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Quiz about Quotations By And About Composers No 1

Quotations By And About Composers No. 1 Quiz

Some quotes from and about classical composers. See if you know who said what!

A multiple-choice quiz by winkle52. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
winkle52

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
212,418

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
403

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. What composer said this about the organ, "There's nothing remarkable about it. All one has to do is hit the right keys at the right time and the instrument plays itself."? Hint

Bach

Buxtehude

Franck

Brahms

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Question 2 of 10

2. "When I think of Liszt as a creative artist, he appears before my eyes rouged, on stilts, and blowing into Jericho trumpets fortissimo and pianissimo," is a quote by which composer? Hint

Brahms

Chopin

Schumann

Smetana

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Question 3 of 10

3. What virtuoso cellist said this about Mendelssohn? "A romantic who felt at ease within the mould of classicism." Hint

Saint-Saens

Rostropovich

Casals

Herbert

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Question 4 of 10

4. A famous Russian composer said this about Brahms, "I have played over the music of that scoundrel Brahms. What a giftless bastard!" Who was he? Hint

Shostakovich

Borodin

Tchaikovsky

Rachmaninoff

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Question 5 of 10

5. "He is the greatest composer that ever lived. I would uncover my head and kneel at his tomb," is a quote of Beethoven's concerning which composer? Hint

Handel

Palestrina

Bach

Mozart

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Question 6 of 10

6. "This will make the ladies scream!" This was said by which composer about a certain section in one of his symphonies? Hint

Mozart

Haydn

Beethoven

Rossini

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Question 7 of 10

7. What virtuoso female pianist married to a famous composer called Liszt "A smasher of pianos"? Hint

Fanny Mendelssohn

Clara Schumann

Isadora Bruckner

Gabriella Chopin

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Question 8 of 10

8. "Only when the form grows clear to you, will the spirit become so too." This quote was advice given to young composers by whom? Hint

Schubert

Beethoven

Mahler

Schumann

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Question 9 of 10

9. What composer said this about Wagner? "For me Wagner is impossible...he talks without ever stopping. One can't just talk all the time." Hint

Schumann

Dvorak

Brahms

Liszt

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Question 10 of 10

10. What composer/conductor said this about Tchaikovsky? "I am not a fascist. I hate Tchaikovsky and I will not conduct him. But if the audience wants him, it can have him." Hint

Stravinsky

Mahler

Boulez

Wagner

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What composer said this about the organ, "There's nothing remarkable about it. All one has to do is hit the right keys at the right time and the instrument plays itself."?

Answer: Bach

Only a genius like Bach could say something like this and actually mean it. When Beethoven was asked if he played the organ, he replied that he did when he was a youth, but he gave it up because it was too hard on his nerves!

2. "When I think of Liszt as a creative artist, he appears before my eyes rouged, on stilts, and blowing into Jericho trumpets fortissimo and pianissimo," is a quote by which composer?

Answer: Chopin

Liszt was a great admirer of Chopin's music, but the feeling was not reciprocated by Chopin.

3. What virtuoso cellist said this about Mendelssohn? "A romantic who felt at ease within the mould of classicism."

Answer: Casals

Pablo Casals was from Spain and one of the greatest virtuosos of the 'cello. He helped reintroduce Bach's "Suites for Unaccompanied Cello" to music lovers. Rostropovich is a Russian-born cellist and conductor. Saint-Saens didn't play the cello. Victor Herbert is better known for his operettas, but he was a cellist and wrote a concerto for the instrument.

4. A famous Russian composer said this about Brahms, "I have played over the music of that scoundrel Brahms. What a giftless bastard!" Who was he?

Answer: Tchaikovsky

Composers are not always the best critics of other composers.

5. "He is the greatest composer that ever lived. I would uncover my head and kneel at his tomb," is a quote of Beethoven's concerning which composer?

Answer: Handel

Beethoven admired the other composers' music, but he considered Handel the best. He also said of Handel's music, "He can say the most profoundest of things with the most economy of means."

6. "This will make the ladies scream!" This was said by which composer about a certain section in one of his symphonies?

Answer: Haydn

Haydn was referring to his 'surprise' in the 'Surprise' Symphony #94. The 'surprise' was a loud chord played by full orchestra in an otherwise quiet andante movement of the symphony.

7. What virtuoso female pianist married to a famous composer called Liszt "A smasher of pianos"?

Answer: Clara Schumann

Fanny Mendelssohn was Felix's sister. Bruckner and Chopin were never married.

8. "Only when the form grows clear to you, will the spirit become so too." This quote was advice given to young composers by whom?

Answer: Schumann

Schumann was a leader of the romantic movement, but, sadly, died insane.

9. What composer said this about Wagner? "For me Wagner is impossible...he talks without ever stopping. One can't just talk all the time."

Answer: Schumann

Brahms actually liked Wagner's 'Die Meistersinger'. Dvorak was influenced by Wagner, and Liszt was a champion of Wagner's music and his father-in-law!

10. What composer/conductor said this about Tchaikovsky? "I am not a fascist. I hate Tchaikovsky and I will not conduct him. But if the audience wants him, it can have him."

Answer: Boulez

Boulez was a composer of 'modern' music until his death in 2016.

Source: Author winkle52

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
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