Music Trivia – Feb 1, 2014
1. According to the signature song of The Music Man, how many trombones led the big
parade?
76
Seventy-six trombones led the big parade
With a hundred and ten cornets close at hand ...
2. The musical, The Phantom of the Opera takes place in what European city?
Paris. Paris Opera House (Palais Garnier)
3. The poem called “Defence of Fort M’Henry” was the inspiration for what famous
piece of American music?
Star-Spangled Banner (hint: the poet was Francis Scott Key)
The lyrics come from "Defence of Fort M'Henry",[1] a poem written in 1814 by the 35year-old lawyer and amateur poet, Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the
bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy ships in Chesapeake Bay
during the Battle of Fort McHenry in the War of 1812.
4. What well-loved Woody Guthrie song contains the lyric: “From California to the
New York Island/From the redwood forest to the Gulf Stream waters?”
This Land is Your Land
5. The mnemonic “Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge” is used for what?
Identifying the lines on a musical staff / lines of the treble clef
“Every Good Bird Does Fly”
6. According to The Orchestra Song, what instrument goes “doodle doodle doodle
doodle dat?”
The clarinet
Violins:
The violins ringing like lovely singing.
The violins ringing like lovely
song.
Clarinets:
The clarinet, the clarinet
Goes doodle doodle doodle doodle dat.
The
clarinet, the clarinet
Goes doodle doodle doodle dat.
Trumpets:
The trumpet is braying, Ta ta ta ta ta ta ta ta ta ta ta ta ta ta ta ta ta.
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Horns:
The horn, the horn
Awakes me at morn.
The horn, the horn
Awakes me
at morn.
Drums:
The drums playing two tones
They're always the same
tones.
The drums playing two tones.
They're always the same.
7. What is the name of the familiar tune that is played at every graduation ceremony?
Pomp and Circumstance
8. Piccolos, flutes, oboes, clarinets, and bassoons make up what section of an orchestra?
Woodwinds
9. Name one of the1990s and early 2000s opera singers known collectively as: The
Three Tenors”.
Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, and Luciano Pavarotti
The Three Tenors is a name given to the Spanish singers Plácido Domingo
and José Carreras and the late Italian singer Luciano Pavarotti who sang in
concert under this banner during the 1990s and early 2000s.
10. The theme music for the ending of Huntley-Brinkley report comes from this
composer’s Ninth Symphony.
Beethoven (Ludwig van) (hint: contains the famous “Ode to Joy”)
11. In what country does The Sound of Music take place?
Austria
12. Amadeus was the middle name of what most famous Classical composer?
Mozart (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) Hint: A movie by the same name won 8 Academy
Awards, including Best Picture.
13. What is the name of the academic field that refers to ‘the study of music’?
Musicology
‘the study of music as an academic subject, as distinct from training in performance or
composition; scholarly research into music’
14. What is the name for musical instruments that make sounds by being struck?
Percussion
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15. In the children’s game Musical Chairs, if there are 9 children, how many chairs
should there be?
8
16. According to popular wisdom, ‘It ain’t over until <what happens>’?
The fat lady sings.
The phrase is generally understood to be referencing the stereotypically
overweight sopranos of Grand Opera.
17. What was the name of the popular 1960s NBC show hosted by Mitch Miller?
Sing Along with Mitch
18. Singers Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., and three others were members of a group
of co-performers known by what collective nickname?
The Rat Pack
Rat Pack a group of five friends and co-performers prominent in the entertainment industries of
Hollywood and Las Vegas in the 1950s and 1960s. The group (Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin,
Sammy Davis, Jr., Joey Bishop, and Peter Lawford) made several movies together, including
Ocean's Eleven (1960).
19. What singer was nicknamed ‘the Velvet Fog’?
Mel Tormé
20. What jazz musician was known by the nickname “Satchmo”?
Louis Armstrong
21. What female jazz singer was known by the nickname: the “First Lady of Song”?
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917 – June 15, 1996), also known as the "First Lady of
Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella",
22. What beloved musical movie featured Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor, and Debbie
Reynolds?
Singin’ in the Rain (hint: they were holding umbrellas)
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23. What musical duo wrote such musicals as Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific, The
King and I, and The Sound of Music?
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein
24. What shape is the award given for outstanding achievement in the music industry at
the Grammy Awards?
The Grammy awards are named from the trophy: a small, gilded reproduction of a
gramophone.
25. This American composer is known for his military and patriotic marches, including
“The Stars and Stripes Forever.”
John Philip Sousa
26. This singer-songwriter, actress, writer, film producer, and director from Brooklyn is
one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award.
Barbra Streisand (hint: she hails from Brooklyn and starred in Funny Girl)
27. This form of country music is inspired by the music of Appalachia and has its roots
in Irish, Scottish, Welsh, and English traditional music.
Bluegrass (hint: it has the same name as where we are right now)
28. These two men wrote comic operas during the Victorian age, such as H.M.S.
Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance, and The Mikado.
Gilbert and Sullivan (W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan)
29. This 1940 Disney film consists of animations set to classical music conducted by
Leopold Stokowski.
Fantasia
30. The treble clef is the most widely known and used clef. What is the second most?
Bass clef
31. This Italian name, meaning “master,” is respectfully bestowed on master
composers, performers, or conductors.
Maestro
32. For many years, Arthur Fiedler was long-time conductor of what Massachusetts
symphony?
The Boston Pops
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33. On the Lawrence Welk show, Myron Floren played what kind of reed and bellow
instrument?
Accordion
a portable musical instrument with metal reeds blown by bellows, played by means of keys
and buttons:
34. A bag, a chanter, and at least one drone make up what traditional Scottish
instrument?
Bagpipe
35. This Italian tenor, who performed in major opera houses from 1895-1920, had the
first sound recording to sell a million copies.
Enrico Caruso (1904 recording of “Vesti la giubba” from the opera Pagliacci)
36. This soprano’s nickname was “Bubbles”.
Beverly Sills
37. What rock-and-roll band led the British Invasion when they came to the U.S.?
The Beatles (hint: they appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964)
38. This American songwriter, who died in 1864 at the age of 37, wrote more than 200
songs, including “Oh! Susanna,” “Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair,” and “My Old
Kentucky Home.”
Stephen Foster
39. This African-American composer was known as “The King of Ragtime.” His pieces
enjoyed a modern resurgence with the movie “The Sting.”
Scott Joplin
40. This pipe instrument, popular in churches, is sometimes called “God’s instrument”
because it is able to imitate the sounds of so many other instruments.
Organ
41. This wind instrument, made from the Eucalyptus tree, is native to aboriginal
Australia. It received world attention during the 2002 Olympics in Sidney, when its
drone could be heard in the stands, during many of the various sporting events.
Didgeridoo
ˌdijərēˈdo͞o
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42. What musical instrument is nicknamed “the licorice stick’?
Clarinet
43. What are you doing when you are ‘tickling the ivories’?
Playing the piano
43. What graceful water bird, the heaviest in North America, is named for its distinctive
honk that sounds like a particular brass instrument?
Trumpeter Swan (hint: it has a long neck)
44. This flamboyant performer, popular from the 1950s through 1970s, was known by
his last name only. He wore outrageous costumes full of glitz and glitter and lived
lavishly. His piano was often bedecked with a candelabra.
Liberace. His real name was Wladziu Valentino.
45. It wouldn’t be Trivia at McCready Manor without a reference to this ukulele-playing
musician with the high falsetto. Who is it?
Tiny Tim (hint: his breakthrough hit was “Tiptoe Through the Tulips.”)
46. This American TV sit-com featured Shirley Jones as mother to five children who
formed a pop singing group. What is the name of the show?
The Partridge Family (hint: a family named after a bird)
47. Lucy’s husband, Cuban-American band leader Ricky Ricardo, played by Desi Arnaz,
ran a night club. What was the name of the club?
The Tropicana (hint: the name of a popular brand of orange juice)
48. Ol’ Blue Eyes had another more “corporate” nickname, “Chairman of the Board.“
Who is this famous singer?
Frank Sinatra.
49. According to the Duke Ellington hit, “It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got <what>?
That swing
"It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" is a 1931 composition
by Duke Ellington, with lyrics by Irving Mills, now accepted as a jazz standard.
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50. This longest-running Broadway musical opened in 1988, featuring the music of
Andrew Lloyd Webber. The title character wore a mask. What was it?
Phantom of the Opera (It debuted in 1986 in London.) Hint: It took place in
Paris (reference to question above)
51. This Mozart opera is named for the enchanted musical instrument the Queen of the
Night presents Prince.
The Magic Flute (Hint: the name of the opera contains the name of a woodwind)
52. Who is typically the leader of a marching band?
Drum major (hint: reports to the band director)
53. Used in many musical styles, this term refers to unexpected rhythms within a
regular flow of rhythm.
Syncopation <<HELP
54. There are four main voices, in vocal music, from lowest to highest. Name two.
Bass, Tenor, Alto, Soprano (Bonus: Where do these go? Baritone: between Bass
and Tenor. Mezzo soprano: between Soprano and Alto.)
55. Someone who writes music has this occupational name.
Composer
56. What is the name of the text that goes with an opera?
Libretto (hint: derived from the Latin word for book, which is libro)
57. The Greek god Pan played what instrument?
Flute (Pan was the goat-footed god of nature, who looks after shepherds)
58. The concertmaster in an orchestra plays what instrument?
Violin (they are the leader of the first violin section and sits on the conductor’s
left)
59. Name the three instruments played in a string quartet.
Two violins, a viola, and a cello
60. What is the largest and lowest pitch brass instrument in an orchestra?
Tuba
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61. A musical instrument made of wooden slats that are struck by mallets.
Xylophone (marimba is a type of xylophone)
62. A style of Afro-Caribbean music typified by the Jamaican “The Banana Boat Song,”
which starts “Day-O” and was popularized by Harry Belafonte.
Calypso
63. This composer is best known for his compositions “Rhapsody in Blue,” “American in
Paris,” and “Porgy and Bess.”
George Gershwin
64. Zero Mostel played Tevye in this long-running Broadway musical about a Jewish
family with five daughters in Tsarist Russia. What is the name of the musical?
Fiddler on the Roof (hint: contains the song “If I Were a Rich Man”)
65. What instrument did Nero play while Rome burned?
Fiddle
66. Her real name was Frances Gumm, and she was best known for her role as Dorothy.
What was her signature song?
Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Her stage name was Judy Garland.)
67. This trumpet player had a brass band named after a Mexican border town.
Herb Alpert (and the Tijuana Brass)
68. Who sang “Whistle While You Work?”
Snow White
69. Trumpet player Doc Severinsen is best known for leading a band on what late night
TV show?
The Johnny Carson Show
70. This German Baroque composer wrote the Brandenburg Concertos, The WellTempered Clavier, and Mass in B minor.
Johann Sebastian Bach
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71. His violins made by this 18th century violin maker are so famous they make the
news when they are stolen. Name the maker.
Antonio Stradivari (will also take Stradivarius)
72. Harpo Marx played the harp. What instrument did Chico play?
Piano
73. Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, and Tex Ritter were all <singing whats>?
Singing cowboys
74. This TV variety show featured country music and humor and took place in
Kornfield Kounty.
Hee Haw
75. Who is the King of Rock and Roll?
Elvis Presley (hint: Blue Suede Shoes, Heartbreak Hotel)
76. Who has the nickname The Man in Black?
Johnny Cash
77. What pint-sized singer and actress of the Good Ship Lollypop went on to become
the U.S. Ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia?
Shirley Temple (hint: she’s known for her roles in Bright Eyes, Curly Top, The
Little Princess, and Heidi)
78. What song did Marilyn Monroe famously sing for President Kennedy?
Happy Birthday
79. According to the nursery song, How many blackbirds were baked in a pie?
Four and twenty
80. I’m a flamenco dancer. What clacking instruments do I have in each hand?
Castanets (Actually, they are rarely used in flamenco dancing even though they
are commonly associated with it. They are used more often in other Spanish folk
dances.)
81. This ancient circular, hand-held instrument is used in many European folk settings,
particularly in Greece, Turkey, and Italy. It’s since found its way into pop and rock
music. The frame is wooden, with pairs of metal jingles around it, and a drum head.
Tambourine
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82. The company Zjildjian is one of the oldest in the world, originating in Istanbul in the
17th century. It is the largest manufacturer of a particular percussion instrument made
of bronze. What instrument is it?
Cymbal (Hint: In the Hitchcock movie “The Man Who Knew Too Much,” starring
James Stewart and Doris Day, an assassination attempt was made at the
symphony such that the gunshot would coincide with the loud clash of this
instrument.)
83. “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” shares a melody with the British National Anthem. What
is the name of the anthem?
“God Save the Queen” (Hint: It refers to the royal monarch.) If it’s during the
reign of a King, the lyrics are changed and the song becomes “God Save the King.”
84. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, this is the most recognizable song
in the English language.
Happy Birthday to You (Hint: Sung on a day you celebrate every year.)
85. This popular yellow bird is kept as a pet mainly for its beautiful singing voice.
Canary (Hint: they were used in coal mines as an early warning system for toxic
gases.)
86. Known at the time as “the world’s greatest entertainer,” this American singer was
the highest paid in America during the 1930s. He is best remembered today as the star
of the first “talking picture,” The Jazz Singer (made in 1927). Who was he?
Al Jolson (Hint: Although he was Jewish, he often performed on stage in
blackface)
What is commonly the first song a child learns to play on piano, often to the annoyance of
parents everywhere?
Chopsticks (hint: named after a Chinese eating utensil)
What does a conductor hold in his hand?
Baton
What popular nursery rhyme is sung by children in a round?
Row, row, row your boat
The "Bridal Chorus," written by German composer Richard Wagner, is a march played for
for many a bride's entrance to her wedding. It was written for the 1850 opera
Lohengrin. What is the common name for the song?
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"Here Comes the Bride"
(Need to turn the faucet off!)
Maybe you could finish with:
So there were 76 trombones in the big parade. How many cornets were close at hand?
110
44. In ancient times, it was thought that the Sun, Moon, and planets “hummed” around
each other. What is this theory called?
Music of the Spheres (also Harmony of the Spheres)
44. This 1995 movie starred Richard Dreyfuss as a frustrated composer seeking
fulfillment as a high school music teacher.
Mr. Holland’s Opus
In this Robert McCloskey children’s story, Lentil saved the day by leading the parade
playing this instrument. The members of the marching band couldn’t play because their
lips were all puckered from hearing the sound of Old Sneep sucking on a lemon. What
was Lentil’s instrument?
Harmonica
Name the other half of these musical pairs:
Nelson Eddy – Jeanette MacDonald (hint: Indian Love Call)
Sonny – Cher (hint: I Got You Babe)
Johnny Cash – June Carter (hint: Jackson)
Jeanine Deckers was a member of the Dominican Order in Belgium as Sister Luc
Gabrielle and had a hit with the French song “Dominique.” What was she known as?
The Singing Nun
This singer, actor, and band leader was perhaps the first teen heartthrob and crooner,
due in part to his “suave manner and boyish good looks.”
Rudy Vallee (hint: He sang such hits as “As Time Goes By,” and “Life is a Bowl of
Cherries” in the 1930s. He was also host of the Fleishmann’s Yeast Hour radio
show, and appeared opposite Claudette Colbert in Preston Sturges’s screwball
comedy The Palm Beach Story, among many other movies)