Classical Music History Trivia Questions
Total Questions: 21
In which city did Handel write his famous composition 'Messiah' in about 3 weeks?
Very Easy
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london
In which Polish capital did Chopin debut his Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor during his last performance in 1830?
Very Easy
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warsaw
In 1945, Igor Stravinsky, who had already become a French citizen in 1934, became a citizen of which country?
Very Easy
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united states
In which Austrian city did Antonio Vivaldi die in poverty and obscurity?
Very Easy
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vienna
Which conductor gained fame by substituting on a 1943 New York Philharmonic radio broadcast and was later seen on television?
Very Easy
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leonard bernstein
What is the name of Beethoven's birthplace that is now the capital of West Germany?
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bonn
Which country's emperor was the brother of Rudolf, a pupil of Beethoven?
Easy
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austria
During what times was the intermezzo, a precursor to the opera buffa, traditionally performed in musical theater?
Easy
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intermission
Which British university awarded an honorary degree to the composer Haydn, prompting him to name a symphony after it?
Easy
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oxford
Who was the music director of the NYC Center Orchestra before becoming the director of the N.Y. Philharmonic in 1958?
Medium
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leonard bernstein
Who was the German romantic composer who married Clara Wieck in 1840?
Medium
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robert schumann
Which famed graduate was honored by having the Helsinki Music Institute renamed after him in 1939?
Medium
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jean sibelius
Which French queen is said to have been fond of Haydn's Symphony No. 85 in B flat, leading to its nickname 'The Queen'?
Medium
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marie antoinette
In which capital city was Franz Schubert born, near an inn called The House of the Red Crab?
Hard
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vienna
In the 1739 oratorio by Handel, which king along with David required the borrowing of a timpani from the Tower of London?
Hard
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saul
In which city did Franz Liszt become president of the Academy of Music in 1875?
Hard
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budapest
Which Russian composer attempted to end his marriage by trying to contract pneumonia in 1877?
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pyotr ilyich tchaikovsky
In what year did Clara Wieck make her debut, and whom did she marry in 1840?
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robert schumann
Who is the Hungarian-born music director of the Chicago Symphony who was knighted in 1972?
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georg solti
Which composer of 'Fingal's Cave Overture' was succeeded by Robert Schumann as the music director of Dusseldorf?
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felix mendelssohn
Which Venetian composer, whose first works date from the early 18th century, was also a violin master at a girls' orphanage?
Very Hard
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antonio vivaldi
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