 by Igor Zamberlan
double post - thanks to Infopop rocket science.
Igor
[This message was edited by Igor Zamberlan on MONDAY 04 December 2000 at 10:13.]
Posted on: 05 December 2000 by Igor Zamberlan
A tricky question: according to what he said in various interviews, who was Sviatoslav Richter's favorite composer?
Igor
Posted on: 05 December 2000 by Igor Zamberlan
I said it was a tricky question.
Hint: he isn't known for his piano compositions (that's the tricky part).
I guess that Richter stated his preference also in the Bruno Monsaingeon movie about him (the one ending on a "I never liked myself" catch)
Igor
Posted on: 05 December 2000 by Todd A
Schumann
Posted on: 05 December 2000 by Igor Zamberlan
Not really - the unnominated is not a *piano* composer, or he is only marginally (none of the composer's great works is a piano composition, and I can't just remember a piano composition of his in his published works, but most other works of his are, indeed, great. And quite big
)
Igor
Posted on: 06 December 2000 by Igor Zamberlan
Another hint:
try with (mainly) opera composers.
Igor
Posted on: 06 December 2000 by Todd A
Wagner
Posted on: 06 December 2000 by Igor Zamberlan
Posted on: 06 December 2000 by Todd A
On what unfinished work did Ferrucio Busoni base his Fantasia Contrappuntistica? (Hint: Busoni transcribed other works by this composer.)
Posted on: 06 December 2000 by Igor Zamberlan
Bach's Art of the Fugue?
Igor
Posted on: 06 December 2000 by Todd A
Your turn Igor.
Posted on: 07 December 2000 by Igor Zamberlan
Since I won't be around an Internet connected PC for some days, and as I feel guilty for posting the right answer in less than 20 minutes, I'll defer the question back to you, Todd. Or anybody else who has a good one and can check the answer during the next four days.
Igor
[This message was edited by Igor Zamberlan on THURSDAY 07 December 2000 at 13:35.]
Posted on: 07 December 2000 by Todd A
An easy one: what was the name of the massive work Alexander Scriabin was working on when he died?
Posted on: 07 December 2000 by John Schmidt
quote:
An easy one: what was the name of the massive work Alexander Scriabin was working on when he died?
Acte Prealable, a work that strived for "transfiguration of the Cosmos through Art". Whatever.
Cheers,
John Schmidt
"95% of everything is crud" - Theodore Sturgeon
Posted on: 07 December 2000 by Todd A
If a little more precise than needed. The piece cited is the opening of the Mysterium, which, in addition to it's trancendental aspirations was set to be a three days long. Your question, John.
Posted on: 08 December 2000 by John Schmidt
This composer died a bachelor, but he had a string of May-December platonic relationships with young women that never quite made it to matrimony. These included:
17-year old Josephine Lang, whose parents refused permission for her to marry the composer because, at 43, he was too old.
17-year-old Marie Barti, with whom the composer, then 56, maintained correspondence for a year before she lost interest.
Ida Buhz, a Berlin chambermaid, who (along with her parents!) agreed to a marriage with the 71-year-old composer. This fell through when Ida would not comply with his insistence that she convert to Catholicism.
Who is the composer?
Cheers,
John Schmidt
"95% of everything is crud" - Theodore Sturgeon
Posted on: 08 December 2000 by John Schmidt
Bruckner it is, Vuk. Fire away.
Cheers,
John Schmidt
"95% of everything is crud" - Theodore Sturgeon
Posted on: 12 December 2000 by John Schmidt
Look's like we need a clue here Vuk.
Cheers,
John Schmidt
"95% of everything is crud" - Theodore Sturgeon
Posted on: 12 December 2000 by Phil Barry
That one zoomed below me. Did anyone else get the clue?
Posted on: 13 December 2000 by John Schmidt
Hot Diggidy, Dog Ziggidy sounds like rap, which would explain why it means nothing to me. However, the clues lead to Spain, and a frequently plaigerized, copied and cliched piece of Spanish music is the
Concerto de Aranjuez for Guitar and Orchestra by Joaquin Rodrigo, especially the second movement. Warm, cold, freezing?
Cheers,
John Schmidt
"90% of everything is crud" - Theodore Sturgeon
Posted on: 13 December 2000 by Todd A
Ibert? Seems like the type of music (though not lyrics) he could write. Still stumped, though.
Posted on: 14 December 2000 by John Schmidt
The Amadeus quartet was renowned in its time for its interpretation of the Beethoven string quartets. My only problem with this answer is that I can't really see a stylistic similarity between Beethoven and Mozart. But I have to get back to what my employer actually pays me for, so it will have to do.
Cheers,
John Schmidt
"90% of everything is crud" - Theodore Sturgeon
Posted on: 14 December 2000 by Igor Zamberlan
but with Beethoven and Shostakovich (Beethoven Q being the quartet which, AFAIK, premiered many a Shostakovich string quartet).
Igor
Posted on: 15 December 2000 by Igor Zamberlan
"Many composers could find their main themes in his wastebasket"
Which composer is purported to have said this of which one (meaning the second one's discarded themes were better than the main themes of theirs)?
Igor
Posted on: 18 December 2000 by Igor Zamberlan
Well, try, as proponent of the sentence, someone who (according to common sense) could have used a main theme, and one of his contemporaries.
To restrict the search range, try 19th century.
Igor
