# Christmas 2009 Quiz



## Artemis (Dec 8, 2007)

It has been a little quiet recently so here's a little Xmas season quiz to stimulate the grey matter. You never know, you may learn something.

It's an old-fashioned type of quiz, for which the simple rules are:

The first person to get the correct answer goes on to ask the next question. The person who asked the question indicates whether a correct answer was given and nominates the next person to ask the next question.

No Googling

Q1. To whom was Brahms' famous *Alto Rhapsody* dedicated? Was it:


Franz Liszt
Brahms' mother
Julie Schumann
Richard Wagner
Brahms' house cleaner
Clara Schumann
The landlord's wife at Brahms' favourite tavern, The Red Hedgehog
Brahms' friend and violinist Joseph Joachim
Ludwig van Beethoven
Brahms' sister Elise


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## Fsharpmajor (Dec 14, 2008)

Well, it probably wasn't Wagner.

I'll say Clara Schumann, but that's just a guess.


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## Artemis (Dec 8, 2007)

Fsharpmajor said:


> Well, it probably wasn't Wagner.
> 
> I'll say Clara Schumann, but that's just a guess.


Not a bad guess but it's not correct.

BTW, I did happen to know the answer to this question before asking it, but that's because Brahms life and works is something that interests me.

This work, the Alto Rhapsody Opus 53, was written in 1869, when Brahms was 36. In case it may not be known by all, it's a famous choral work only about 11-12 minutes long and is one of Brahms' most sublime pieces. There are several good versions but my favourite is Janet Baker/Sir Adrian Boult/LPO.


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## Il Seraglio (Sep 14, 2009)

I'll guess his mother? I think I heard somewhere that Brahms and his mother were really close.


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## Artemis (Dec 8, 2007)

Il Seraglio said:


> I'll guess his mother? I think I heard somewhere that Brahms and his mother were really close.


Sorry, no. He was inspired to write the Requiem by his mother's death.

To give a clue, it was someone he allegedly rather fancied at one stage, and he was straight! Come on now, I've virtually told you.


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

Julie Schumann.


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## Artemis (Dec 8, 2007)

World Violist said:


> Julie Schumann.


Thank heavens. I thought I was going to be stuck with this until Xmas 2010.

There were rumours that Johannes and Julie (the third child of Robert & Clara, who was born in 1845) had a bit of a fling but it never came to anything. Clara was said to be none too pleased when the rumours came to her attention. The relationship between all three of them then cooled somewhat. Brahms composed the _Alto Rhapsody_ once he heard that Julie was about to be married and he gave it to her as a wedding gift.

So now it's your turn. It might be interesting if you can list a number of plausible answers (some daft ones also permitted).

Remember, no Googling.


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

Artemis said:


> So now it's your turn. It might be interesting if you can list a number of plausible answers (some daft ones also permitted).


Oh gosh, I hope you don't mean me... I don't do questions about mainstream composers that well.

Hope you don't mind questions about conductors. The subject doesn't specify.

Pierre Boulez has said that a certain opera production would be his last. Which opera?

-Berg: Wozzeck
-Schoenberg: Moses und Aron
-Verdi: Aida
-Janáček: From the House of the Dead
-Smetana: The Bartered Bride
-Wagner: Parsifal
-He said no such thing, you stupid liar.


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## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

He said no such thing


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

emiellucifuge said:


> He said no such thing


Yes he did, actually.


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## Artemis (Dec 8, 2007)

World Violist said:


> Hope you don't mind questions about conductors. The subject doesn't specify.


Any questions about classical music: composers, conductors, instruments, orchestras, virtuosos, etc. But nothing too technical about music theory.


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

Artemis said:


> Any questions about classical music: composers, conductors, instruments, orchestras, virtuosos, etc. But nothing too technical about music theory.


Alright, sounds good. I'm sticking with my question, then.


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## Artemis (Dec 8, 2007)

World Violist said:


> Alright, sounds good. I'm sticking with my question, then.


Good question but I'm keeping out of this one.


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## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

Can I retry?

I think it would be Wozzeck


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

emiellucifuge said:


> I think it would be Wozzeck


Nope. Good guess, though.


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

If nobody else guesses by the new year, should I just say the answer so we can move on with our lives beyond guessing what Boulez's last opera production will be?

Just a thought.


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## SalieriIsInnocent (Feb 28, 2008)

From the house of the dead


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

SalieriIsInnocent said:


> From the house of the dead


Yes. Your turn!


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## SalieriIsInnocent (Feb 28, 2008)

Ok,
12 is the number I am known for. I invented Dodecaphony. 

Igor Stravinsky
Gustav Holst
Modest Mussorgsky
Arnold Schoenberg
Richard Wagner
Samuel Barber
Gustav Mahler
Maurice Ravel
John Williams


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## Romantic Geek (Dec 25, 2009)

Schoenberg?


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## SalieriIsInnocent (Feb 28, 2008)

Yes!!! You are correct


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## Romantic Geek (Dec 25, 2009)

Mozart wrote many solo piano pieces throughout his short, albeit, productive career. Which of his 18 piano sonatas is often performed with his Fantasia #4 K. 475 because of related motivic material between the two pieces? 

(Koechel number or Sonata number will do.)


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## Artemis (Dec 8, 2007)

Romantic Geek said:


> Mozart wrote many solo piano pieces throughout his short, albeit, productive career. Which of his 18 piano sonatas is often performed with his Fantasia #4 K. 475 because of related motivic material between the two pieces?
> 
> (Koechel number or Sonata number will do.)


I don't know the answer to this and am guessing. I see that the Fantasia K 475 is in C minor and was written about 1785. The nearest piano sonata in style and date, also in C minor, is No 14, K 457. Is that it? Both of my versions are by Mitsuko Uchida on separate CDs.


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## Romantic Geek (Dec 25, 2009)

Correct. K. 475 is believed to be written before K. 457. Many pianist perform the two pieces together, the Fantasia as an opening to the sonata.


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## Artemis (Dec 8, 2007)

O dear, back to me.

Here's one for T-C's opera fans (including any Mods).

In which opera does the aria *M'appari Tutt'amor* appear?



Donizetti _L'elisir d'amore_
Fleetwood Mac_ Rumours_
 Flotow _Martha_
 Handel _Giulio Cesare_
 Mascagni _Cavalleria Rusticana_
 Meyerbeer _Les Huguenots_
 Mozart _La Clemenza di Tito_
 Mozart _Cosi Fan Tutte_
Pink Floyd_ Wish You Were Here_
 Puccini _Madama Butterfly_
 Springstee_n Born to Run_
 Verdi _La Traviata_
 Rossini _La Gazza Ladra_


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

Oh what the heck, I'll go with the Donizetti. L'elisir d'amore.


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## Artemis (Dec 8, 2007)

World Violist said:


> Oh what the heck, I'll go with the Donizetti. L'elisir d'amore.


That's the spirit, but you're wrong.


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## danae (Jan 7, 2009)

La Traviata???


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## handlebar (Mar 19, 2009)

Martha. Pavarotti did this well. I'm NOT an opera fan (except Mozart) so don't ask me how I knew that. 

Jim


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## Artemis (Dec 8, 2007)

handlebar said:


> Martha. Pavarotti did this well. I'm NOT an opera fan (except Mozart) so don't ask me how I knew that.
> 
> Jim


Well done. It wasn't easy.

So it's over to Jim for the next next gripping instalment. I trust you realised that's the price for getting it right. Nothing too difficult for the next round. Keep it going.

As a gesture of thanks (and relief) for getting this off my plate and onto Jim's )), I attach a copy of the version of this very catchy aria I happen to have, sung by Roberto Alagna.


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## handlebar (Mar 19, 2009)

Artemis said:


> Well done. It wasn't easy.
> 
> So it's over to Jim for the next next gripping instalment. I trust you realised that's the price for getting it right. Nothing too difficult for the next round. Keep it going.
> 
> As a gesture of thanks (and relief) for getting this off my plate and onto Jim's )), I attach a copy of the version of this very catchy aria I happen to have, sung by Roberto Alagna.


Well done aria for Alagna.

Here is another question:

In the film "Impromptu", a classic about Chopin and Sand, who played the role of Alfred De Musset??

Jim


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## Air (Jul 19, 2008)

This thread stagnates, so I will disregard the rules and ask another question.

Can anyone guess who my avatar is? Hint... he's a pianist... and yes, your eyes are not deceiving you, he is working the bag!


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

I don't even know who played Chopin in Impromptu, but I did enjoy that film. I didn't think it old enough to be a classic. Wild guess -- Alan Rickman, just because I think he's a fantastic actor, and bearded he might resemble the playwright.

I don't have a clue who the pianist is in Air's avatar pic. Looks vaguely like 1960's "drunken" comedian Foster Brooks. Is it Arrau?


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## boredtodeath (Jan 3, 2010)

Avatar=Rosenthal


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## Air (Jul 19, 2008)

boredtodeath said:


> Avatar=Rosenthal


Right. Your turn.


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## boredtodeath (Jan 3, 2010)

OK, who was the famed Russian composer whose son died at a very early age in a boating accident, after writing 4 preludes?


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## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

Rachmaninov!! Im pretty sure i know this...


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## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

NOONONONONONO Its SCRIABIN!!!


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## boredtodeath (Jan 3, 2010)

Hi emiellucifuge, Yes, it is Scriabin. His son Julian died aged 11 around 1918. Your turn!


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## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

He was apparently a gifted prodigy!

This composers teacher at the conservatory detested the music of grieg, so when exam time came, the composer managed to include many grieg quotations in his composition.

Which composer?


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## handlebar (Mar 19, 2009)

Air said:


> This thread stagnates, so I will disregard the rules and ask another question.
> 
> Can anyone guess who my avatar is? Hint... he's a pianist... and yes, your eyes are not deceiving you, he is working the bag!


So you won't answer my question and start another line up. How nice of you 

Talk about stagnation.


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## Air (Jul 19, 2008)

handlebar said:


> So you won't answer my question and start another line up. How nice of you
> 
> Talk about stagnation.


Your question is still in play, I assure you! 

Jim (handlebar)'s question from a few posts back was:



> In the film "Impromptu", a classic about Chopin and Sand, who played the role of Alfred De Musset??


So can anyone answer it?

Didn't mean to step on anyone's toes, by the way, and if I did, I apologize for that.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Air said:


> So can anyone answer it?


Oh all right. Mandy Patinkin. I had to google it as I could only remember Judy Davis, and Hugh Grant taking effete to a new level.

This thread has definitely inspired me to watch this movie again though.


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## handlebar (Mar 19, 2009)

Air said:


> Your question is still in play, I assure you!
> 
> Jim (handlebar)'s question from a few posts back was:
> 
> ...


Oh I was teasing actually. Nobody here could ever offend me 

Jim


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## handlebar (Mar 19, 2009)

mamascarlatti said:


> Oh all right. Mandy Patinkin. I had to google it as I could only remember Judy Davis, and Hugh Grant taking effete to a new level.
> 
> This thread has definitely inspired me to watch this movie again though.


Correct!!! Great film and highly underrated. Many fine actors and a delightful comedy.

I LOVE Hugh Grant!!!

Jim


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## Artemis (Dec 8, 2007)

handlebar said:


> Correct!!! Great film and highly underrated. Many fine actors and a delightful comedy.
> 
> I LOVE Hugh Grant!!!
> 
> Jim


Good question. Now the answer is sorted, if Jim's happy it might be best to move on to the question posed by _emiellucifuge _which was:
_He was apparently a gifted prodigy!_

_ This composers teacher at the conservatory detested the music of grieg, so when exam time came, the composer managed to include many grieg quotations in his composition._

_ Which composer?_​


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## handlebar (Mar 19, 2009)

How about Stenhammer? 

Jim


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## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

Actually, allow me to correct. HE did not quote Grieg, he used a theme by Grieg for a set of Variations.

And no Stenhammar, is wrong im afraid. Its not a Scandinavian.


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## handlebar (Mar 19, 2009)

How about Strauss.


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## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

Again no


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## SalieriIsInnocent (Feb 28, 2008)

Camille Saint Saens?


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