# Classical Music Trivia Anyone?



## Room2201974 (Jan 23, 2018)

Question number 1:

In what famous successful performance does the performer not play a right note? (The correct answer identifies the performer and the piece of music that was performed.)

Question number 2:

Which piece in the standard repertoire is never performed with any right notes?

Now, there are at least two different answers to the questions above, but I'm guessing with this group we may come up with others....and hopefully that will be the fun in it.

Shall we begin?


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

Why couldn't Mozart find his music teacher?


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## Allegro Con Brio (Jan 3, 2020)

Room2201974 said:


> Question number 1:
> 
> In what famous successful performance does the performer not play a right note? (The correct answer identifies the performer and the piece of music that was performed.)
> 
> ...


What a fun thread idea! I have possible answers for both these questions- #1, I believe was a live recording by Rubinstein (or was it Richter?), of Chopin's Ballade No. 1. #2, There's probably lots of these due to transpositions, but the most famous is probably "Air on the D String" from Bach's 2nd Orchestral Suite. The original version is in G major, but for some reason when it's played stand-alone (e.g. on "relaxing classical music" albums or compilations) it's always transposed to D. Haven't the slightest inkling why, it's breathtakingly beautiful as it is.


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## Room2201974 (Jan 23, 2018)

Allegro Con Brio said:


> What a fun thread idea! I have possible answers for both these questions- #1, I believe was a live recording by Rubinstein (or was it Richter?), of Chopin's Ballade No. 1. #2, There's probably lots of these due to transpositions, but the most famous is probably "Air on the D String" from Bach's 2nd Orchestral Suite. The original version is in G major, but for some reason when it's played stand-alone (e.g. on "relaxing classical music" albums or compilations) it's always transposed to D. Haven't the slightest inkling why, it's breathtakingly beautiful as it is.


Not the specific answers I was looking for, but wonderful examples. Thanks!


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## Forsooth (Apr 17, 2018)

Room2201974 said:


> Question number 1:
> 
> In what famous successful performance does the performer not play a right note? (The correct answer identifies the performer and the piece of music that was performed.)
> 
> ...


Question 2: Ravel, Piano Concerto for the Left Hand in D major. No "right" (hand) notes? Ravel is not one of my favs, so I don't know much about his works...


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## Forsooth (Apr 17, 2018)

MarkW said:


> Why couldn't Mozart find his music teacher?


Cause he was Haydn.


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## Room2201974 (Jan 23, 2018)

Forsooth said:


> Question 2: Ravel, Piano Concerto for the Left Hand in D major. No "right" (hand) notes? Ravel is not one of my favs, so I don't know much about his works...


Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a winner and the correct answer to question 2. But the first question was always the hardest.


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

Room2201974 said:


> Question number 1:
> 
> In what famous successful performance does the performer not play a right note? (The correct answer identifies the performer and the piece of music that was performed.)


I do have the following vinyl record in my collection. This one goes way back:









This version of the release VOX STPL 513.080 actually features a performance of Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy's Violin Concerto in E minor on Side A, _not_ the Tchaikovsky Concerto which is advertised. Side A plays approximately 25 minutes. No documentation is available for this recording. Sleeve notes discuss the Tchaikovsky and Paganini Concertos.

I've had this album since I was a youngster, and I likely listened to it the first several times thinking I was actually hearing Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto when I was actually hearing the Mendelssohn. Don't exactly recall when I go straight on these two works, but I do still have a tendency of mixing them up when I hear snatches of one or the other, say on the radio. Is that Tchaikovsky … or is it Mendelssohn …? (I wonder why.)

In any case, I'm sure this isn't the answer to your query. But on this record, someone is playing every note of the Tchaikovsky Concerto _not right_. (But at the same time they sure do a great job with the unmentioned Mendelssohn.)

Ironically, perhaps, the Sleeve Notes for this release begin with the words: "Tchaikovsky had bad luck..." Apparently that is true. He was not lucky enough to have his Concerto pressed on side A of this disc.


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## Room2201974 (Jan 23, 2018)

No, not the right answer, but I'm giving you bonus points for a great story and a great one liner. :lol:


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

Heifetz's recorded the Sibelius violin concerto several times. The notes to the reissue of the wonderful 1959 recording with Hendl and the Chicago say: "...he [Heifetz] even makes some improvements in the printed text (for instance, at the end of the third movement--where he begins the final downward plunge a third higher than is written)."


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## Tchaikov6 (Mar 30, 2016)

Florence Foster Jenkins's infamous "Queen of the Night" Aria? I can't imagine any of the notes were in tune.


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## rice (Mar 23, 2017)

Room2201974 said:


> Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a winner and the correct answer to question 2. But the first question was always the hardest.


Well Ravel's wasn't the only concerto for left hand only. There are quite a few compositions composed for left hand only (not limited to concertos). It depends on your definition of "standard repertoire"


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## Room2201974 (Jan 23, 2018)

rice said:


> Well Ravel's wasn't the only concerto for left hand only. There are quite a few compositions composed for left hand only (not limited to concertos). It depends on your definition of "standard repertoire"


Which is why I knew we would come up with other examples. Of all the concertos for left hand Ravel's is the most popular and well known however.

Now, the first question hasn't been cracked yet and I thought by now it would be, considering the fact that I know a number of posters in this forum have read the correct answer. And although they didn't read it as a trivia question....they did read it as an example of a most facile musical mind.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

It's not the answer you're looking for, but the first question reminded me of the classic TV sketch of Morecambe and Wise with Andre Preview in Grieg's piano concerto....


For the second question, Cage's 4'33" came to mind.


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

Room2201974 said:


> Question number 1:
> 
> In what famous successful performance does the performer not play a right note? (The correct answer identifies the performer and the piece of music that was performed.)


Chopin did write a "wrong note" Etude. But I don't think that's the answer. Still, it's an entertaining piece … to a degree.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Art Rock said:


> It's not the answer you're looking for, but the first question reminded me of the classic TV sketch of Morecambe and Wise with Andre Preview in Grieg's piano concerto....
> 
> For the second question, Cage's 4'33" came to mind.


For the Cage, any notes could be the right ones as long as they aren't played by the performer.


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