Classics for Easter Trivia Quiz

Answer: Regina Caeli

The "Regina Caeli" is the shortest of the Marian antiphons; the text, translated into English, is: "Queen of Heaven, rejoice (alleluia!), for he whom thou wast worthy to bear (alleluia!) has risen as he said (alleluia!). Pray for us to God (alleluia!).
Mozart seems to have been particularly fond of this text; he composed three setting of it, including one version (K. 108) that is practically a mini-cantata. Palestrina wrote a motet setting based on the Gregorian melody, as well as a mass based on the motet.

Answer: Christ Lag in Todesbanden (Christ Lay in the Bonds of Death)

The cantata #4 for Easter Sunday, "Christ Lag in Todesbanden", is based on the traditional Lutheran chorale of the same name. This chorale is notable in that the text and melody are derived from the sequence for the Catholic Easter Sunday liturgy, "Victimae Paschali Laudes" ("Praise Ye the Paschal Victim"). Rather than exulting in the joy of Easter, this cantata vividly describes the combat between Death and Life (memorably embodied in the great chorus "Es War ein Wunderlicher Krieg") and of Christ's victory over the dominion of Death.

Answer: True

The "Easter Oratorio" ("Kommt, Eilet und Laufet") went through several incarnations before arriving at its present state. It began as a secular birthday cantata (BWV 249a: "Entfliehet, Verschwindet")for Duke Christian of Saxe-Weisenfels. Since this was very much a "piece d'occasion', Bach reworked it in 1725 as an Easter cantata.

He revamped it once again as a birthday cantata (BWV 249b: "Verjaget, Zerstreuet") for Count Joachim Friedrich von Flemming; it arrived at its present state in around 1730.

The oratorio contains two of Bach's most beautiful arias, the tenor's (Peter's) "Sanfte Soll Mein Todeskummer" ("Softly Now, My Fear of Death") and the alto's (Mary Magdalene's) "Saget, Mir Geschwinde" ("Tell me, Where is He").

Answer: Part II

Part 2 opens with the sombre chorus "Behold the Lamb of God", and contains the great set of three choruses: "Surely He Hath Borne Our Griefs", "And With His Stripes", and "All We Like Sheep Have Gone Astray", as well as the great alto aria "He Was Despised", and the poignant tenor recitative "Thy Rebuke Hath Broken His Heart".

The joy of the Resurrection and Ascension is expressed in the tenor aria "But Thou Didst Not Leave His Soul in Hell", the jubilant chorus "Let All the Angels of God", and the delightful "Lift Up Your Heads, O ye Gates". Part II goes on to relate the spread of the Gospel and the universal dominion of Christ.

The famous "Hallelujah" chorus, which closes Part II, has been used both as a Christmas and an Easter piece; actually it is neither, but celebrates the reign of Christ over all the earth, using a text from the "Book of Revelations".

Answer: Franz Schubert

This harmonically fascinating chorus (D440), with its chromatically ascending motion, proclaims the tragic Gretchen's ultimate salvation. Although strictly speaking it is not an Easter piece, it can be (and has been) performed apart from the "Scenes from Goethe's Faust". It is an overlooked gem of Schubert's choral repertoire.

Answer: Hector Berlioz

Berlioz reworked the "Resurrexit" (the part of the Creed, or Credo, which describes the Resurrection) for parts of his "Te Deum", "Requiem" ("Gran Messe des Morts"; it was reworked for the "Dies Irae"), and the opera "Benvenuto Cellini" (the Carnival scene).

Answer: Nicolai Rimsky Korsakov

Rimsky-Korsakov's "Svetlyi Prazdnik" ("Russian Easter Overture", opus 36), along with the "Capriccio Espagnol" and "Scheherezade", is one of his best-loved and most popular orchestral works. Pre-eminent among his contemporaries for his brilliance in orchestration, Rimsky-Korsakov here combines the fervor of Russian Christianity (as embodied in traditional hymn and chant themes) with an unbridled and barbaric splendor recalling Russia's pagan antiquity.

Answer: Mascagni's "Cavellaria Rusticana"

"Cavelleria Rusticana" is the only work of Pietro Mascagni's to have achieved lasting popularity (though his comic opera "L'Amico Fritz", with its lovely "Cherry Duet" is occasionally revived). Written in 1889 to be entered into a contest, Mascagni was dissatisfied with the work and had thrown it away; his wife rescued it from the trash and sent it to the publishers.

It won first prize and was a resounding success at its premiere in Rome. Within two years, it achieved fame worldwide; sadly, Mascagni would never match its success.

He later said of "Cavelleria": "I was crowned before I became king." Based on Giovanni Verga's story of the same name, the opera focuses on the character of Santuzza (a lesser character in the story), a village girl who loves a former soldier named Turridu and has conceived his child out of wedlock. Turridu is still in love with Lola, his erstwhile betrothed who married another while he was away fighting in the army. Turridu turned to Santuzza for comfort, but soon began an adulterous affair with Lola.

The desperate Santuzza has been excommunicated for her sin and is consumed with rage against her rival. Unable to enter the church for the Easter mass, she leads the ensemble outside the church in the Easter Hymn ("Regina Caeli, Laetare; Ineggiamo al Signor"). The famous "Intermezzo", performed between the first and second scenes of the opera, is based on the melody of the "Regina Caeli". Evoking the peace of an Easter Sunday in the Sicilian countryside, it provides a welcome moment of respite before the opera's tragic and bloody conclusion.

Answer: Victor Herbert

Herbert had an extensive classical background; he was an accomplished cellist and had played first chair at the Metropolitan Opera. His wife was a prominent operatic soprano who had performed in the American premiere of Verdi's "Aida". Of these two rarely performed pieces, "An Easter Dawn" dates from 1917 and uses a text by Glen MacDonough. "Christ is Arisen", with words by the composer himself, is of an unknown date.

Answer: Ralph Vaughan Williams

The "Five Mystical Songs" for baritone, chorus and orchestra, are settings of texts by the 17th century lyric poet George Herbert; the other pieces in the grouping are "I Got Me Flowers", "Love Bade Me Welcome", "The Call", and "Antiphon: Let All the World in Every Corner Ring".

The latter has also been memorably set to music by William Walton; the text is a standard hymn of the Anglican church. The rapt exaltation of "Easter" sets the tone of the work; particularly memorable are the lines: "Awake, my lute, and struggle for thy part
With all thy art.
The cross taught all wood to resound his name
Who bore the same.His stretched sinews taught all strings, what key
Is best to celebrate this most high day."