Riddle Game 4 and up

[bernhard]

What nationality was the composer?

German. But he might have answered otherwise.

[ayahav]

Is the Andante Tranquillo part os a sonata/suite?

[Tash]

was this composer born before or after 1850?

[bernhard]

Is the Andante Tranquillo part os a sonata/suite?

The Andante tranquillo is the first movement of a suite.

[bernhard]

was this composer born before or after 1850?

The composer was born before 1850.

[ahmedito]

Is the work originally for the piano?
If not, Im guessing its by Haendel...

[bernhard]

Is the work originally for the piano?
If not, Im guessing its by Haendel...

Well done. The work is not originally for piano, but it is often played on the piano.

And yes, it is by Handel.

[ahmedito]

Is it haendel's variations on the happy blacksmith?

[ayahav]

Is it the St. ----- Chorale (I can't remember the saint's name) - but I mean the same chorale that Brahms had variations on? Wait, St. Anthony?

[bernhard]

Ahmedito is the winner!

You are right :

Handel's Suite no. 5 in E major, the 4th (and last) movement of which ("Air with variations") is known as "The Harmonious Blacksmith".

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[ayahav]

I'll take a first guess: Is it by Mozart?

[ahmedito]

No, its not by Mozart.... Its a bit harder now.

[ayahav]

Which era is it from?

[ahmedito]

what do you mean era?

Id have to say contemporary though.

[bernhard]

Contemporary? So s/he is still alive...

What year was s/he born?

[ahmedito]

1923

[Tash]

out of the like 100 dates of composers on my wall none are born in 1923 so i'm stumped

what country is he/she from?

[ahmedito]

He was born in Romania, although Im pretty sure if you ask where hes from, hed say Hungary.

[ayahav]

Enesco?

[ayahav]

oops.. scratch that... he was born in 1881

[ayahav]

Here... I don't know how I missed thinking of him... Because personally I find his music interesting...

It's by Ligeti...

I'll guess it's the piano etudes?

[ahmedito]

yes its ligeti, and yes its ONE of the piano etudes. which one? theres 15

[bernhard]

Actually Ligeti wrote 18 etudes (to date). You can listen to the recently composed nos. 16, 17, 18 on the Teldec CD: “Ligeti: Piano Etudes; Reich: Clapping Music; Music for Pieces of Wood: Aimard/ Aka Pygmies” (Piano: Pierre-Laurent Aimard).

This is the problem with contemporary composers: they keep composing.

Anyway, what is the tempo/performance direction at the beginning? (e.g. presto, andante, etc.)

[ayahav]

Is it the an etude where some keys are suspended silently to allow for sympathetic resonance?

[ahmedito]

Presto legato ma leggiero.

[bernhard]

Piano Study no. 13 (book II)

[ayahav]

Bernhard got it before me, but it has to be "l'escalier du diable" - no. 13...

so I guess bernhard wins again, right?

so I'll start again... Which era is it from?

[ahmedito]

The devils ladder!

you got it.

Actually I was thinking of my favorite one... White on White, but I dont have the sheet music here with me (Im moving right now) so when you asked for the expression marks, I decided to change it for another one.

Start another one I guess.

[ayahav]

should I start one or Bernhard?

[ahmedito]

Bernhard of course.

What year was the composer born Bernhard?

[ayahav]

is it a piano solo?

[bernhard]

Bernhard of course.

What year was the composer born Bernhard?

The composer was born in 1843.

[bernhard]

is it a piano solo?

Yes, originally a work for piano solo, although the composer also wrote an orchestral version of it.

[Peachy_Keen]

I had to look it up to tell which piece you were talking about... am I still allowed to participate?

[ayahav]

1843 was the year of Grieg's birth, so if it is indeed Grieg, the answer has to be the Peer Gynt suite.

[ahmedito]

Well... the suite was written after the orchestal piece.
Im going to say its the Holberg suite.

[xvimbi]

It could of course be one of his Lyric Pieces, but I suggest either:

Sigurd Jorsalfar, suite for orchestra (or piano or piano, 4 hands), Op. 56

or:

Hjertsår (The Wounded Heart), elegiac melody for orchestra (or piano) No. 1, Op. 34/1

[bernhard]

Ahmedito did it again! Ahmedito did it again!

Yes, Ahmedito is right. The composer is Grieg, and the piece is the Holberg suite – a most wonderful piece unjustifiably neglected.

[ahmedito]

My sister city being Oslo, I have played Greig for the Grieg competitions many times. I love the Holberg suite. You should all take a look at it. OK, Im thinking  of a piece. Lets see you guess it.

[Tash]

oh i love the holberg suite it's lovely!

ok i'm gonna be slightly less boring with my question and instead of asking what date the composer was born in, how wabout when did he die?

[ahmedito]

1992.

I love the modern composers.

[ayahav]

Is it a piano solo? if so, what is the tempo indication?

[Tash]

john cage or messian?

[ahmedito]

John Cage, Piano Solo

[ayahav]

is it a prepared-piano work?

[ahmedito]

you can play it on a prepared piano or in a regular piano.

[bernhard]

Room A (1943).

[ayahav]

Actually, I believe the correct title is "A Room", although the year is correct...

(Bernhard, I find it really annoying that I always get the last clue that I need along with your post.) :-p

[ahmedito]

nope
its not that one
sorry

[ayahav]

what type of a work is it?