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The Brahms/Wagner Battles Trivia Quiz

Brahms and Wagner were two of the most popular composers of the 19th century. But their supporters didn't get along. How much do you know about these composers and their rivalry?

A multiple-choice quiz by Arpeggionist. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
Arpeggionist

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
160,032

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
396

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. What was the age difference between Wagner and Brahms? Hint

10 years

30 years

5 years

20 years

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Question 2 of 10

2. To which composer did Wagner owe his reputation? Hint

Robert Schumann

Ludwig van Beethoven

Peter Cornelius

Franz Liszt

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Question 3 of 10

3. To which composer did Brahms owe his fame during his 20s? Hint

Robert Schumann

Franz Liszt

Joseph Joachim

Felix Mendelssohn

4. Philip Hale, the notable 19th-century music critic, once wrote in a review: "Someone should have a large door in Symphony Hall with a sign saying in big red letters: 'EMERGENCY EXIT, IN CASE OF BRAHMS'." Where was this review written? Hint

Paris

New York

Boston

London

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Question 5 of 10

5. Complete the following quote by Brahms: "My fingers itch to do battle, to begin to write anti-_____." Hint

Liszt

war

Wagner

semitic music

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Question 6 of 10

6. This musician, who was famous for performing both Brahms and Wagner, was also said to "baptize the infidels with a firehose". Who was the musician? Hint

Hans von Buelow

Karl Tausig

Eduard Hanslick

Franz Liszt

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Question 7 of 10

7. This conductor gave Brahms much-appreciated advice in orchestration matters, but wound up conducting the premiere of Wagner's 'Parsifal'. Who was he? Hint

Hans von Buelow

Franz Liszt

Engelbert Humperdinck

Hermann Levi

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. When Brahms heard of Wagner's death during a rehearsal of a choral piece, he stopped the rehearsal and said: "Today we sing no more, for a master has died."

True

False

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Question 9 of 10

9. Tchaikovsky referred to Brahms as a "self-inflated mediocrity" and worse names than that.

True

False

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Question 10 of 10

10. In which city did Wagner die? Hint

Paris

Bayreuth

Venice

Bonn

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What was the age difference between Wagner and Brahms?

Answer: 20 years

Wagner was born in Leipzig in 1813. Brahms was born in Hamburg in 1833.

2. To which composer did Wagner owe his reputation?

Answer: Franz Liszt

The nicest thing Wagner ever said about anyone was in a note to Liszt after the Hungarian composer had premiered his opera 'Lohengrin'. Wagner said: "If you hadn't played that piece I would probably have taken my own life." Then he thanked Liszt profusely.

3. To which composer did Brahms owe his fame during his 20s?

Answer: Robert Schumann

Strangely, Brahms did not dedicate a single piece to Robert Schumann: he didn't think any of his first opus numbers were worthy of it. Schumann only saw one or two of Brahms's pieces in the process of composition before he died in 1856.

Answer: Boston

Philip Hale was well known in Boston for his wit. Incidentally, he loved Schumann's music.

5. Complete the following quote by Brahms: "My fingers itch to do battle, to begin to write anti-_____."

Answer: Liszt

If you guessed Wagner, you were not far off. Not too long afterwards, Brahms and Joachim wrote a manifesto against the music of Liszt and Wagner. In fact, Brahms had much less respect for Liszt than he had for Wagner. If you guessed anti-semitic music, you were way off. Wagner was a famous anti-semite; Brahms had many close Jewish friends.

6. This musician, who was famous for performing both Brahms and Wagner, was also said to "baptize the infidels with a firehose". Who was the musician?

Answer: Hans von Buelow

As far as I know, Liszt never played a single piece by Brahms in public. Hans von Buelow, the conductor, was known for occasional eccentricities. Once, after performing Beethoven's 9th symphony, when the audience didn't show enough appreciation, he conducted the entire monstrous work again.

7. This conductor gave Brahms much-appreciated advice in orchestration matters, but wound up conducting the premiere of Wagner's 'Parsifal'. Who was he?

Answer: Hermann Levi

Hans von Buelow, the eminent pianist/conductor of the 19th century, started to appreciate Brahms's music only after he had heard the first two symphonies. By then, Brahms felt confident in the fine art of instrumentation. Hermann Levi was the composer's friend very early on, and Brahms needed his advice for some of the earliest orchestral works such as the Haydn variations or his 'Song of Destiny'.

8. When Brahms heard of Wagner's death during a rehearsal of a choral piece, he stopped the rehearsal and said: "Today we sing no more, for a master has died."

Answer: True

Contrary to popular belief, Brahms actually had a great amount of respect for Wagner. He even owned the score of 'Das Rheingold'. The piece which Brahms stopped mid-rehearsal was a fitting one, the 'Gesang der Parzen' ('Song of the Fates').

9. Tchaikovsky referred to Brahms as a "self-inflated mediocrity" and worse names than that.

Answer: True

Tchaikovsky's diary is filled with stories about how he resents Brahms, and how "compared to him, Raff is a giant". Incidentally, Tchaikovsky and Brahms shared the same birthday, May 7th.

10. In which city did Wagner die?

Answer: Venice

Wagner died during a vacation with his wife, Cosima, in Venice, on February 13th, 1883. Brahms died of liver cancer on April 3rd, 1897.

Source: Author Arpeggionist

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Matve before going online.
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