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Music Generally Speaking Trivia Quiz

There are many specialist musical quizzes online. This one isn't about any one area and covers a varied range within the subject matter, avoiding the usual band/pop entries.

A multiple-choice quiz by BillMcC. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
BillMcC

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
312,479

Updated
Jul 23 22

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
742

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Which of these is not a section of the orchestra? Hint

Woodwind

Strings

Drums

Brass

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Question 2 of 10

2. How many valve combinations are there on a standard Bb Trumpet? Hint

seven

six

eight

five

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Question 3 of 10

3. Stradivari is reputed to have made around 1100 violins in his lifetime - approximately how many are still thought to exist?
Hint

600

750

700

650

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Question 4 of 10

4. One of the greatest composers of all time is JS Bach. What do the initials JS stand for?
Hint

Johann Sebastian

Josef Schumman

Jan Schubert

Jorj Sibelius

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Question 5 of 10

5. Which of these does not form part of a traditional baroque suite? Hint

Allemande

Waltz

Sarabande

Gigue

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Question 6 of 10

6. Staying with the Baroque theme, which of these composers was born first? Hint

Alessandro Scarlatti

George Frederick Handel

Tomaso Albinoni

Marc Antoine Charpentier

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Question 7 of 10

7. Which of these is not a musical instrument? Hint

Crumhorn

Serpent

Tyndrum

Sackbut

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Question 8 of 10

8. Jazz is a 20th Century musical idiom which has passed through various trends. One of these, Be-bop, is mainly attributed to what two jazz legends?
Hint

Miles Davis and Charlie Mingus

Count Basie and Duke Ellington

Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald

Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie

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Question 9 of 10

9. In the US note lengths are named by fractions e.g. eighth note, sixteenth note etc. What is the British equivalent of a quarter note? Hint

Quarter

Minim

Semibreve

Crotchet

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Question 10 of 10

10. Where would you find the Juilliard School of Music? Hint

Moscow

London

New York

Paris

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Which of these is not a section of the orchestra?

Answer: Drums

Technically drums are part of the percussion section and therefore not a section in themselves. Percussion also includes many smaller instruments such as maracas, castanets, triangle, whistles, etc. Larger instruments include tympani and xylophones.

2. How many valve combinations are there on a standard Bb Trumpet?

Answer: eight

A standard trumpet has 3 valves and therefore can only have 8 combinations.

These are:

1 Open - No valves depressed
2 1st valve depressed
3 2nd valve depressed
4 3rd valve depressed
5 1st & 2nd valve depressed
6 2nd & 3rd valve depressed
7 1st & 3rd valve depressed
8 1st, 2nd & 3rd valve depressed

... and if you read all that I think you'll be depressed

3. Stradivari is reputed to have made around 1100 violins in his lifetime - approximately how many are still thought to exist?

Answer: 650

These are highly priced and extremely sought after instruments. In general, prices for them range from $25k to $200k. Rarer models have been known to attract very high prices and in 2005 one Stradivari, known as "Lady Tennant", sold at auction for over $2 million.

4. One of the greatest composers of all time is JS Bach. What do the initials JS stand for?

Answer: Johann Sebastian

What can you say about this genius that hasn't already been said? He was an accomplished organist and composer whose work totals at least 1228 pieces of music.

5. Which of these does not form part of a traditional baroque suite?

Answer: Waltz

The normal Baroque Suite comprised the following 4 movements:

Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Gigue

Other variations included movemnts such as a Bour�e, Gavotte, Minuet, Chaconne/Passacaglia or Passepied.

6. Staying with the Baroque theme, which of these composers was born first?

Answer: Marc Antoine Charpentier

Marc Antoine Charpentier (1643), Alessandro Scarlatti (1660), Tomaso Albinoni (1671), George Frederick Handel (1685).

The baroque period lasted around 150 years, from 1600 to about 1750. It was a time when music become more elaborate.

7. Which of these is not a musical instrument?

Answer: Tyndrum

Tyndrum is in fact a small town in Scotland. The others are all instruments from the baroque or renaissance period.

8. Jazz is a 20th Century musical idiom which has passed through various trends. One of these, Be-bop, is mainly attributed to what two jazz legends?

Answer: Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie

Jazz has undergone many changes in its arguably short existence. From the early 20th century where traditional jazz started through the swing and be-bop eras to modern and free jazz. Most jazz musicians are virtuosi instrumentalists with the ability to compose afresh every time they play a piece of music.

9. In the US note lengths are named by fractions e.g. eighth note, sixteenth note etc. What is the British equivalent of a quarter note?

Answer: Crotchet

This is where I get controversial.

In the US a crotchet is called a quarter note, therefore halfing that would be an eighth (quaver), halfing again a sixteenth(semiquaver) and so on.

I could accept that if it didn't have one small flaw in the logic. If you reverse the process then a 2 beat note (or minim) would be a half note and therefore a 4 beat note (or semibreve) would be a whole note.

Spotted the problem yet?

In Britain a SEMIbreve is half a breve, therefore the breve is the whole note...

10. Where would you find the Juilliard School of Music?

Answer: New York

Miles Davis is supposed to have studied at Juilliard. Apparently he was enrolled but didn't actually apply himself to study. Instead, he dropped out to 'study' at the feet of Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. Looking at his back catalogue I'd say that was a wise move...

Source: Author BillMcC

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