Riddle # 7

[Egghead]

Was the piece composed before 1750?

[Nightscape]

Is it Rachmaninoffs variations on a Theme by Paganini?

Alright, alright!  Close enough.....


Ahmedito is the winner!!

But it's a Rhapsody, not a Variations.  You must be thinking of his Corelli Variations or something.

[ahmedito]

I knew I had it right?!

Im a master at getting these things on my first guess.... just ask Bernhard.

By the way, I wouldnt be too strict on the exact wording. In my case I dont speak english as a first languaje, so in translation it can be variations... or rapsody or whatever... Some pieces change their name significantly on translation.  You know thats the piece I meant. IM SO GOOD!!!!!

[ahmedito]

Anyways... Now I start my riddle. Here is my cryptic statement:



"You can live in these."



There ya go, start guessing.

[allchopin]

Tut, tut, tut. You seem to be taking it rather badly.

Guys, I don't really care- I was being facetious.  But I guess making deals out of things is my second nature.

(***** ******* - "****** for piano - A survey of his solo literature - Indiana University Press).

David Yeomans – “Bartok for piano – A survey of his solo literature – Indiana University Press.

Ahh, your cryptic statement was more cryptic than I thought..  motion denied indeed!  I was not thinking that his name would be part of the piece, but rather that the hyphen was separating the title from the composer (as is the standard..).  

You are GUESSING that with all those clues Bernhard gave, a magyar (hungarian) rhyming with Gnocchi, somehow related to bb-bucatini and an ABLE (A)KROBAT (hello anagram) may possibly be - BELA BARTOK?

O, holy me, how could I have missed such OBVIOUS remarks!  How well you wisely encode your answer from an originally encoded question!  (ps, next time, you could say 'Bela Bartok' and get it over with)

[Rob47]

Are "Goyescas" houses?

[ahmedito]

No. The title Goyescas is because these were inspired by Goya, so each piece is a Goyesca, which in english would roughly be a Goyesque? Its a made up word...

[bernhard]

Are we talking about a modern piece?

[ahmedito]

Define modern.

[bernhard]

Music composed since 1890. To differentiate it from contemporary, the composer must be dead.

So to rephrase the question: Was the piece composed after 1890 by a composer who is now dead?

Er... I guess this is two questions.

So was the piece composed after 1890?

[ahmedito]

The piece is from after 1890. And the composer is dead. (2 questions in one... tsk tsk)

[Rob47]

Can you live in Pagodas?

[ahmedito]

I suppose so, the chinese have been doing it for years.

[Egghead]

Was the piece composed before 1950?

p.s. allchopin: I really liked your pasta question, too.

[ahmedito]

Yes.

[xvimbi]

Sorry, I just came back from vacation, otherwise, I would have bitterly complained earlier: Gnocchi is not a pasta!!!! They are potato dumplings.

Anywho, does the title of the piece refer to an ensemble of structures one can live in rather than a single one?

[ahmedito]

Yes.

[Egghead]

Does it take less than 30min to play the piece?

p.s. xvimbi: welcome back from Alaska! I did point out the potatoe problem and "Bartokki" doesnt sound so great anyway - but it was fun.

[bernhard]

Sorry, I just came back from vacation, otherwise, I would have bitterly complained earlier: Gnocchi is not a pasta!!!! They are potato dumplings.

Undoubtedly they are.

But is gnocchi pasta?

I can see how a thread like this could become immensely popular and generate intelligent and fruitful debate amongst piano forum members. Here are some other ideas:

“What would you do with your gnocchi?”
“The purpose of gnocchi”
“The meaning of gnocchi”
“Gnocchi W. Bush”
“Gnocchi debate room”
“Survey: the best gnocchi ever”
“gnocchi makes you think you are practising”
“My favourite gnocchi”
“Does believing Gnocchi is pasta make you play better?”



Nevertheless, according to Anna del Conte (“Gastronomy of Italy” – Pavillion), gnocchi is indeed pasta and does not need to necessarily have potatoes as one of the ingredients. According to Ms. Conte:

“Gnocchi can be made with potatoes, semolina, maize (cornmeal), ricotta and flour and bread or other ingredients. […]Gnocchi all’ossolana are from Northern Lombardy; they are made only with flour, eggs, parmesan, nutmeg and served with pleaty of melted butter and fresh sage. Gnocchi di Zucca (pumpkin gnocchi) are made in the provinces of Brescia and Mantua. The cooked pumpkin is pureed and mixed with flour, egg whites and spices […]Gnocchi di polenta […}Gnocchi di riso a specialty of  Reggio Emilia. The cooked rice is mixed with eggs and breadcrumbs into balls the size of a walnut […](p.292)

This goes on and on for another 3 (long) paragraphs.

She goes on to define pasta:

“Pasta is the generic word for any kind of dough, from pastry to bread dough.” (p. 318 )

So given this generic definition, “pasta” could be stretched to include gnocchi and even pizza.

Ah! Yes! The riddle!

Is the composer Spanish?


Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[xvimbi]

So given this generic definition, “pasta” could be stretched to include gnocchi and even pizza.

Murders have been committed over this topic. Don't repeat these quotes in certain regions in Italy!


The riddle: Is it a solo piano piece?

[ahmedito]

It is a solo piano piece.
The pieces is less than 30 minutes long.
The composer is not a SPANIARD. Spanish is a languaje, Spaniards are people from Spain.

[ahmedito]

It is a solo piano piece.
The pieces is less than 30 minutes long.
The composer is not a SPANIARD. Spanish is a languaje, Spaniards are people from Spain.

[Rob47]

I know this is probably wrong....but I'm just going to say it is Pagodas from Debussy's Estampes.

[ahmedito]

Finally someone jumped on the opportunity and said it. YOURE RIGHT!!!

It is Pagodes, composed in 1903 by Debussy. You can live in a Pagoda Im very sure. Your turn. By the way, those who complain that someone else beats them to the punch. Youre too shy, youve got to jump in there and guess.

ROB47 GETS IT!

[Egghead]

The composer is not a SPANIARD. Spanish is a languaje, Spaniards are people from Spain.

While the shy ones are patiently waiting for the next riddle... : Spanish is a language and also an adjective. I think in "Is the composer Spanish?" it was used that way.

[bernhard]

It is a solo piano piece.
The pieces is less than 30 minutes long.
The composer is not a SPANIARD. Spanish is a languaje, Spaniards are people from Spain.

According to the Oxford Dictionary:

Spaniard (noun): Native or national of Spain or a person of Spanish descent.
Spanish (noun): The main language of Spain and of much of South America.
Spanish (adjective): of or relating to Spain, its people or its language.

Examples:

Spanish (noun):

Is this book in [the] Spanish [language]?
Do you speak Spanish?

Spanish (adjective):

Spanish flu
Spanish fly
Spanish omelette
Spanish composer

Is this wine Spanish?
Is this guitar Spanish?
Is this olive oil Spanish?
Is this composer Spanish?

Of course Spaniard could have been used as well: Is this composer a Spaniard?

Interestingly enough, you have:

Spanish-American: a native or inhabitant of the Spanish-speaking countries of Central and South America.

Not Spaniard-American

But then again, English is the language where feet smell and noses run.

Or as Vitor Borge once said:

“It is your language, I am just trying to use it”

In that case it is not even your language Ahmedito! As if it was not enough to have to face the gnocchi mafia (and please,take note, my first name is Caesar)  now I have to put up with the language police as well? What next?

And if you are going to be picky, then Spanish is a language, not a languaje. (he he )

I plead not guilty in both instances given the evidence presented and I rest my case.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.


PS1: Thanks for the support, Egghead.
PS2: Come on Rob47!

[Rob47]

Ok here's my clue to get you going:

This work could cause debate (or already has) on a certain thread within this forum due to its contraversial title. However it really isn't contraversial at all.

[bernhard]

Ok here's my clue to get you going:

This work could cause debate (or already has) on a certain thread within this forum due to its contraversial title. However it really isn't contraversial at all.

Is the piece’s title related to religion?

[Rob47]

Is the piece’s title related to religion?

yes it is!

[JK]

The composer is not a SPANIARD. Spanish is a languaje, Spaniards are people from Spain.

Yeah, if you're gonna be a smartass then you really have to make sure that what you say is correct otherwise.............

Anyway, was the piece written in the 20th century?

[Egghead]

Is it the Mephisto waltz by Liszt?

(I am about to go away for a long weekend, and it is highly unlikely this is right...)

[Rob47]

Anyway, was the piece written in the 20th century?

No it was not written in the 20th century

[Rob47]

Is it the Mephisto waltz by Liszt?

No it is not the mephisto waltz

[xvimbi]

No it is not the mephisto waltz

Ah, is the piece by Liszt then?

[Rob47]

darn. When I typed it was "not the mephisto waltz", I didn't mean it was by Liszt but not the mephisto waltz. I meant it was not the mephisto waltz and therefore not necessarily by Liszt...

However to answer the question,

Ah, is the piece by Liszt then?

the answer is yes and no.

[xvimbi]

darn. When I typed it was "not the mephisto waltz", I didn't mean it was by Liszt but not the mephisto waltz. I meant it was not the mephisto waltz and therefore not necessarily by Liszt...

Hihi, gotcha!

Is it correct to assume that it is a transcription?

[JK]

Is it Liszts' transcription of Ave Maria?

[Rob47]

Hihi, gotcha!

Is it correct to assume that it is a transcription?

It's not really a transcpition............

note i define transcription as a DIRECT transcription as opposed to a "reminesces" or "variations on a theme by".....

[Rob47]

Is it Liszts' transcription of Ave Maria?

No it is not.  I bet that's a great transcription though I have never heard it!

[Nightscape]

Is it Liszt's Reminiscenes of Robert le Diable: Valse infernale?

[Rob47]

Is it Liszt's Reminiscenes of Robert le Diable: Valse infernale?

Nope!  

[xvimbi]

Liszt's Transcendental Etudes??

[Rob47]

Sorry it is not any of the transcendentals!

[allchopin]

MY joys?

[Rob47]

MY joys?

No I don't think so!  What is MY joys?


Everybody read my cryptic clue again:

This work could cause debate (or already has) on a certain thread within this forum due to its contraversial title. However it really isn't contraversial at all.


.....and we know Liszt has something to do with it.....

but

Quote:Ah, is the piece by Liszt then?  



 the answer is yes and no.

BIG CLUE

[Nightscape]

Is it a work based on an opera?

[Rob47]

Is it a work based on an opera?

yes it is!

[bernhard]

Is the piece  Liszt's Valse de l'opera Faust (Gounod)?

[Rob47]

Is the piece  Liszt's Valse de l'opera Faust (Gounod)?

Nope. Here's another hint which will likely give it away

"This 'piece d'occasion' was requested by the Princess Belgiojoso for a Charity Concert in Paris. The Princess was one of the fabulous characters of the 19th century, a century particularly rich in fascinating personalitieS"

that bold font is no typo.

[Nightscape]

If this isn't it....  I don't know what it could be.

There is a letter to that princess from Liszt that mentions one of his opera fantasies, and it does have to do with religion.  However, it's a very obscure work I've never heard but I'll give it a shot.

Is it Réminiscences des Puritains(Bellini) by Liszt?