Famous Classical Composers In Other Words Quiz

Answer: Mozart

Moe Howard was the "leader' of the classic US comedy trio "The Three Stooges." Painting is an art. MOE'S ART >>> Mozart.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1781) was a child prodigy, famous court musician in his own time, and perhaps the most creative musical genius to ever walk the earth. His musician father had him playing the violin at three years old and he composed original minuets on piano at five. Despite living only 35 years, he mastered virtually every form of classical music. Mozart loved animals, played billiards, enjoyed telling dirty jokes and was a Free Mason. The 1984 Academy Award winning movie "Amadeus," directed by Milos Foreman, is a partially fictionalized account of the composer's life, but it gives a good feel for his personality and influence.

Answer: Paganini

In a book with numbered pages, after page eight is PAGE NINE >>> Paganini.

Violin virtuoso Niccolo Paganini was born in Genoa in 1782. His famous compositions include "24 Caprices for solo violin op.1" He is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest violinists of all time, and was even alleged to have made a pact with the devil because of his amazing finger dexterity. He led a wild and dissolute life, and in all probability had Marfan syndrome, which could explain his unusual and almost double jointed fingers. He also suffered from syphilis, which he treated with mercury and opium, leading to more health problems. He died in 1840.

Answer: Beethoven

A beet is a root vegetable, which can be roasted in an oven. BEET OVEN >>>Beethoven.

Another of the great German classical composers, Ludwig Von Beethoven's output of symphonies, concertos, piano sonatas and other chamber music is unparalleled in it's influence and power through the present day. Although it's commonly known that he became deaf in later life, the cause of his deafness, while possibly linked to childhood smallpox or TB, is not known for sure. He started losing his hearing around 26 years of age. Beethoven studied under Hayden, and supposedly revered Mozart, who was also a pupil of Haydn a decade earlier.

Answer: Schumann

A shoe is a foot covering. A man is a person. SHOE MAN >>> Schumann.

To the casual listener, Robert Schumann, born in 1810, might be just another old European composer, often confused with Franz Schubert. In fact he is probably one of the most under appreciated of the great composers of the Romantic era, having generated a unique style and body of work, as well as a fascinating if tragic life story. Incredibly gifted and brilliant, he grew up in an intellectual household with a father who was a book seller, leading Robert to consider writing as a career. Literary scholars at the time considered him to be as good a writer as a composer. Unfortunately, his father died when he was 16, leaving his overbearing mother in charge, and bringing on a bout of severe depression, something which plagued him throughout his life. She disapproved of music as a career and pushed him to become a lawyer. He went to law school in Leipzig to mollify her, but spent most of his time pursuing literature, music, drinking, and women. Another sad and ironic twist led him to composing. His strongest desire was to be a concert pianist, but a homemade device designed to stretch his fingers malfunctioned, permanently damaging two on his right hand, and ending that dream. Probably his greatest joy in life was being a father to his eight children, whom he doted over. Unlike most well-to-do men of his time, who were largely disinterested in raising their children, he was very involved in the day-to-day care of them all. His wife Clara was a fine pianist in her own right, and often performed the compositions he wrote. His mental illness was misunderstood and he died in an institution in 1856.

Answer: Schubert

Put a foot cover with an animal called a grizzly, you get SHOE BEAR >>> Schubert.

Franz Schubert (27 Jan. 1797 - 19 Nov. 1828) was the only one of the great Viennese composers who was actually born in Vienna, Austria. He is considered to be the bridge between the Classical and the Romantic periods. He revered Beethoven and was a torch-bearer at his funeral in 1827. Despite living only 31 years, Schubert composed over 600 secular vocal works, mostly "leider," i.e. songs. He also penned seven complete symphonies and, famously, the so-called "unfinished symphony," which he may have just put aside and forgotten, as he was notoriously absent minded. Other works included sacred music, operas, and copious examples of chamber music.

Answer: Bach

The opposite of front is BACK >>> Bach

Johann Sebastien Bach is for many the father and the defining composer of the Baroque era, generally approximated as from 1600 to 1750, the date of Bach's death. A lesser known reality is that during his time, Bach was recognized as a skilled organist and musical mathematician, but his actual music compositions weren't highly appreciated, and could have been relegated to obscurity. Fortunately, he had the admiration of all-time greats Mozart and Beethoven; but it took several generations and the tenacity of Felix Mendelssohn to move him into his rightful place in the pantheon of great classical music composers. In 1829, seventy nine years after Bach's death, Mendelssohn brought Bach's "St. Matthew Passion," a major choral work which had languished for 100 years, to a public performance. This required a monumental effort by Mendelssohn to abridge and rehearse the work, thereby increasing its accessibility to the lay person. He was up to the task and the work debuted to much acclaim, sparking a revival in interest for all of the Bach canon. Thus Mendelssohn, in addition to his own deserved reputation as a great composer, is also, in effect, the "rescuer" of J. S. Bach.

Answer: Handel

To open a door, one uses a HANDLE >>> Handel.

George Frideric Handel was born in Halle, Germany in 1685. One of the great baroque composers, he is known for his anthems, operas, oratorios, and organ concertos. A tall, robust man who evidently enjoyed the finer things in life, he lived well and died wealthy and successful at age 74, unlike some of his less fortunate brethren in the pantheon of great composers. His 1711 opera "Rinaldo" captivated audiences in England, and he moved there several years later, eventually becoming a naturalized British subject in 1727. "The Great Bear," so known for his size and confident gait, became a much beloved cultural fixture for the Londoners of that time, and most Brits consider him one of their own to this day, despite his German birth, upbringing and education. His home at 25 Brook street has been restored to appear as it did when he lived there. More than 200 years later, legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix moved in next door and loved to mention the connection. Handel's best known work is "The Messiah," which resurrected his career after he'd suffered a stroke. He completed this masterpiece in 1741. He is buried in Westminster Abbey.

Answer: Haydn

Tryin' not to be seen is HIDIN' >>> Haydn.

Franz Joseph Haydn was born in Rohrau, Austria the same year as George Washington (1732), and died the day Abraham Lincoln was born (1809). He was an outstanding boy soprano in the St. Stephen's choir in Vienna from ages 8 to 17 until his voice changed. From humble beginnings, he had to struggle to find patronage and support. But, at 29 he was employed as Kapellmeister at Eszterhazy palace by one of the wealthiest families in all Europe. He held that position for 30 years and wrote most of his music for them. During this period his fame spread throughout Europe. He shared a close and mutually influential personal friendship with the younger Mozart, and in his later years also tutored Beethoven. Haydn was a key figure in the 18th century development of major forms/styles of classical music, earning him the sobriquet "the father of the symphony and the string quartet." Among his prolific body of work is his oratorio entitled, "The Creation," inspired by Handel's Messiah.

Answer: Chopin

Cuttin' wood is CHOPPIN' wood >>>Chopin

Polish piano virtuoso Fredric Chopin (1810-1849) was born and raised in Warsaw, then lived as an adult in Paris. He wrote mostly for solo piano. Like Mozart, he was a child prodigy, coming from a musically facile and talented family, writing poetry and music by age six, and performing for Polish aristocrats by age twelve. Unlike Mozart, he was extremely shy as an adult, performing infrequently, usually for small salon gatherings of wealthy Parisians. He preferred playing in the dark and would insist that candles be extinguished so he could withdraw into the music. Chopin had a ten year relationship with subversive feminist French writer Amantine Dupin, better known by her pen name of George Sand. He died of tuberculosis at age 39. Chopin is also known for the difficult challenge many of his pieces present for even the most expert pianists.

Answer: Bartok

Liquor is served at the BAR, and the sound the clock makes after tick is TOCK. >>>>>Bartok

Bela Bartok in many ways is the outlier in this quiz, being the only one to have seen the 20th century. He was born in an area of Hungary which is now part of Romania, on March 25, 1881. He is considered one of the most influential of all 20th century composers, although his work was often misunderstood and derided early in his composing career. He studied piano with his mother from age five, exhibited great talent, was composing music at age ten, and gave his first public performance when he was twelve. His early musical influences were the late romantic composers; Brahms, Wagner, Richard Strauss, and Franz Liszt. Despite being accepted at the prestigious Academy of Music in Vienna, he chose instead to attend the Academy in Budapest, an important decision as it led to a major directional change in his musical life. After hearing a young Transylvanian girl singing an unusually haunting folk song, he became fascinated with the sound and convinced fellow composer Zoltan Kodaly to travel with him throughout the country recording locals on a phonograph machine. Together they catalogued over 6000 samples, in essence pioneering the field of study now known as ethnomusicology.