The Treaty of Non-Aggression between Germany and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics — which was signed in Moscow on August 23, 1939 — is sometimes known by what name?
Zhukov-Bormann Pact
Kuznetsov-Hess Pact
Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact
Voroshilov-Heydrich Pact
Donitz-Speer Pact
The correct answer is Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact
Trivia: Percussion instruments are organized into two groups based on what?
How many pitches they make
Their size
Their shape
How many hands are used
The correct answer is How many pitches they make
So why is this answer correct? : Orchestral percussion instruments can fit into two main categories: those that only make one pitch and those that can make more than one pitch. In the “one pitch” category are instruments like snare drums, castanets, tambourines, triangles, gongs, and cymbals. The “two pitch” category features pianos, celestas, kettle drums, xylophones, and orchestra bells.
Trivia: Which is NOT one of the “Big Five” orchestras in the United States?
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Cleveland Orchestra
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Los Angeles Philharmonic
The correct answer is Los Angeles Philharmonic
So why is this answer correct? : The term “Big Five” was coined in the 1950s with the emergence of music critics and orchestral radio broadcasts. Traditionally, the five groups are the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Cleveland Orchestra. They are all among the oldest orchestras in the country, founded in the 19th and early 20th centuries Today, the term is dated and is used in a historical fashion, rather than to denote the “best” orchestras.
Trivia: Which conductor has won the most Grammys?
Richard Wagner
Carlos Kleiber
Igor Stravinsky
Georg Solti
The correct answer is Georg Solti
So why is this answer correct? : With 31 wins to his name, British conductor Georg Sulti has won the most Grammy awards in any category. The late conductor’s last win was in 1997 for Best Opera Recording for Wagner’s “Die Meistersinger Von Nurnberg.” He is best known as the music director of the Chicago Symphony orchestra from 1969 to 1991, where he overhauled the program and re-established its reputation.
Trivia: Vienna is home to an orchestra with instruments made entirely of what?
Vegetables
Wood
Glass
Cardboard
The correct answer is Vegetables
So why is this answer correct? : Vienna, Austria is home to some of the greatest musical influences in the world — Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn, Schubert…and the Vegetable Orchestra? Over the past 20 years, this 10-piece ensemble has played more than 300 shows around the world. The instruments are made from fresh produce and include hollowed-out carrots, cucumbers and calabashes as horns and flutes, and pumpkins as drums. The scraps from these short-lived instruments (they last only for a few hours) are then boiled down into soup and served to the audience.
Trivia: Founded more than 550 years ago, what’s the oldest orchestra in the world?
Vienna Philharmonic
Royal Danish Orchestra
San Francisco Symphony
London Symphony Orchestra
The correct answer is Royal Danish Orchestra
So why is this answer correct? : The distinguished Royal Danish Orchestra (Det Kongelige Kapel) was founded in 1448 but looked very different than it does today. It began as a trumpet corps with 12 trumpets, six trombones, and kettledrums. The orchestra grew in size as it gained prestige. Even Mozart’s widow, Constanze Mozart, claimed that this orchestra played her late husband’s work better than any other orchestra in the world.
Trivia: Which European orchestra never appoints a principal conductor?
Berlin Philharmonic
London Symphony
Bavarian Radio Symphony
Vienna Philharmonic
The correct answer is Vienna Philharmonic
So why is this answer correct? : The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra is almost 200 years old and, unlike most other orchestras, does not use a consistent conductor. The intention is to keep the control in the hands of the musicians, rather than a single leader. The orchestra is known for its high-pitched sound and for having some more unconventional instruments, like the Vienna horn and Weiner oboe.
Trivia: The Stokowski Shift was characterized by rearranging what group?
Percussion
Strings
Brass
Woodwind
The correct answer is Strings
So why is this answer correct? : In the 1920s, conductor Leopold Stokowski experimented with different seating arrangements, even going so far as to put the strings behind the much louder brass and woodwinds. That change didn’t stick, but most modern orchestras still follow the “Stokowski Shift,” seating all the violins together, rather than dividing them on either side of the orchestra, and arranging them from high to low.
Trivia: Which of Beethoven’s symphonies is recognized by its four opening notes?
Symphony No. 5
Symphony No. 9
Symphony No. 3
Symphony No. 1
The correct answer is Symphony No. 5
So why is this answer correct? : With its signature “dun-dun-dun-duuun” sound, the start of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony is instantly recognizable. The notes are intended to symbolize fate knocking ominously on the door. It ties into the overall theme of the piece, which is widely understood to signify not only fate but also revolution and opportunity.
Trivia: What is the difference between first and second violins?
Firsts stand up
Seconds play more softly
Firsts play more
Seconds play at lower register
The correct answer is Seconds play at lower register
So why is this answer correct? : First and second violins aren’t individual musicians, but instead violin groups. The second violins play at a lower register than the first violins. The principal first violin leads not only the string instruments but the whole orchestra, after the conductor. That musician is often called the concertmaster or leader, depending on where the orchestra is based.