Composers and their Compositions Quiz

Answer: Baroque period

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) was a German composer and musician of the Baroque period. His greatest compositions include the "Brandenburg Concertos", the "Goldberg Variations" and the "Mass in B minor". During his lifetime he was not regarded as a great composer, however, there was an appreciation and revival of interest in his work in the 19th Century. Today he is regarded as one of the greatest composers of all time. The Renaissance era was 1400-1600, the Classical period 1730-1820 and the Romantic era 1780-1910.

Answer: Fidelio

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) was a German composer and pianist. Through his compositions of symphonies, concertos, sonatas and quartets he remains one of the greatest composers of all time. His only opera ,"Fidelio" tells the story of Leonore, disguised as a prison guard "Fidelio", who rescues her husband from a political prison.

The opera was first performed in 1805 and was revised between 1806-1814. "The Magic Flute" by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart premiered in 1791. "Tristan und Isolde" by Richard Wagner premiered in 1865 and "Faust" by Charles Gounod debuted in 1859.

Answer: Finland

Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) was a Finnish composer and violinist. He is recognised as the Finland's greatest composer and it is through his music that he helped develop national unity in the country's struggle to gain independence from Russia. It is through his seven symphonies that he is best remembered.

His best-known compositions are "Finlandia", Karelia Suite", "Violin Concerto" and the Finnish epic "Kalevala". Jean Sibelius was born on December 8 and each year the nation celebrates "Flag Day" also known as the "Day of Finnish Music".

Answer: Georges Bizet

Georges Bizet (1838-1875) was a French composer of the Romantic era. "Carmen" is by far his most success work and was first performed in Paris in 1875. The "Habanera" and the "Toreador Song" are among the best known of operatic arias. The opera is set in southern Spain and tells the story of a naive soldier, Don José who is seduced by the gypsy, Carmen.

Answer: Bach, Beethoven and Brahms

Educators often refer to the three "Bs" (Bach, Beethoven and Brahms) when explaining the fundamentals of classical music as their compositions provide a basis for appreciation and classical music study. Although Berlioz and Bülow were added at various times in the 19th Century at the expense of Brahms, it is generally accepted the Bach, Beethoven and Brahms are the mainstay of classical music.

Answer: Felix Mendelssohn

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic era. Mendelssohn wrote symphonies, concerti, oratorios and chamber music. One of his best known works is his Overture and incidental music for "A Midsummer Night's Dream".

He was inspired by the play which was written by Shakespeare in 1595/96. Mendelssohn wrote the Overture in 1826 and the incidental music in 1842. Marius Petipa (1818-1910) a choreographer made a ballet adaption in 1876 and Carl Orff (1895-1982) between 1917-1939 wrote incidental music for a German version of the play. Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) adapted the play into an opera which was first performed in 1960.

Answer: Verdi

Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) was an Italian opera composer. By the time has was 27 years he had lost both his children and wife to natural causes. He was persuaded to write again and began work on "Nabucco" which eventually became successful in 1842. He continued to compose operas and revisions but his greatest works were "Rigoletto"(1851),"La traviata" (1853), "Don Carlos" (1867),"Aida" (1871), "Requiem" (1874), "Otello" (1887) and "Falstaff" (1893). Vincenzo Bellini ( 1801-1835) composed "Norma" in 1831. Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924) composed such works as "La bohčme" (1896), "Tosca" (1900), "Madama Butterfly" (1904). Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868) is known for his famous opera "The Barber of Seville" (1816).

Answer: Sergei Prokofiev

Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) was a Russian composer and pianist. He was a creator of masterpieces across many musical genres. He is regarded as one of the great composers of the 20th century. Although his greatest interest was opera, he composed the ballet "Romeo and Juliet" in 1935 and "Cinderella" which premiered in Moscow in November 1945.

He died aged 61 on the same day as Joseph Stalin on March 5, 1953. Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908) was a Russian composer and a master of orchestration.

His greatest orchestrations were "Capriccio Espagnol" (1887) and the "Russian Easter Festival Overture" (1887-88).

Answer: Richard Wagner

Richard Wagner (1813-1883) was a German composer, theatre director and conductor. He is mainly known for his operas. He had his own opera house built Bayreuth Festspielhaus which was dedicated solely to perform operas composed by Richard Wagner. The first opera performed was "The Ring of the Nibelungen" performed in August 1876. Major restorations took place in 2014 and were funded by the German government and the state of Bavaria. Bach, Brahms and Schumann did not build opera houses but their works have been performed in many around the world.

Answer: Frédéric Chopin

Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849) was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist of the Romantic era. All of his compositions include the piano, and most are for solo piano. His keyboard style was technically demanding and very individualistic. However, he did write two piano concertos and a few chamber pieces. George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) was a German composer who composed a series of over 30 operas. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) was an Austrian composer of the Classical era.

He is best known for his symphonies, concertos and operas. Jacques Offenbach (1819-1880) was a German-born French composer of the romantic era.

He is best remembered for his nearly 100 operettas and his uncompleted opera "The Tales of Hoffmann".