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Quiz about Beethoven  nine famous symphonies
Quiz about Beethoven  nine famous symphonies

Beethoven - nine famous symphonies Quiz


Although several composers completed exactly nine symphonies, most classical music lovers would first and foremost associate "The Nine Symphonies" with Ludwig van Beethoven. How well do you know these works?

A multiple-choice quiz by WesleyCrusher. Estimated time: 6 mins.
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Time
6 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
346,369
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Difficult
Avg Score
5 / 10
Plays
4938
Awards
Top 20% Quiz
Last 3 plays: Coachpete1 (10/10), Guest 50 (0/10), BayRoan (2/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. The very first twelve bars of Beethoven's first symphony did something that, at its time, was a serious break of tradition. Which breach of musical protocol did Beethoven commit here? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. Beethoven's second symphony was even more controversial than the first and received scathing reviews. Which of these has it been likened to in a quote from an actual contemporary review? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. The finale of the third "Eroica" symphony mostly consists of variations on a theme Beethoven had originally used in a different work. Which work was it? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. Beethoven's fourth symphony is, along with the eighth, one of the less famous works in the cycle. It is much more a successor to the second than to the third symphony - what is the link between symphonies number two and four? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. Probably the most famous and most often quoted classical symphony of all, Beethoven's fifth symphony in c minor opens with what is often called the "fate motif" - three 1/8 notes followed by a 1/2 note a major third below. Let's however take a look at the finale - which of these is NOT true about that movement? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. Beethoven's sixth, "Pastoral", symphony marks the transition between the classical and the romantic period. It is in many ways a symphonic poem annotated with evocative movement titles. Which of these is a CORRECT pairing of movement number and title or title excerpt? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Beethoven's seventh symphony is often overshadowed its two famous predecessors, even though it is a powerful work in its own right which Beethoven himself considered one of his best. As a rather unusual gesture for its time, this work was premiered at a charity concert. Who were the beneficiaries of this charity? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. In spite of being another brilliant work highlighting the often subtle and even humorous perfection of Beethoven's composing techniques, his eighth symphony is among his least played works. It is comparatively short and upbeat and lacks something universally considered a vital part of a classical symphony performance. What is that part? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. We've arrived at Beethoven's ninth symphony and its glorious choral finale based on the "Ode to Joy" by Friedrich Schiller. In the symphony, the original poem is preceded by three additional lines "O Freunde, nicht diese Töne! / Sondern laßt uns angenehmere anstimmen, / und freudenvollere" sung by the baritone soloist. Who wrote these lyrics? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. There is strong historic evidence that Beethoven had planned and begun work on a tenth symphony. He had at least a fragmentary version of one movement finished which he played to a friend. Judging from the known sources, which of Beethoven's finished symphonies would the tenth have resembled most? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. The very first twelve bars of Beethoven's first symphony did something that, at its time, was a serious break of tradition. Which breach of musical protocol did Beethoven commit here?

Answer: He did not start the symphony in the key it was written in

Beethoven's first symphony was first performed on April 2, 1800 in Vienna. At this time, composition theory and practice was determined by a host of conventions and traditions that determined how each movement of a symphony had to be structured, what it was allowed or forbidden to contain and how to use melody and harmony. One of these rules was that a piece's first chord had to be that of its key, establishing the tonal structure. Beethoven caused a small outrage among traditionalists by breaking with this pattern - the entire 12-bar adagio introduction avoids the C major key entirely, teasing around it.

The key is finally reached on the 13th bar when the main allegro part of the movement begins.
2. Beethoven's second symphony was even more controversial than the first and received scathing reviews. Which of these has it been likened to in a quote from an actual contemporary review?

Answer: "a hideously writhing, wounded dragon that refuses to die"

The quote which, in full, reads "a hideously writhing, wounded dragon that refuses to die, but writhing in its last agonies and, in the fourth movement, bleeding to death." appeared in the "Zeitung fuer die elegante Welt" (Newspaper for the Elegant World), a contemporary newspaper for Vienna's higher circles. Several critics also made comparisons to gastric noises, but the actual "hiccup" quote is a summary of those reviews from Robert Greenberg's 1996 monograph on Beethoven's symphonies.

The other two quotes are my own invention.
3. The finale of the third "Eroica" symphony mostly consists of variations on a theme Beethoven had originally used in a different work. Which work was it?

Answer: The ballet "The Creatures of Prometheus"

Written with Napoleon Bonaparte in mind, Beethoven's third symphony was to celebrate a heroic life. However, before the symphony premiered, Napoleon declared himself Emperor and Beethoven became disillusioned with him, famously tearing up the title page of his manuscript bearing the dedication.

The "Prometheus" theme originally composed for the ballet and reused as the basis for the finale was one of Beethoven's most recurring themes: It was used at least twice more, in one of the 12 Contradanses and as the basis of a set of variations for piano.
4. Beethoven's fourth symphony is, along with the eighth, one of the less famous works in the cycle. It is much more a successor to the second than to the third symphony - what is the link between symphonies number two and four?

Answer: No. 4 was a paid work commissioned by a noble who loved No. 2

Dedicated to "the Silesian nobleman Count Franz von Oppersdorf", the fourth symphony was the only commissioned work among the nine Beethoven symphonies. The Count had originally heard Beethoven's second symphony played at a concert and liked it so much that he offered Beethoven a substantial sum of money to have a symphony written for him.
5. Probably the most famous and most often quoted classical symphony of all, Beethoven's fifth symphony in c minor opens with what is often called the "fate motif" - three 1/8 notes followed by a 1/2 note a major third below. Let's however take a look at the finale - which of these is NOT true about that movement?

Answer: It is set in the form of a fugue.

In many ways, the third and fourth movement of the fifth symphony form a single greater unit. Set in different times and keys, they represent a strong contrast which is further pronounced via reprises of the "fate motif" from the first movement towards the end of the scherzo. The final movement almost completely abandons the minor key and ends on the triumphant major parallel.
6. Beethoven's sixth, "Pastoral", symphony marks the transition between the classical and the romantic period. It is in many ways a symphonic poem annotated with evocative movement titles. Which of these is a CORRECT pairing of movement number and title or title excerpt?

Answer: 2nd - Scene at the Brook

Subtitled "more the expression of feeling than painting", the sixth symphony is a five-movement work recreating the feelings, sights and sounds of a day in the romantic early 19th century countryside. It begins with the rather abstract "Awakening of cheerful feelings upon arrival in the country", followed by the brook scene.

The remaining three movements again form one contiguous unit - the happy country folk gathering is interrupted by the storm whose passing then leads into the finale whose full title is "Shepherds' song; cheerful and thankful feelings after the storm".
7. Beethoven's seventh symphony is often overshadowed its two famous predecessors, even though it is a powerful work in its own right which Beethoven himself considered one of his best. As a rather unusual gesture for its time, this work was premiered at a charity concert. Who were the beneficiaries of this charity?

Answer: Wounded soldiers

Like most Beethoven symphonies, the seventh also premiered in Vienna, in this case on December 8, 1813. The event was a charity concert for soldiers wounded at the Battle of Hanau, part of the continued war effort against Napoleon. The other work played at the same concert was "Wellington's Victory", a relatively unknown Beethoven piece for full orchestra written half a year prior. Having turned from an admirer of Napoleon to an avid supporter of his enemies to this extent shows just how disappointed Beethoven was at the man whom he at first saw as a liberator but later as a cruel oppressor of the French and all Europeans.
8. In spite of being another brilliant work highlighting the often subtle and even humorous perfection of Beethoven's composing techniques, his eighth symphony is among his least played works. It is comparatively short and upbeat and lacks something universally considered a vital part of a classical symphony performance. What is that part?

Answer: A slow movement

The eighth symphony is characterized by a fast pace, joyous mood and a generally humorous treatment of melody, rhythm and harmony. It contains many small musical jokes and unusual transitions in a format that has two fast allegro movements surround two just slightly slower middle movements - an allegretto and a minuet. Also as further deviations from traditional form, the opening movement is in three quarter time and the longest, most elaborate movement is not the first but the finale, foreshadowing the form of the ninth symphony.
9. We've arrived at Beethoven's ninth symphony and its glorious choral finale based on the "Ode to Joy" by Friedrich Schiller. In the symphony, the original poem is preceded by three additional lines "O Freunde, nicht diese Töne! / Sondern laßt uns angenehmere anstimmen, / und freudenvollere" sung by the baritone soloist. Who wrote these lyrics?

Answer: Beethoven himself

The stunning transition from the rather chaotic, prestissimo ending of the fourth movement's instrumental introduction to the choral finale rests on the sole shoulders of the baritone soloist whose initial "O Freunde!" ("Oh friends") literally interrupts the orchestral crescendo.

The three slow lines lead over from almost infernal sounds to the clear and simple melody of "Freude, schöner Götterfunken" ("Joy, beautiful spark of the gods"). Lacking any fitting lines of text to make this introduction, Beethoven wrote them himself.

He made some other small additions and alterations in the later text as well.
10. There is strong historic evidence that Beethoven had planned and begun work on a tenth symphony. He had at least a fragmentary version of one movement finished which he played to a friend. Judging from the known sources, which of Beethoven's finished symphonies would the tenth have resembled most?

Answer: The ninth

After the success of the ninth symphony and its choral finale (which was initially developed as a work of its own and only later integrated into the symphony), Beethoven intended his tenth symphony to follow roughly the same format although there is no conclusive evidence on the literary work he wanted to use as a basis. Only the first movement was completed to a point from where a reasonably accurate performing version could be assembled and even that assembly, done by English musicologist Barry Cooper, is far less certain than other reconstructions such as that of Mahler's tenth symphony.

Some sketches of a scherzo exist as well, but it is not known whether they were intended for this symphony or a different work.
Source: Author WesleyCrusher

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