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Piano and Pianists Trivia Quiz

This quiz is for the musical elite, those who can identify obscure names and performances quickly, and from memory. Up to the challenge? Go ahead and try!

A multiple-choice quiz by Arrau2000. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
Arrau2000

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
33,809

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
6 / 15

Plays
961

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. The pianist Ignace Tiegerman, known as the 'Lost Legend of Cairo', lived in Egypt much of his life. Where was he born? (Country) Hint

Germany

Russia

Poland

Czechoslavakia

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Question 2 of 15

2. At Vladimir Horowitz' 1965 comeback recital, he had spent many years away from the concert stage. In what year did he retire, as a result of a nervous breakdown caused by spastic colitis? Hint

1953

1937

1949

1952

3. Name the pianist who dazzling recorded Andrei Schulz-Evler's finger busting transcription of Strauss' 'The Beautiful Blue Danube' in 1928. Hint: His wife was a famous pianist and teacher in her own right. Hint

Josef Hofmann

Jorge Bolet

Benno Moiseiwitsch

Josef Lhevinne

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Question 4 of 15

4. Claudio Arrau, the distinguished Chilean pianist, did a series of historical recitals traversing the complete piano repertoire in what city? Hint

Mexico City

Chicago

Berlin

Paris

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Question 5 of 15

5. Leopold Godowsky wrote celebrated 'Metamorphoses' on the works of what composer? Hint

Georges Enescu

Johann Sebastian Bach

Fritz Kreisler

Johann Strauss Jr.

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Question 6 of 15

6. The pianist Jorge Bolet hails from what country? Hint

Cuba

Spain

Argentina

Bolivia

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Question 7 of 15

7. What is the third movement of Maurice Ravel's insanely difficult 'Gaspard de la nuit' titled? Hint

Scarbo

Ondine

Le Gibet

La Valse

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Question 8 of 15

8. Speaking of 'Gaspard de la nuit,' what pianist premiered the piece after working intensely with the composer? Hint

Claude Debussy

Vlado Perlemuter

Ricardo Vines

Robert Casadesus

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Question 9 of 15

9. The legendary Arthur Rubinstein was most known for his interpretations of what composer? Hint

Heitor Villa-Lobos

Franz Liszt

Frederic Chopin

Johannes Brahms

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Question 10 of 15

10. What French pianist collaborated with the puppet government of Vichy France, and was therefore banned from performing in France for a number of years? Hint

Alfred Cortot

Jacques Ibert

Walter Gieseking

Victor Laszlo

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Question 11 of 15

11. The Lithuanian and French pianist Vlado Perlemuter recorded exclusively for what label in his later years? Hint

Nimbus

EMI

RCA

Sony Classics

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Question 12 of 15

12. Sergei Rachmaninov recorded his 2nd Piano Concerto with the Philadelphia Orchestra led by what famously flamboyant conductor? Hint: Watch 'Fantasia' Hint

Eugene Ormandy

Leopold Stokowski

Adrian Boult

Lorin Maazel

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Question 13 of 15

13. Vladimir Horowitz was close friends with what violinist, who was managed early on by Horowitz' manager, Alexander Merovitch? Hint

Mischa Elman

Jascha Heifetz

Nathan Milstein

Yehudi Menuhin

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Question 14 of 15

14. What pianist died during a performance of the Grieg Piano Concerto at Carnegie Hall in 1951? Hint

Grigory Ginsburg

Ignaz Friedman

Lev Oborin

Simon Barere

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Question 15 of 15

15. Finally, the toughest of them all. Ignaz Friedman was born in what Polish town in 1882, the same town as Josef Hofmann? Hint

Vilnius

Podgorze

Krakow

Warsaw

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The pianist Ignace Tiegerman, known as the 'Lost Legend of Cairo', lived in Egypt much of his life. Where was he born? (Country)

Answer: Poland

Tiegerman is one of the greatest, albeit lesser known pianists of the 20th Century. His teacher, Ignaz Friedman, called him 'My best pupil-a great musical talent.'

2. At Vladimir Horowitz' 1965 comeback recital, he had spent many years away from the concert stage. In what year did he retire, as a result of a nervous breakdown caused by spastic colitis?

Answer: 1953

Horowitz gave up performing in 1953, and many thought him finished, although he continued to record Clementi, Scriabin, and eventually switched from the label RCA to Columbia Masterworks. This switch brought about his return in 1965 to Carnegie Hall.

Answer: Josef Lhevinne

Josef Lhevinne was a fellow student of the great pianist and composer Sergei Rachmaninov, who considered him a good personal friend.

4. Claudio Arrau, the distinguished Chilean pianist, did a series of historical recitals traversing the complete piano repertoire in what city?

Answer: Mexico City

Arrau was known for his interpretations of the Germanic masterworks, especially Beethoven and Schumann.

5. Leopold Godowsky wrote celebrated 'Metamorphoses' on the works of what composer?

Answer: Johann Strauss Jr.

Godowsky's transcriptions of Strauss' music, three waltzes, 'Kunstlerleben', 'Die Fledermaus' and 'Wine, Women and Song,' are considered some of the most difficult pieces of music written for piano.

6. The pianist Jorge Bolet hails from what country?

Answer: Cuba

Bolet's most well known recording is from a 1974 recital at Carnegie Hall, which was capped by an unbelievable performance of Liszt's transcription of Wagner's 'Tannhauser Overture'.

7. What is the third movement of Maurice Ravel's insanely difficult 'Gaspard de la nuit' titled?

Answer: Scarbo

This piece is generally agreed to be one of the most difficult things written for piano.

8. Speaking of 'Gaspard de la nuit,' what pianist premiered the piece after working intensely with the composer?

Answer: Ricardo Vines

Vines also premiered most of the works of the composer Claude Debussy.

9. The legendary Arthur Rubinstein was most known for his interpretations of what composer?

Answer: Frederic Chopin

Rubinstein is now remembered as one of the first pianists to interpret Chopin not as a weakling, but a red-blooded patriot.

10. What French pianist collaborated with the puppet government of Vichy France, and was therefore banned from performing in France for a number of years?

Answer: Alfred Cortot

Cortot was a pianistic genius who often played sloppily as a result of lack of practicing, but certainly not a lack of technique: listen to his recording of the Liszt Sonata or the 3rd Chopin Sonata.

11. The Lithuanian and French pianist Vlado Perlemuter recorded exclusively for what label in his later years?

Answer: Nimbus

Perlemuter's interpretation of the Liszt Sonata, although slower than usual, is well worth listening to.

12. Sergei Rachmaninov recorded his 2nd Piano Concerto with the Philadelphia Orchestra led by what famously flamboyant conductor? Hint: Watch 'Fantasia'

Answer: Leopold Stokowski

Stokowski is reknowned for his own transcriptions of Bach for full orchestra.

13. Vladimir Horowitz was close friends with what violinist, who was managed early on by Horowitz' manager, Alexander Merovitch?

Answer: Nathan Milstein

Nathan Milstein's interpretations of Bach are unparalleled.

14. What pianist died during a performance of the Grieg Piano Concerto at Carnegie Hall in 1951?

Answer: Simon Barere

Barere certainly played faster than any other pianist, alive or dead, although his interpretations suffered at times as a result.

15. Finally, the toughest of them all. Ignaz Friedman was born in what Polish town in 1882, the same town as Josef Hofmann?

Answer: Podgorze

Friedman's best performance is that of Chopin's Etude op 25 no.6, a true whirlwind of pianism.

Source: Author Arrau2000

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