RIDDLES
1. Some of us play pitched sounds; others are just noisy.
2. I have many strings and some pedals. What is my name?
3. Who has the same features as #2 above, but belongs to a different
family?
4. Since I have keys, I look like a piano. However, deep inside I am
more like a lute or a harp. What is my name?
5. We are all made of wood. What family do we belong to?
6. Our family name is confusing, because we can be made of wood,
metal, plastic or even bone.
7. Our family is so shiny and loud that we like to show off. No
wonder we love to participate in parades.
8. I am one of a kind. I am the mighty king of all the instruments. I
have as many keys as four pianos and as many pipes as
thousands of wind instruments. What am I?
9. My name comes from the name of the person who invented me.
USE THE GLOSSARY FOR HINTS TO CORRECT THE
SENTENCES BELOW
1.
Antonio Vivaldi wrote a lot of music. He was a great duo.
2.
Since Vivaldi had great technical skill, he is also remembered
as a unique sonata.
3.
He wrote a set of beautiful operas called “The Four Seasons”
for violin and orchestra.
4.
Vivaldi was famous for his ability to make up music without
preparation, so he was a great conductor.
5.
Vivaldi would often play the violin together with his father,
and their baroque was very well known.
6.
He also improvised the orchestra. Leading and training such a
large group of musicians required a lot of work.
7.
Vivaldi wrote a number of concertos, which were performed by
the greatest singers.
8.
Once, during Mass, Vivaldi left the altar to write down a theme
for a new virtuosity.
9.
Vivaldi’s music belongs to the period of musical history called
the fugue.
GLOSSARY (Bio)
Sonata – a piece of music for one or two musical instruments that
includes three or four contrasting movements.
Conductor – the leader of an orchestra or a chorus. He/she trains the
musicians to play together and directs them during performance.
Composer – a person who writes music.
Improvise – to make up music without preparation.
Concerto – a piece of music played by one or more principal
instruments, such as a violin, or piano, accompanied by an orchestra.
Baroque (in music) is a period from 1600 to 1750. Baroque composers
embellished their music with a lot of details. Their music was very
expressive and elaborate. The two giants of baroque composition were
J. S. Bach and G. F. Handel.
Virtuosity – great technical mastery of a musical instrument (e.g. the
ability to play very fast and beautifully).
Virtuoso – a musician who possesses great technical skill (virtuosity).
Opera – a stage play that is mostly sung, with costumes, scenery,
acting, and music to go with the singing.
Duo (or duet) – a piece of music for two instruments or singers
performing together.
Fugue – a piece of music written for two or more musical voices and
based on one main melody called the theme.
Alice in Vivaldi’s Four Seasons
CROSSWORD
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
1. Vivaldi’s first music teacher.
2. The musical style that Vivaldi’s music belongs to.
3. As the leader of an orchestra, Vivaldi was a…
4. Vivaldi’s nickname.
5. Since he wrote music, Vivaldi was a …
6. The city where Vivaldi lived most of his life.
7. The institution that Vivaldi worked for most of his life.
8. A musical work for one or more instruments in three or
four movements.
9. Vivaldi often played the violin together with his father.
When two musicians perform together, they are called a…
10. A musical work for a solo instrument accompanied by an
orchestra.
11. Vivaldi was famous for his ability to make up new music
while playing and without preparation. He was a unique…
SHOW
ANSWERS
On answering all the questions you will be able
to read the title of Vivaldi’s most famous work.
Alice in Vivaldi’s Four Seasons
CROSSWORD
1
2
3
B A R O Q U E
C O N D U C T O R
4
C O M P O S E R
6
V E N I C E
P R I E S T
O R P H A N A G E
8
9
10
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
R E D
5
7
11
F A T H E R
S O N A T A
D U O
C O N C E R T O
I M P R O V I
S E R
Vivaldi’s first music teacher.
The musical style that Vivaldi’s music belongs to.
As the leader of an orchestra, Vivaldi was a…
Vivaldi’s nickname.
Since he wrote music, Vivaldi was a…
The city where Vivaldi lived most of his life.
The institution that Vivaldi worked for most of his life.
A musical work for one or more instruments in three or four
movements.
9. Vivaldi often played the violin together with his father. When
two musicians perform together, they are called a…
10. A musical work for a solo instrument accompanied by an
orchestra.
11. Vivaldi was famous for his ability to make up new music
while playing and without preparation. He was a unique…
Answers:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Father
Baroque
Conductor
Red Priest
Composer
Venice
HIDE
ANSWERS
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Orphanage
Sonatas
Duo
Concertos
Improviser
On answering all the questions you will be able
to read the title of Vivaldi’s most famous work.
Alice in Vivaldi’s Four Seasons
CROSSWORD
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
12.The smallest string instrument.
13.A small and loud brass instrument.
14.The saxophone’s cousin.
15.An instrument that was in the old days used by
hunters to signal each other.
16.A string instrument that is held between the player’s
knees.
17.The largest string instrument.
18.A small woodwind instrument made of metal.
19.A percussion instrument with a keyboard and strings
that are plucked while playing.
20.A very tall “U”-shaped woodwind instrument.
SHOW
ANSWERS
On answering all the questions you will read a word
that means “a group of instruments played together.”
Alice in Vivaldi’s Four Seasons
CROSSWORD
1
V
I
2
T
3
4
F
R
E
N
7
F
8
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
I
N
R
U
M
P
E
T
C
L
A
R
I
N
H
O
R
N
L
O
H
C
E
L
B
A
S
S
L
U
T
E
A
R
P
S
I
C
H
B
A
S
S
O
O
N
H
9
1.
2.
3.
4.
L
C
5
6
O
The smallest string instrument.
A small and loud brass instrument.
The saxophone’s cousin.
An instrument that was in the old days used by
hunters to signal each other.
A string instrument that is held between the player’s
knees.
The largest string instrument.
A small woodwind instrument made of metal.
A percussion instrument with a keyboard and strings
that are plucked while playing.
A very tall “U”-shaped woodwind instrument.
Answers:
7.
9.
11.
13.
15.
Violin
Clarinet
Cello
Flute
Bassoon
E
T
O
R
D
HIDE
ANSWERS
8.
10.
12.
14.
Trumpet
French Horn
Bass
Harpsichord
On answering all the questions you will read a word
that means “a group of instruments played together.”
Vivaldi Biography
Choose a word to complete a sentence:
1. Vivaldi was a(n)_______________ composer.
A) German
B) American
C) Italian
7. His music belongs to a special style called
A) Rock
B) Jazz
C) Baroque
2. Vivaldi played the
A) violin
B) saxophone
C) French horn
8. Vivaldi lived in the
A) 10th century
B) 18th century
C) 20th century
3. Besides being a musician, he was also a
A) barber
B) priest
C) baker
9. During his life Vivaldi was
A) famous
B) very little known
C) forgotten
4. He was raised
A) in an all girls orphanage
B) by the family of Giovanni Battista Vivaldi
C) by the French King Louis
10.After his death, his music was
A) famous and then forgotten
B) completely unknown
C) forgotten and then rediscovered
5. Vivaldi’s best known work is called
A) The Red Priest
B) The Four Seasons
C) The Magic Flute
6. He lived in
A) Venice
B) New York
C) Moscow
11.Vivaldi was nicknamed the Red Priest because
A) he liked to wear red
B) he lived in a red house
C) he had red hair