All About The Girl Trivia Quiz

Answer: Carlos Chavez

Mexican composer's Carlos Chávez's "Sinfonía de Antígona" (Symphony No. 1) is a powerful work composed in 1933, drawing on themes from Greek tragedy. Inspired by Sophocles' play "Antigone", Chávez crafts a compact, intense symphony in a single movement, using a modern yet austere style.

The work blends indigenous Mexican musical elements with neoclassical influences, resulting in a dark and brooding atmosphere. The composer uses powerful rhythms, strong brass melodies, and clashing harmonies to capture the tragic conflict and somber fate of the Antigone story.

Answer: Edvard Grieg

"Peer Gynt" is a play by Henrik Ibsen for which Edvard Grieg wrote the incidental music, which he later formed into two suites. "Solveig's Song" comes from Act III, Suite No. 2, Op. 55. The incidental music was written for voice and piano but the symphonic version of the piece is more commonly performed.

The play follows the journey of its titular character, Peer Gynt, a charming but reckless and selfish young man. The story is a mix of realism, folklore, and fantasy based on an old Norwegian folktale. Peer spends his life chasing grandiose dreams and adventures while seeking wealth, fame, and pleasure, and avoiding responsibility. Along the way, he encounters trolls, mythical creatures, and exotic people and locales. Despite his many adventures, Peer's life is ultimately marked by failures and regret. In the end, he confronts the consequences of his choices and the emptiness of his life, and presumably dies in the arms of Solveig, the girl who loved him genuinely and waited all her life for his return.

Answer: Franz Schubert

Schubert's "Gretchen am Spinnrade" (Gretchen at the Spinning Wheel), composed in 1814, is one of his most famous art songs (Lieder), setting Goethe's "Faust" to music. The piece vividly captures the emotional turmoil of Gretchen, who is obsessively longing for Faust.

The piano accompaniment mimics the constant whirring of a spinning wheel, reflecting both the mechanical rhythm of her work and the restless cycles of her thoughts. Schubert's use of rising tension, expressive dynamics, and flowing melodic lines masterfully conveys Gretchen's growing despair and yearning.

The lines "My peace is gone, My heart is heavy, I will find it never and never again" encapsulate Gretchen's anguish.

Answer: Ludwig van Beethoven

"Für Elise" is one of Ludwig van Beethoven's most famous piano compositions, composed around 1810 but not published until 1867, long after his death. The piece's official title is "Bagatelle in A minor," and it is widely recognized for its simple, lyrical melody and emotional appeal.

The work is structured in rondo form, with a main theme that alternates with contrasting sections. The opening is light and delicate, conveying a sense of wistful nostalgia, which escalates into a dramatic and lively arrangement, showcasing Beethoven's ability to blend simplicity with expressive complexity.
Despite its popularity, the identity of "Elise" remains a mystery, with various theories suggesting it could have been a student or love interest of Beethoven. "Für Elise" is beloved for its memorable theme and accessibility, making it a favorite among both beginners and seasoned pianists.

Answer: George Frideric Handel

"Ode for St. Cecilia's Day" is a cantata composed by George Frideric Handel in 1739, with a text by English poet John Dryden. The work celebrates St. Cecilia, the patron saint of music, and explores the power of music to move the soul and the universe.

The cantata consists of an overture and ten movements, blending arias, choruses, and instrumental sections. Each movement highlights different instruments and their symbolic roles, such as the organ, flute, and trumpet, representing the various emotions and effects triggered by music.

The piece opens with a majestic overture and progresses through richly expressive arias and choruses, culminating in the final grand chorus, "As From The Power of Sacred Lays," which praises the divine nature of music.

Answer: Maurice Ravel

Maurice Ravel composed "Daphnis et Chloé" as a ballet score between 1909 and 1912 for Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes; specifically it was created for dancers Vaslav Nijinsky and Tamara Karsavina. It is widely regarded as one of Ravel's greatest works, known for its rich orchestration, innovative harmonies, and impressionistic style.

The ballet is based on an ancient Greek pastoral romance by Longus and recounts the love story of Daphnis, a shepherd, and Chloé, a shepherdess. Their love is tested through various trials and adventures, such as kidnappings, encounters with pirates, and divine intervention. The music vividly captures these scenes using a large orchestra and a mixed chorus that sings without words, creating a mystical and natural ambience.

Ravel later created two orchestral suites from the original ballet, the "Fragments symphoniques de 'Daphnis et Chloé'" Suite No 1 and Suite No 2.

Answer: Henry Purcell

"Dido's Lament" is a famous aria from Henry Purcell's opera "Dido and Aeneas", composed in the late 17th century and based on Virgil's "Aeneid." Sung by the character Queen Dido in the final act, the aria, formally titled "When I am laid in earth," captures Dido's profound sorrow and despair as she prepares for her impending death by her own hand after being abandoned by her lover, Aeneas.

The aria is well-known for its touching melody set over a descending ground bass, a repeating chromatic pattern that represents sorrow and sadness. "Dido's Lament" is praised for its haunting beauty and emotional depth, capturing the tragic essence of the opera.

Answer: Edvard Grieg

"Anitra's Dance" is a graceful and playful piece from Edvard Grieg's "Peer Gynt" Suite No. 1, Op. 46, composed in 1875. It was originally written as music for Henrik Ibsen's play "Peer Gynt."

The piece is part of a scene where the character Anitra performs a seductive dance for the protagonist, Peer Gynt. Anitra is the daughter of a Moroccan Bedouin chief, and her dances are so seductive that her relatives walk among the spectators and steal their money while those are being mesmerized by Anitra's dance. The music features light, pizzicato string melodies and delicate percussion, evoking a sense of flirtation and exotic charm.

Answer: Johann Sebastian Bach

Bach's "St. Anne" Fugue in E-flat major, BWV 552 is part of J.S. Bach's "Clavier-Übung III" monumental collection for organ and serves as the concluding piece. The fugue is often called "St. Anne" due to its main theme's resemblance to William Croft's English hymn "St. Anne," associated with the hymn "O God, Our Help in Ages Past."

The fugue is a masterful fugue known for its intricate structure and majestic character. It is structured in three sections, a symbol of the Trinity, each with its distinct subject. The first section is bold and stately, the second is more lyrical, and the third is lively and complex, demonstrating Bach's skill in weaving together different themes seamlessly. The "St. Anne" Fugue is one of Bach's most celebrated fugues for the organ and it is often performed with the Prelude, the first piece of the Clavier-Übung III, also called the German Organ Mass, compilation.

Answer: Joseph Haydn

Haydn's Symphony No. 48 in C major, also known as the "Maria Theresia" Symphony, was composed around 1768-1769. The symphony is believed to have been written in honor of Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, although there's some debate about whether it was performed during her visit to Eszterháza, Haydn's residence as a court musician for the prominent Esterhazy family.

The symphony, one of Haydn's most vibrant and festive works, is structured in the traditional four-movement form:
Allegro - the first movement has a bright and vigorous theme, demonstrating the festive atmosphere appropriate for an imperial dedication; Adagio - in contrast to the lively first movement, the second movement is serene and lyrical; Allegretto - the third movement is a lively minuet with a vibrant and playful character and finale: Allegro - the symphony concludes with an energetic and spirited finale, returning to the bright and triumphant mood of the opening.