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Matve's Music Challenge Trivia Quiz

Here is the first of Matve's fiendish classical music quizzes.

A multiple-choice quiz by Matve. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
Matve

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
76,118

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
4 / 10

Plays
824

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Which of the following operas was not written by Philip Glass? Hint

'Satyaghra'

'Einstein on the Beach'

'Nixon in China'

'Akhnaten'

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Question 2 of 10

2. Which of the following Haydn symphonies does NOT have a nickname? Hint

No. 45 in F sharp minor

No. 7 in C major

No. 31 in D major

No. 74 in E flat major

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Question 3 of 10

3. Which of these composers wrote MORE THAN one piece specifically for the classical guitar? Hint

Benjamin Britten

Francis Poulenc

Manuel de Falla

Lennox Berkeley

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Question 4 of 10

4. Which pianist and composer was labelled 'a mere mechanicus' by Mozart, after the two had competed? Hint

Johann Nepomuk Hummel

Christian Cannabich

Ludwig van Beethoven

Muzio Clementi

5. Shostakovich's opera 'Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk District', which earned the condemnation of Stalin, was later given what title? (NB - use the standard British system of transcription from Russian, which would render Tchaikovsky as Chaikovskii, Rachmaninov as Rakhmaninov, Scriabin as Skriabin, Prokofiev as Prokof'ev etc. Sorry if this is complicated... If you know the answer you'll know!)

Answer: (Two Words)

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Question 6 of 10

6. Which of these British women composers wrote 'The Dying of the Sun' (for solo guitar), 'The Valley of Hatsu-Se', and 'Lament of Isis on the Death of Osiris'? Hint

Janetta Gould

Imogen Holst

Elisabeth Lutyens

Rebecca Clarke

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Question 7 of 10

7. Which of these composers reached his 40th birthday? Hint

Franz Schubert

Frederic Chopin

Robert Schumann

Felix Mendelssohn

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Question 8 of 10

8. Which of these works was NOT written by the French composer Francis Poulenc? Hint

'Scaramouche Suite'

Sonata for flute and piano

Organ Concerto in Gm

Presto in B flat

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Question 9 of 10

9. Which of these German composers was chosen, along with Graupner, above J.S. Bach for the post of Director of Music in Leipzig, although Bach eventually did take the post owing to the withdrawal of the other two candidates? Hint

Johann Mattheson

Franz Xavier Richter

Johann Pachelbel

Georg Philipp Telemann

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Question 10 of 10

10. Finally, which Russian composer, who lived from 1859-1935, composed the 'Caucasian Sketches'? Just give the surname.

Answer: (Two Words)

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Which of the following operas was not written by Philip Glass?

Answer: 'Nixon in China'

'Nixon in China' is an opera by John Adams.

2. Which of the following Haydn symphonies does NOT have a nickname?

Answer: No. 74 in E flat major

No. 45 is known as the 'Farewell' symphony, no. 31 as the 'Hornsignal', and no. 7 as 'Le Midi' (in the trilogy 'Le Matin' - 'Le Midi' - 'Le Soir').

3. Which of these composers wrote MORE THAN one piece specifically for the classical guitar?

Answer: Lennox Berkeley

The others wrote only one each: Britten wrote 'Nocturnal after John Dowland' for Julian Bream, Falla wrote 'Homenaje a Claude Debussy', and Poulenc wrote a 'Sarabande'. Berkeley wrote a Guitar Concerto, as well as a Sonatina and a Theme and Variations.

4. Which pianist and composer was labelled 'a mere mechanicus' by Mozart, after the two had competed?

Answer: Muzio Clementi

Hummel (1778-1837) was a pupil of Mozart, and later a very proficient concert {pianist;} Cannabich (1731-1798) was described by Mozart as 'the best director I have ever {seen';} Beethoven (1770-1827) was also apparently praised by him. Clementi (1752-1832), however, was the 'mere mechanicus' in question, although he was very successful.

Answer: Katerina Ismailova

Other stage works by Shostakovich include 'The Nose', based on Gogol', and the ballet 'The Golden Age.

6. Which of these British women composers wrote 'The Dying of the Sun' (for solo guitar), 'The Valley of Hatsu-Se', and 'Lament of Isis on the Death of Osiris'?

Answer: Elisabeth Lutyens

She was the daughter of the famous architect Edward Lutyens, and lived from 1906-1984.

7. Which of these composers reached his 40th birthday?

Answer: Robert Schumann

Schumann was 46 when he died. Chopin was 39, Mendelssohn 38, and Schubert did even worse, only managing to clock up 31 years.

8. Which of these works was NOT written by the French composer Francis Poulenc?

Answer: 'Scaramouche Suite'

It was by Darius Milhaud, Poulenc's contemporary, and fellow 'member' of Les Six. The Organ Concerto is one of Poulenc's most popular pieces, a mixture of Bach and Gallic {corniness;} the flute sonata is a late work, also very {popular;} the Presto in B flat is an extremely difficult piano piece written for Vladimir Horowitz.

Answer: Georg Philipp Telemann

Telemann was the most popular German composer of his day. Although he implicity criticised Bach's style of music for its over-complexity, the two were friends, and Telemann was godfather to Bach's son, Carl Philipp Emanuel (who took his middle name).

10. Finally, which Russian composer, who lived from 1859-1935, composed the 'Caucasian Sketches'? Just give the surname.

Answer: Ippolitov-Ivanov

Mikhail Mikhailovich Ippolitov-Ivanov was a pupil of Rimsky-Korsakov, and showed much of his influence in his works. He drew from Caucasian, Uzbek and Armenian folk {music;} his style was essentially quite conservative.

Source: Author Matve

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