New riddle thread(1)

[bernhard]

I get that this is a reference to the Holy Roman Empire, but it covered a lot of territory, so...

...is the composer Italian?

Indeed he is. In fact he is generally considered to be the most important Italian composer of piano music in the 19th century (which makes it all the more poignant that nowadays if he is rememberd at all is for a piece that he didn't compose )

[bernhard]

Is it Scenes From Childhood by Pinto?  It is a bit of a stretch...

Er... No.

(Pinto was Brazilian  )

[TheHammer]

Okay, this one was really hard Bernhard, you made me searching dozens of websites, subtrating the birthyear from the deathyear, finding out the Italian composer who died at an age of 73. Man, that was extreme...

Anyway, I am pretty sure that the composer is giovanni Sgambati, born 1841, died 1914 . He stayed in Rome nearly all his life, soon was recognized as a child prodigy, became a pupil of Franz Liszt, and was also a life long friend with Richard Wagner. Both made some things to promote Sgambati's music throughout Europe, which was quite hard, when you concern the opera hysteria these days (Verdi, Wagner...). "Classical" instrumental music was out!

The only transcription I could find was the one from Gluck`s opera "Orfeo ed Euridice" (first part of the "Dance of the Blessed Spirits" the so called "Melody"). Sgambati transcribed it, and it seems that it is indeed the sole famous piece we can find his name in.

(If that is not correct...)

[Floristan]

Wow.  Sgambati.  I'm really impressed, Hammer!  I think you're right.  The "Melodie from Gluck's Orfeo" is a pretty familiar work once you hear it, and I can see how it would be a favorite encore piece, but Bernhard, if this is right, don't you think this one belongs on your obscure riddle thread?!       Or were you just hoping to give Sgambati's long-neglected opus a new audience? 

[TheHammer]

Bernhard, if this is right, don't you think this one belongs on your obscure riddle thread?!      

Yeah Bernhard, mixed up the threads, hmmm? Really, Sgambati is not on any list in the entire web...

Wow.  Sgambati.  I'm really impressed, Hammer!  I think you're right.  T

Well, actually there is no need to be impressed (but thanks anyway ). It is all about the right keywords for google-search
On the other hand, in the passed two days I learned more about Romantic Italian composers than in two years (especially about those dying at 72, 74, 63, 83, arrggh, you really get an heart-attack when you see e.g. Castelnuovo-Tedesco (1895-1968) and you are happily jumping through your room, and then it turns out he died three weeks before his birthday... Anyway, ever heard of Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Casella, Cilea, Catalani etc.? No? Well, I have

[bernhard]

Sgambatti's "melody" based on Gluck's "Dance of the blessed spirits" form Orpheus, indeed it is, well done.

Now stop moaning, all of you, I may have upped the stakes a bit, (and yes, Sgambatti deserves to be better known) but this piece is very well known, and all the while this riddle was going on there was a thread going on about this very piece:

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,3596.0.html


Besides it is good for you.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[Floristan]

Sgambatti's "melody" based on Gluck's "Dance of the blessed spirits" form Orpheus, indeed it is, well done.

Now stop moaning, all of you, I may have upped the stakes a bit, (and yes, Sgambatti deserves to be better known) but this piece is very well known, and all the while this riddle was going on there was a thread going on about this very piece:

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,3596.0.html


Besides it is good for you.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

  That's a good one...there's an ongoing thread about this piece!  You're probably right, B, it's good for us 

OK Hammer, it's your turn to riddle us all!

[chopinisque]

Er... No.

(Pinto was Brazilian  )

Oopppsss... I forgot to check for nationality...

I also know why running away from Nazis was asked.

And the answer was at the Guiomar website all along... I was just staring and staring...

[TheHammer]

Now stop moaning, all of you, I may have upped the stakes a bit, (and yes, Sgambatti deserves to be better known) but this piece is very well known, and all the while this riddle was going on there was a thread going on about this very piece:

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,3596.0.html

So near and yet so far away...

Well, anyway, sorry for the delay, here is the next one (and since Bernhard has "upped the stakes" ... ).

"Suddenly there are cats of prey where you would suspect children, and then your fingers have to remind your youth to avoid stumbling..."

[xvimbi]

I'll ask Bernhards question: Is the piece for piano-solo?

[TheHammer]

I'll ask Bernhards question: Is the piece for piano-solo?

Yes, most definitely.

[Floristan]

Was this piano composition written between 1885 and 1939?

[TheHammer]

Was this piano composition written between 1885 and 1939?

No.

[Floristan]

OK, how about 1800 to 1884?

[TheHammer]

OK, how about 1800 to 1884?

Clever, but wrong.

[chopinisque]

Was the composer from the time when ivories and taut strings weren't hammered at?

[TheHammer]

Was the composer from the time when ivories and taut strings weren't hammered at?

I hope you mean that the composer lived before the invention of the pianoforte...(ivories not hammered, huh? sorry, English me not speaking good enough to know what you means... )

If that is what you want to know, the answer is: No.

[chopinisque]

Well, yes, that's what I meant... it was supposed to be cryptic enough that the competitors couldn't really be sure... it was also a pun about someone in particular.   Wordplay is always such fun...

Anyway, did he have a pet bird?

[TheHammer]

Well, yes, that's what I meant... it was supposed to be cryptic enough that the competitors couldn't really be sure... it was also a pun about someone in particular. Wordplay is always such fun...

Anyway, did he have a pet bird?

Ah, okay, it was cryptic enough for me, sorry for spoiling your plan...

Hmm, did he have a pet bird... Well, one can really never be sure, but I am not aware of any pet he had (btw, how do you know "he" is male? ). So, I do not think he had one. Could still be possible. Don't know,   

[Floristan]

Was the composer's native language German?

[chopinisque]

Did the composer make his own pianos?

[TheHammer]

Was the composer's native language German?

No.

[TheHammer]

Did the composer make his own pianos?

Wow, now you are asking questions Chopinisque. But... No.

[rhapsody in orange]

Is the composer American?

[TheHammer]

Is the composer American?

No

[rhapsody in orange]

Was the composer born after 1900?

[chopinisque]

Does the composer's name start with H?

[TheHammer]

Was the composer born after 1900?

Yes.

[TheHammer]

Does the composer's name start with H?

No...

And btw, I think somewhere above we spoke of a piano piece... let's change this into a set of pieces...

[Floristan]

So this is a set of piano pieces written after 1939 by a composer who isn't from the USA and doesn't speak German.

Is the composer from Europe?

[TheHammer]

So this is a set of piano pieces written after 1939 by a composer who isn't from the USA and doesn't speak German.

Is the composer from Europe?

AND he most probably did not own a pet bird...

No, he was not from Europe... (but quite near though)

[xvimbi]

Does the composer come from a country that belonged to the former USSR?

[anda]

"Suddenly there are cats of prey where you would suspect children, and then your fingers have to remind your youth to avoid stumbling..."

could this "cat of prey" be a leopard on the see saw? (cause if not, i'm out of ideas )

[TheHammer]

Does the composer come from a country that belonged to the former USSR?

Yes.

[TheHammer]

could this "cat of prey" be a leopard on the see saw? (cause if not, i'm out of ideas )

Yep. Looks as if anda has the solution.

[xvimbi]

Khachaturian (Armenian): 10 Pieces for the Young Pianist (1959) (The leopard, as Anda also found out)

[TheHammer]

Khachaturian (Armenian): 10 Pieces for the Young Pianist (1959) (The leopard, as Anda also found out)

tsk, tsk, xvimbi the riddle thief

Okay, that is correct of course.
It is your turn xvimbi (unless you want to pass the thread to anda...)
It may be a good idea to start New riddle thread (2)..?

[xvimbi]

I did have the answer typed out and ready to be sent while I was waiting for your reply, when Anda dialed in his guess. I didn't feel very sure about it, but your answer to Anda's question settled it, of course.

[modify: I'm no thief and furthermore, one has to fast in this game ]

I'll give the thread to Anda, anyway.

Go ahead, Anda

[anda]

I did have the answer typed out and ready to be sent while I was waiting for your reply, when Anda dialed in his guess. I didn't feel very sure about it, but your answer to Anda's question settled it, of course.

[modify: I'm no thief and furthermore, one has to fast in this game ]

I'll give the thread to Anda, anyway.

Go ahead, Anda

i suppose i owed you something like this for guessing bizet right before me 

anyway, thanks for giving me this turn (ladies first, right?  )

[anda]

this work was sometimes seen as a "miniature" faust; but the main difference lies not in size, but in its (the work's) lack of subtlety.


(hope my english won't cause any misleadings... i'll do my best  )

[Floristan]

The Faust legend was very popular during the Romantic era.  Is this piece from the Romantic era of composition -- that is, would the composer be considered Romantic rathern than Classical, Baroque, Modern, etc?

[anda]

The Faust legend was very popular during the Romantic era.  Is this piece from the Romantic era of composition -- that is, would the composer be considered Romantic rathern than Classical, Baroque, Modern, etc?

he's not romantic.

[xvimbi]

Is the piece for piano solo?

[anda]

Is the piece for piano solo?

No.

[rhapsody in orange]

Is it a piece for 4-hands?

[Floristan]

Is the composer Italian?

[chopinisque]

Is it a concerto?

[anda]

Is it a piece for 4-hands?

nope.

[anda]

Is the composer Italian?

no.

Is it a concerto?

no.

there are 2 versions (variantes) of this work, both by the composer. one is for piano + ..., the other does not include the piano.

[rhapsody in orange]

Is the composer German?