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Classical History Mix Trivia Quiz

Here's a quiz to test your knowledge of the history of great composers.

A multiple-choice quiz by wwtbam1. Estimated time: 3 mins.

Author
wwtbam1

Time
3 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
358,685

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
389

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Which composer was famous throughout Europe but died as a poor man, and was buried in a pauper's grave? Hint

Verde

Hamlet

Bach

Mozart

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Question 2 of 10

2. Which composer wrote some of the greatest classical compositions even though he was deaf? Hint

Beethoven

Quasimodo

Def Leppard

Bach

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Question 3 of 10

3. Who was visited by a "mysterious stranger" and wrote a Funeral Mass that was finished after he died by his students? Hint

Salieri

Handel

Mozzarella

Mozart

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Question 4 of 10

4. Which great oratorio was first performed to benefit the Dublin Orphanage in 1742? Hint

Othello

Messiah

Nabuco

March of the Leprechauns

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Question 5 of 10

5. Now for some musical zoology: Who wrote the "Trout Quintet"? Hint

Sherbet

Pilaf

Hamilton

Schubert

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Question 6 of 10

6. Bach walked more than 250 miles to hear this man play on a church organ. Hint

Telemann

Buxtehude

Handel

Beethoven

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Question 7 of 10

7. This great English composer wrote music for "Dido and Anaeas". Hint

Thomas Tullis

Henry VIII

George Handel

Henry Purcell

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Question 8 of 10

8. Whose musical scores were being used to wrap fish in the market, and was rescued from obscurity in the early 1800s by a young Felix Mendelssohn? Hint

Haydn

Hanover

Handel

Bach

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Question 9 of 10

9. Which classical composer wrote the most symphonies? Hint

Haydn

Mozart

Beethoven

Brahms

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Question 10 of 10

10. He wrote "The German Requiem" as well as the "Academic Festival Overture", giving us a hymn to youth as well as a tone poem on death. Who was he? Hint

Brahms

Wagner

Mendelsohn

von Suppe

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Which composer was famous throughout Europe but died as a poor man, and was buried in a pauper's grave?

Answer: Mozart

Mozart was famous as a pianist and composer of successful symphonies and operas, but died penniless, and his body was probably stolen by grave robbers for "scientific study" by anatomy classes.

2. Which composer wrote some of the greatest classical compositions even though he was deaf?

Answer: Beethoven

Beethoven went deaf in the early 1800s but wrote his last symphonies, and some of his greatest works, even though he couldn't hear a sound! He conducted his "Ninth Symphony" and had to be turned around to see the standing ovation he was receiving at its debut.

3. Who was visited by a "mysterious stranger" and wrote a Funeral Mass that was finished after he died by his students?

Answer: Mozart

Mozart died as he was composing his great "Requiem Mass", and dictated the last measures in sketch form.

4. Which great oratorio was first performed to benefit the Dublin Orphanage in 1742?

Answer: Messiah

Handel wrote "Messiah" in less than ten days, using excerpts from various books of the Bible which prophesied the Messiah, or talked about Jesus' birth, death and resurrection.

5. Now for some musical zoology: Who wrote the "Trout Quintet"?

Answer: Schubert

This beautiful work was written when Schubert was only 22, but not published until after his untimely death ten years later.

6. Bach walked more than 250 miles to hear this man play on a church organ.

Answer: Buxtehude

When Bach was a young man he walked from Arnstedt to Lubeck, and stayed three months to study with the great composer and organist.

7. This great English composer wrote music for "Dido and Anaeas".

Answer: Henry Purcell

Purcell came from a noble family, and his father and brothers were composers and instrumentalists. Henry Purcell was probably the best English composer, second only to Edward Elgar. OK, Arthur Sullivan, but he was Irish!

8. Whose musical scores were being used to wrap fish in the market, and was rescued from obscurity in the early 1800s by a young Felix Mendelssohn?

Answer: Bach

Although Bach had some fame in his lifetime, his work was quickly forgotten, until Mendelssohn found manuscripts being used as fish wrappers. No telling how much of Bach's music was lost! Thankfully, we have hundreds of compositions that show his greatness.

9. Which classical composer wrote the most symphonies?

Answer: Haydn

Franz Josef Haydn influenced both Mozart and Beethoven with his discipline and artistic skills. His symphonies and Oratorios are some of the best examples of Classical composition. Snoopy loved him!

10. He wrote "The German Requiem" as well as the "Academic Festival Overture", giving us a hymn to youth as well as a tone poem on death. Who was he?

Answer: Brahms

The composer's composer, Brahms' skill as an orchestrator was unparalleled. He had great skill with melody, too!

Source: Author wwtbam1

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