Quiz

The Major and Minor Composers Quiz

What’s the sound of Bruckner’s ‘Symphony no. 0’? Do you recognise music by Willem Pijper, Gustav Mahler, Bernard Zweers, or one of the other 17 composers immortalised on the balconies of the Main Hall? Take the quiz and guess the composer by listening to a fragment of music! Anyone can participate – it doesn’t matter whether you’re an expert or a total layperson.

Listen to the music fragments, test your knowledge and enjoy the stories told by Helma van den Brink (bassoon) and Herman Rieken (percussion).

Question 1

Who composed this music?

Explanation

Good guess! This was an excerpt from one of the Slavic dances by:

Antonín Dvořák

Nelahozeves, 1841 - Prague, 1904  

  

Dvořák was a Czech composer who managed to be popular with a wide audience in Europe and the US during his lifetime.  
 
Not many people know that... When Dvořák was young, a new railway line was built near his home. This could explain his life-long passion for trains, especially the steam locomotive. Even later in life, Dvořák could frequently be seen trainspotting at the Prague station, and writing down type numbers and departure times. There is even speculation that you can sometimes hear the cadence of the train in his music… 

Too bad! This was an excerpt from one of the Slavic dances by:

Antonín Dvořák

Nelahozeves, 1841 - Prague, 1904  

  

Dvořák was a Czech composer who managed to be popular with a wide audience in Europe and the US during his lifetime.  
 
Not many people know that... When Dvořák was young, a new railway line was built near his home. This could explain his life-long passion for trains, especially the steam locomotive. Even later in life, Dvořák could frequently be seen trainspotting at the Prague station, and writing down type numbers and departure times. There is even speculation that you can sometimes hear the cadence of the train in his music… 

Question 2

Who composed this music?

Explanation

That’s right! This was a fragment from Humoreske from Symphony no. 7, 'Zuiderzee' by: 

Cornelis Dopper 

Stadskanaal, 1870 – Amsterdam, 1939
 

Herman Rieken on the role of ‘second conductor’:

That was a tricky one! This was a fragment from Humoreske from Symphony no. 7, 'Zuiderzee' by: 

Cornelis Dopper

Stadskanaal, 1870 - Amsterdam 1939

Herman Rieken on the role of ‘second conductor’:

Question 3

Who composed this music?

Explanation

Yes! This was a fragment from the ‘Symphony no. 0’ by: 

Anton Bruckner

Ansfelden, 1824 – Vienna, 1896


Why Helma loves playing Bruckner, even if her bassoon part isn’t ‘terribly interesting’:

Wrong! This was a fragment from the ‘Symphony no. 0’ by: 

Anton Bruckner 

Ansfelden, 1824 – Vienna, 1896 


Why Helma loves playing Bruckner, even if her bassoon part isn’t ‘terribly interesting’:

Question 4

Who composed this music?

Explanation

Impressive! This was a fragment from Mariä Wiegenlied (Mary’s Lullaby) by:

Max Reger

Brand, 1873 - Leipzig, 1916


Max Reger was a German composer, pianist, organist, conductor and teacher. Even though he was only 43 when he died – he left behind an astonishing number of compositions, in very diverse genres. He saw himself as part of the tradition of Beethoven and Brahms. Reger came to Amsterdam for the first time in 1916, to perform with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra as both a conductor and piano soloist. Unfortunately, this was also the last time; Reger struggled with serious depression and alcoholism, and he died six weeks later in a Leipzig hotel.

During his life, Reger was primarily appreciated by his colleagues. Only after his death did his multi-layered and colourful music gradually start to attract a wider audience.

 

Max Reger

Oops, better luck next time! This was a fragment from Mariä Wiegenlied (Mary’s Lullaby) by:

Max Reger

Brand, 1873 - Leipzig, 1916


Max Reger was a German composer, pianist, organist, conductor and teacher. Even though he was only 43 when he died – he left behind an astonishing number of compositions, in very diverse genres. He saw himself as part of the tradition of Beethoven and Brahms. Reger came to Amsterdam for the first time in 1916, to perform with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra as both a conductor and piano soloist. Unfortunately, this was also the last time; Reger struggled with serious depression and alcoholism, and he died six weeks later in a Leipzig hotel.

During his life, Reger was primarily appreciated by his colleagues. Only after his death did his multi-layered and colourful music gradually start to attract a wider audience.

 

Max Reger

Question 5

Who composed this music?

Explanation

Awesome! This was a fragment from Danse Profane for string orchestra and harp by:

Claude Debussy

Saint-Germain-en-Laye, 1862 – Paris, 1918


Claude Debussy was the embodiment of a turning point in the development of music. Although his expressiveness may have lacked the dramatic extremes of Stravinsky, Bartók or Schoenberg, underneath the sensual harmonies, emphasis on timbre and melodic flair of Debussy's music lies a strong drive for innovation. The Dutch composer Rudolf Escher aptly called Debussy ‘the surreptitious revolutionary’. 
  

His music may have been called impressionistic, but Debussy himself wrote, ‘I am trying to write “something different” – “realities” as it were – which imbeciles call “impressionism”’. 
  

One of France’s greatest composers, Debussy appears on the country’s last 20-franc banknote before the introduction of the Euro. 

Ouch, that wasn’t right! This was a fragment from Danse Profane for string orchestra and harp by:

Claude Debussy

Saint-Germain-en-Laye, 1862 – Paris, 1918

 
Claude Debussy was the embodiment of a turning point in the development of music. Although his expressiveness may have lacked the dramatic extremes of Stravinsky, Bartók or Schoenberg, underneath the sensual harmonies, emphasis on timbre and melodic flair of Debussy's music lies a strong drive for innovation. The Dutch composer Rudolf Escher aptly called Debussy ‘the surreptitious revolutionary’. 
  

His music may have been called impressionistic, but Debussy himself wrote, ‘I am trying to write “something different” – “realities” as it were – which imbeciles call “impressionism”’.

One of France’s greatest composers, Debussy appears on the country’s last 20-franc banknote before the introduction of the Euro. 

Question 6

Who composed this music?

Explanation

Superb! This was a fragment from the Prologue to the second act of the incidental music to Gijsbrecht van Aemstel by:

Bernard Zweers

Amsterdam, 1854 - 1924


Everyone knows music by this composer! Herman will play it:

No, that’s not the right answer! This was a fragment from the Prologue to the second act of the incidental music to Gijsbrecht van Aemstel by:

Bernard Zweers

Amsterdam, 1854 - 1924


Everyone knows music by this composer! Herman will play it:

Question 7

Who composed this music?

Explanation

That’s right! You heard a fragment from Blumine by: 

Gustav Mahler

Kaliště, 1860 – Vienna, 1911 


Helma tells us why Mahler’s name is so prominent under the king’s and queen's chairs:

Wrong! You heard a fragment from Blumine by:

Gustav Mahler

Kaliště, 1860 – Vienna, 1911


Helma tells us why Mahler’s name is so prominent under the king’s and queen's chairs:

Question 8

Who composed this music?

Explanation

Excellent! This was a fragment from Les jardins d'Eros from ‘Psyché' by:

César Franck

Liège, 1822 – Paris, 1890

 

César Franck was an influential composer, organist and composition instructor who spent most of his life in Paris. 

 

Not many people know that… In 1858 Franck was appointed titular organist of the Church of Sainte Clotilde in Paris. The photo taken of him at the Sainte Clotilde organ shows that he had enormous hands – from thumb to little finger, he could cover an octave plus a fourth (eleven white keys). While composing, he must have occasionally forgotten that not all pianists have such large hands. This can make some of his music extremely difficult to play, for example the piano part of his Violin Sonata, with its many ‘large’ chords.

 

César Franck

Sorry, wrong guess! This was a fragment from Les jardins d'Eros from ‘Psyché' by: 

César Franck

Liege, 1822 – Paris, 1890 

 

César Franck was an influential composer, organist and composition instructor who spent most of his life in Paris. 

 

Not many people know that… In 1858 Franck was appointed titular organist of the Church of Sainte Clotilde in Paris. The photo taken of him at the Sainte Clotilde organ shows that he had enormous hands – from thumb to little finger, he could cover an octave plus a fourth (eleven white keys). While composing, he must have occasionally forgotten that not all pianists have such large hands. This can make some of his music extremely difficult to play, for example the piano part of his Violin Sonata, with its many ‘large’ chords.

 

César Franck

Question 9

Who composed this music?

Explanation

Absolutely right! This was a fragment from La flûte enchantée from ‘Shéhérazade' by:

Maurice Ravel 

Ciboure, 1875 - Paris, 1937

Like Debussy, Ravel was famed for his artistic use of sound colour. Because of the precision with which he composed, Igor Stravinsky called him a ‘Swiss watchmaker’.

Not many people know that...  Ravel must have been quite a sight in his time: a real Parisian dandy, he was always dressed in the latest fashions. His luggage for a tour in the US contained: sixty shirts, twenty pairs of shoes, twenty-five pairs of pyjamas and seventy-five neckties – Ravel boasted of having ‘the best collection of neckties in Paris’ – plus an entire suitcase stuffed with Gauloises. 

 

Maurice Ravel

Sorry, that’s not the right answer! This was a fragment from La flûte enchantée from ‘Shéhérazade' by: 

 Maurice Ravel

Ciboure, 1875 - Paris, 1937

Like Debussy, he was famed for his artistry with sound colour. Because of the precision with which he composed, Igor Stravinsky called him a ‘Swiss watchmaker’.

Not many people know that...  Ravel must have been quite a sight in his time: a real Parisian dandy, he was always dressed in the latest fashions. His luggage for a tour in the US contained: sixty shirts, twenty pairs of shoes, twenty-five pairs of pyjamas and seventy-five neckties– Ravel boasted of having ‘the best collection of neckties in Paris’ – plus an entire suitcase stuffed with Gauloises. 

 

Maurice Ravel

Question 10

Who composed this music?

Explanation

Very good! This was a fragment from ‘Six symphonic epigrams’ by:

Willem Pijper

Zeist, 1894 – Leidschendam, 1947


Herman tells us what Willem Pijper liked to do in his spare time:

Sorry, wrong answer! This was a fragment from ‘Six symphonic epigrams’ by:

Willem Pijper

Zeist, 1894 – Leidschendam, 1947

 

Herman tells us what Willem Pijper liked to do in his spare time:

Question 11

Who composed this music?

Explanation

Impressive! This was a fragment from Scherzo à la russe by:

Igor Stravinsky

Oranienbaum, 1882 - New York,  1971


Helma marvels at how the premiere of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring started a riot:

Not quite! This was a fragment from Scherzo à la russe by:

Igor Stravinsky

Oranienbaum, 1882 - New York,  1971 


Helma marvels at how the premiere of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring started a riot:

Question 12

Who composed this music?

Explanation

Right you are! This was a fragment from Trépak, a Russian dance from The Nutcracker by:

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Kamsko-Votkinsk, 1840 – St. Petersburg, 1893 


Tchaikovsky’s pain… Helma can feel it when she plays:

Oh no, wrong answer! This was a fragment from Trépak, a Russian dance from The Nutcracker by: 

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky 

Kamsko-Votkinsk, 1840 – St. Petersburg, 1893


Tchaikovsky’s pain… Helma can feel it when she plays:

Question 13

Who composed this music?

Explanation

You got it! This was a fragment from Symphonietta humoristica by: 

Julius Röntgen

Leipzig, 1855 – Utrecht, 1932  


Herman talks about Röntgen and his important connections:

Not quite! This was a fragment from Symphonietta humoristica by:

Julius Röntgen

Leipzig, 1855 – Utrecht, 1932  


Herman talks about Röntgen and his important connections:

Question 14

Who composed this music?

Explanation

Excellent! This was a fragment from Ich wollt ein Sträusslein binden by:

Richard Strauss 

Munich, 1864 — Garmisch-Partenkirchen, 1949

Richard Strauss finally found an orchestra that could play all the passages he wrote…

Incorrect! This was a fragment from Ich wollt ein Sträusslein binden by:

Richard Strauss 

Munich, 1864 — Garmisch-Partenkirchen, 1949

Richard Strauss finally found an orchestra that could play all the passages he wrote…

Question 15

Who composed this music?

Explanation

That was brilliant (or a lucky guess)! This was a fragment of the Allegro Marciale from ‘Sinfonietta’ by:

Johan Wagenaar

Utrecht, 1862 - The Hague, 1941


Johan Wagenaar played a prominent role in both Utrecht and The Hague’s music scenes as a composer, conductor, organist and pedagogue. His lively overtures have a style very much their own, characterised by humour and colourful orchestrations, and the orchestra regularly takes them along when they tour outside the Netherlands.


Wagenaar is honoured in The Concertgebouw not only with a cartouche (name plaque), but also with a portrait of him in the corridor on the first floor.

Wrong, but that was a tough one! This was a fragment form Allegro Marciale from ‘Sinfonietta’ by:

Johan Wagenaar

Utrecht, 1862 - The Hague, 1941

Johan Wagenaar played a prominent role in both Utrecht and The Hague’s music scenes as a composer, conductor, organist and pedagogue. His lively overtures have a style very much their own, characterised by humour and colourful orchestrations, and the orchestra regularly takes them along when they tour outside the Netherlands.

Wagenaar is honoured in The Concertgebouw not only with a cartouche (name plaque), but also with a portrait of him in the corridor on the first floor.

Question 16

Who composed this music?

Explanation

Right you are! You heard Clair de Lune from ‘Cinq mélodies' by:

Alphons Diepenbrock

Amsterdam, 1862 - Amsterdam, 1921

Herman talks about Diepenbrock in the ‘bubble’ with Mengelberg and Mahler:

Wrong! You heard Clair de Lune from ‘Cinq mélodies' by:

Alphons Diepenbrock

Amsterdam, 1862 - Amsterdam, 1921

Herman talks about Diepenbrock in the ‘bubble’ with Mengelberg and Mahler:

Question 17

Who composed this music?

Explanation

Well done! This was a fragment from 'Concerto for Orchestra' by:  

Béla Bartók 

Sânnicolau Mare, 1881 – New York, 1945  

Not many people may know that...  Folk music was a major source of inspiration for Béla Bartók.   


The Hungarian composer was also a skilled ethnographer who studied traditional music from eastern Europe and other parts of the world. He was happy to hear about Edison’s invention of the phonograph in 1877, as there was finally a machine that could record and play back sound. Bartók took the phonograph along on his travels all over the Hungarian countryside in search of authentic folk music. He collected melodies, songs and dances that he would later study as a scholar, and ultimately integrate in his compositional style. 

Béla Bartók with his phonograph, in the countryside collecting traditional folksongs (1908). 

Sorry, wrong guess! This was a fragment from 'Concerto for Orchestra' by:  

Béla Bartók 

Sânnicolau Mare, 1881 – New York, 1945  


Not many people may know that... 
Folk music was a major source of inspiration for Béla Bartók.   


The Hungarian composer was also a skilled ethnographer who studied traditional music from eastern Europe and other parts of the world. He was happy to hear about Edison’s invention of the phonograph in 1877, as there was finally a machine that could record and play back sound. Bartók took the phonograph along on his travels all over the Hungarian countryside in search of authentic folk music. He collected melodies, songs and dances that he would later study as a scholar, and ultimately integrate in his compositional style. 

Béla Bartók with his phonograph, in the countryside collecting traditional folksongs (1908). 
Result

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