Quiz: Mystery scores

[(poco) Sforzando]

Luke now has all correct. Well done! 

Luke: all = 20
Jezetha: 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20 = 10
Rappy: 1, 6, 8, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19 = 8

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Well done, Luke! (I know Bach is there, but that doesn't count, woe is me!)

[(poco) Sforzando]

Well done, Luke! (I know Bach is there, but that doesn't count, woe is me!)

Unfortunately, I can't confirm or deny on the board until I declare the game over. One more twist tonight, and a final twist tomorrow.

Meanwhile, thanks to a little push in the right direction from someone else, I am up to level 20 on Rappy's game.

[(poco) Sforzando]

Luke, your mailbox is full again! 

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

In his sweetest voice:

Need another push, Sfz? 

[lukeottevanger]

I have no idea what you're talking about  0:) Well, maybe a little bit.

Room made, Sfz....

[(poco) Sforzando]

In his sweetest voice:

Need another push, Sfz? 

I hope the implication is not that someone of my sterling character would ever think of cheating. But seriously, folks, when playing Rappy's game I did profit from hints supplied by another person in two cases. (Rappy supplied a hint himself.) I suppose that could be called cheating if you wish. But nonetheless, I got 18 of Rappy's excerpts with no trouble at all; I just got stalled momentarily on 10 and 11. Even Luke said he didn't get 17 at first, and it popped right out for me. Point being that depending on the person playing the game, some of the earlier examples may seem harder than some of the later ones, and as I've suggested before, the only accurate way to assess a person's knowledge is to get unrestricted access to all the questions.

The reason I wanted all answers for my quiz to come via PM is that mine is constructed in layers. When Twist 1 was added, everyone's score doubled immediately. I expect scores to improve yet again when Twist 2 is added tonight and Twist 3 tomorrow.

[lukeottevanger]

Do 'Twists 2 and 3' refer to the same set of pieces, as 'Twist 1' did?

My score didn't double with 'Twist 1', btw.... 0:)

[(poco) Sforzando]

Do 'Twists 2 and 3' refer to the same set of pieces, as 'Twist 1' did?

Yes.

My score didn't double with 'Twist 1', btw.... 0:)

I know.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

I hope the implication is not that someone of my sterling character would ever think of cheating. But seriously, folks, when playing Rappy's game I did profit from hints supplied by another person in two cases. (Rappy supplied a hint himself.) I suppose that could be called cheating if you wish.

I neither doubt your profound knowledge nor your sterling character, Sforzando.    I personally didn't feel like persevering, that's all... No disrespect to Rappy's quiz, but I like your twisting saga of a quiz better, with its phased revelation.

[(poco) Sforzando]

I neither doubt your profound knowledge nor your sterling character, Sforzando.    I personally didn't feel like persevering, that's all... No disrespect to Rappy's quiz, but I like your twisting saga of a quiz better, with its phased revelation.

Let us then initiate Twist #3, in which you get some pointers breaking down the types of periods, genres, and composers used, so as to help you fill in whatever blanks remain:

By Period:
Baroque - 3
Classical - 3
Romantic - 11
Impressionist - 1
Modern - 2

By Genre:
Chamber music - 3
Symphony - 3
Ballet - 1
Opera - 2
Sacred choral - 3
Solo keyboard - 5 (4 piano - or for the HIP among us: 3 piano, 1 fortepiano; 1 organ)
Orchestral suite - 1
Lieder - 1
Oratorio - 1

By Nationality:*
Italian - 2 (1)
French -  3
Austro-German - 11 (9)
Polish - 1
Russian - 3 (2)

* The first number pertains to the number of excerpts; the second to the number of composers. That is, four composers are each used twice.


Current Statistics:

Luke: all = 20
Jezetha: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20 = 13
Rappy: 1, 6, 8, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19 = 8
Mark: 1, 4, 6, 8, 9, 12 = 6

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

I have reached the end of my natural quiz life - I think I know the composers of 2, 4 and 16, but not the works. So - 13 it remains.

[(poco) Sforzando]

I have reached the end of my natural quiz life - I think I know the composers of 2, 4 and 16, but not the works. So - 13 it remains.

Wait for Twist 4.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

If you're not careful I'll call you Oliver in future.

[lukeottevanger]

'Please sir, I want some scores'

[(poco) Sforzando]

If you're not careful I'll call you Oliver in future.

In Twist 4, you get a clue for each work that should lead you infallibly to identify each excerpt. Of course, you have to match the clues to the pieces yourself:

This is from one of a set of three works of its type, notable for the inclusion of Russian themes.

Although this is a sacred choral work, it is sometimes referred to as its composer's greatest opera.

This is the opening of a set of pieces by its composer that altogether last under five minutes.

This is from the first of its composer's seven symphonies, and stylistically is far more conservative than any of the others.

In this piece a two-bar bass line for the left hand accompanies a set of constantly changing variations in the right, and would be unlikely to put anyone to sleep.

A sacred choral work of a type found also in these excerpts, it is a notable for its gentleness as the other is for its theatricality.

This composer dedicated this 6-movement this suite to his 3-year-old beloved daughter, who died at age 14 only a year after her father.

This is a grand climax from Act Four of the first of the three ballet scores this popular composer composed.

The characters in this famous comic opera about aristocrats and their servants are also depicted in a another popular comic opera composed only a few decades after this composer's untimely death.

The composer of this symphony never finished the finale to the work, though posthumous hands have tried.

Although this composer's most popular work is on a New Testament theme, he also wrote many works of this type based on Greek mythology as well as this largely choral work based on a book of the Old Testament.

This composer wrote only two works using this fairly large instrumentation for a chamber group.

Although called a suite by its composer, there is little to distinguish this work from a symphony, and being balletic in style, it has been choreographed by no less than George Balanchine.

Even though the theme of this exciting finale looks more suitable for a brass instrument, it is really given to the violin.

A tune from this extremely popular opera was considered by its composer to be such a sure-fire hit that it was rehearsed in the utmost secrecy; our excerpt is from the same act in which said tune is sung.

A striking feature of this fortepiano sonata, one of its composer's best known, is the placement of the second movement in the Neapolitan key (though enharmonically spelled as E major).

Several themes from this song cycle were used in its composer's First Symphony.

This symphony was designed with a stringed instrument obliggato in mind, but it was not virtuosic enough for the virtuoso who commissioned it - who nonetheless gave its composer a generous cash award once he finally heard the work.

This composer wrote 200 works in this genre which have survived, as well as many that haven't because they were left in the care of his most dissolute son. To get the right number for this work, think of the opus number for a certain piano sonata in F# major by another equally important composer.

This composer wrote two sets of 24 preludes and fugues that are among the most influential works in music history. But he also wrote many similar pieces for another keyboard instrument that has two manuals and a set of pedals.


-- "Oliver"

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Subtly done, Sforz 'Oliver' Ando. We'll see if this does the trick for us over-Luked laggards.

[(poco) Sforzando]

Subtly done, Sforz 'Oliver' Ando. We'll see if this does the trick for us over-Luked laggards.

Current Statistics:

Luke: all = 20
Jezetha: all but #4 = 19
Mark: 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 15, 18 = 11
Rappy: 1, 6, 8, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19 = 8

Johan continues to make strides - thus proving my contention that there are numerous ways we know and identify pieces of music beyond recognizing themes.

[rappy]

I don't know the missing pieces, I can only guess.

I mean, if you write something like:

Several themes from this song cycle were used in its composer's First Symphony.

- I know only one composer who used themes from songs in his First Symphony and who wrote song cycles, so I can easily find out which song the excerpt is from, but I have never heard the cycle.

[(poco) Sforzando]

I don't know the missing pieces, I can only guess.

I mean, if you write something like:

- I know only one composer who used themes from songs in his First Symphony and who wrote song cycles, so I can easily find out which song the excerpt is from, but I have never heard the cycle.

No matter. You probably will some day. There are a lot of ways to come by knowledge of a piece. And after all, it's just a game.

BTW, I've been listening to your #10 more in the past three days than I have for the past 20 years. (But not your #11. I like those particular geographical formations. But not this musical depiction.)