Do you consider yourself to be a classical music aficionado? Prepare to be swept away on a symphonic journey with our full in depth classical music trivia.
Many will know there is a great history that shadows the classical music we know today, one that dates back to the eighteenth century.
The composers behind many of these famous symphonies are iconic, lending themselves as inspirational figures for future generations.
Within this classical music trivia, you will learn facts, discover cultivated music, and hopefully have some fun along the way too!
Do you know the difference between Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 and Symphony No. 9 or Vivaldi’s Winter and Spring? It’s time to find out.
The first round of this Classical Music trivia is a big one, with questions about all elements of those classic songs and composers we all know and love.
This genre of music has had decades to evolve, utilizing the sounds and instruments of the passing years to its utmost advantage.
Regardless of age, background, or musical taste, we all possess some knowledge of the musical greats who have shaped the past, present, and future of music.
Let’s take a look at the evolution of classical music, the tunes, the stories, and the artists.
Here we go!
1: In which European country was the piano invented?
Italy.
2: Where is known to be the opera capital of the world?
Berlin.
3: How many children did J.S. Bach have?
Twenty.
4: Where is the grave of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart situated?
Vienna.
5: Which gifted violinist was said to have sold his soul to the devil in exchange for his extraordinary talent?
Niccoló Paganini.
6: What unusual item did Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky include within his first live performance of the 1812 Overture?
Real cannons.
7: How many years after Beethoven's death was his composition Für Elise released?
Forty years.
8: Venetian composer Antonio Vivaldi was famously known by what nickname?
The Red Priest.
9: What is the technical name for a group of notes played one after another either up or down in pitch?
Arpeggio.
10: How many days did it take composer George Frideric Handel to write the two-hundred-and-sixty-page oratorio Messiah?
Twenty-four days.
11: Who’s contribution to classical music led him to be considered as Father of Symphony?
Franz Joseph Haydn.
12: How many acts are in the world's most famous opera Carmen?
Four.
13: What is the name of the annual music festival that takes place in the Austrian city where Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born?
Salzburg Festival.
14: What key is Ludwig Van Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata written in?
C-Sharp Minor.
15: Which ice-skating duo brought Maurice Ravel’s Boléro to the masses in 1984 during their performance at the winter Olympics?
Torvill and Dean.
16: How many musical pieces did Ludwig Van Beethoven compose? The closest answer wins.
Seven hundred and twenty-two.
17: In which city did Frédéric Chopin make his last public performance before his death in 1849?
London, England.
18: Which celebrated composer's head was stolen from its grave in 1809, then finally restored 154 years later?
Joseph Haydn.
19: What world-renowned orchestra was booked to travel and play on the Titanic, but survived due to a last-minute change of plan?
The London Symphony Orchestra.
20: Norwegian composer and pianist always kept a figurine of what animal in his pocket during performances?
A Frog.
Contemporary Classical Music Trivia Questions
There’s no doubt that classical music has a vibrant and interesting past, but what about the modern-day variants?
This genre of music has stayed relevant throughout the year’s thanks to many modern performers thriving off reconstructing and emulating timeless symphonies with the help of advances in musical technology.
Contemporary classical music no longer has a sustainable audience, with as little as 21% of that audience being under the age of forty.
The classical music of today can be challenging for many people to enjoy. However, it can also prove to be deeply moving, unique, and stimulating.
Let’s find out more about it.
Ready?
1: Max Richter is one of the biggest names in contemporary classical music. How many streams did he have at the end of 2019?
One Billion.
2: Where was minimal classical music composer Steve Reich born?
New York.
3: Which French composer was known for his combinations of electronic and acoustic classical music before his death in 2016?
Pierre Boulez.
4: Who is known as the most prominent and influential American composer of the 20th century?
John Cage.
5: What John Adam's composition won the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2003?
On the Transmigration of Souls.
6: What year did Icelandic composer and performer Björk wear her iconic swan dress at the 73rd Academy Awards?
2001.
7: What war inspired George Crumb to compose the piece Black Angels, which has been performed by The New York String Quartet?
The Vietnam War.
8: What is the name of the Canadian composer and theorist who published The Tuning of the World in 1977?
R. Murray Schafer.
9: Controversial composer Karlheinz Stockhausen is thought to have composed one of the first electrical compositions. What was the name of the music?
Gesang der Jünglinge (Song of the Youths).
10: What solo instrument is used to perform the John Adams piece, Phrygian Gates?
Piano.
Movies Featuring Classical Music Trivia Questions
Classical music has been used in film since the dawn of Hollywood.
Music can create the ambiance for a scene, whether that be to hold the audience in suspense during a thriller or have them fall deeper for the feelings of each character in a romance.
If you attempt to watch a suspenseful scene in a horror without the right music, it can turn quite comical!
During this round, we will take a look at some of the very best movies featuring classical melodies.
You might even discover some new films alongside the music.
Let’s start!
1: What is the name for Ludwig Van Beethoven's 9th Symphony, which was used in the 1971 classic A Clockwork Orange?
Ode to Joy.
2: Also, Sprach Zarathustra, composed by Johann Strauss, is famous for being played during the opening credits of which 1968 sci-fi adventure film?
2001: A Space Odyssey.
3: Which of Johann Sebastian Bach’s compositions is featured in the 1991 thriller Silence of the Lambs?
Goldberg Variations.
4: Which opera is featured during the final scenes of the 1987 thriller Fatal Attraction?
Madam Butterfly.
5: Which innovative contemporary composers' music is prominently featured in the erotic period drama The Piano, starring Anna Paquin?
Michael Nyman.
6: Which of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s classical pieces features in the opening credits of The Nutcracker and the Four Realms?
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.
7: What 1979 war drama starring Marlon Brando features Richard Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries?
Apocalypse Now.
8: Which of Ludwig Van Beethoven's symphonies plays during the final scene of the 2010 historical drama The King's Speech?
Symphony No. 7.
9: How many main compositions feature in Walt Disney's Fantasia?
Seven.
10: What is the name of the opera that Edward and Vivienne watch in the 1990 romantic comedy Pretty Woman?
