The obscure riddle thread (1)

[xvimbi]

Just checking 

Is the birth place the same as the nationality?

Yes

About a year ago, the population of the composer's birth place consisted of 8154 males and 8646 females.

[chopinisque]

Is the country European?

[xvimbi]

Is the country European?

Yup, couldn't be any other way. Never a doubt. As European as it get's.

[chopinisque]

North European?  Small?

[xvimbi]

North European?  Small?

Nope! Not really!

(remember: only one question at a time!)

[chopinisque]

Are you sure about those population numbers?

[xvimbi]

Are you sure about those population numbers?

I got them from the Internet from a site reporting census numbers. Of course, I checked if it would be easy to google that place by simply putting in those numbers. It is not; the place does not show up as a top hit on Google I am afraid, some digging is required But there are certainly other ways to find out where the place is.

I'll offer a cryptic hint about the place: one of the most famous (if not the most famous) statue in our composer's home country would certainly be banned in many other countries.

[anda]

was this work composed in 1928?

[xvimbi]

was this work composed in 1928?

No. You're off by about a generation.

[chopinisque]

Is the place near Italy?

[xvimbi]

Is the place near Italy?

Depends on how you define "near". The distance between Rome and the composer's birthplace is about 730 miles. The first syllable of the name of the place is the same as the entire name of a country on a different continent.

[Floristan]

Is the composer from an Eastern European country (those European countries formerly behind the "Iron Curtain")?

[xvimbi]

Is the composer from an Eastern European country (those European countries formerly behind the "Iron Curtain")?

No.

[Dazzer]

I've done a little digging, and i'm quite certain the composer is belgian. So save me the trouble of figuring out which town/city and say i'm wrong.

so is the composer belgian?

[xvimbi]

I've done a little digging, and i'm quite certain the composer is belgian. So save me the trouble of figuring out which town/city and say i'm wrong.

so is the composer belgian?

Yes indeed! Excellent!

Of course, now everybody knows the composer is Belgian. if you had diguised your guess a bit, you would have had a bigger advantage.

[chopinisque]

Did the composer die between 1920 and 1950?

[xvimbi]

Did the composer die between 1920 and 1950?

No. The composer died in a year where Soccer World Championships were held.

[Dazzer]

i didn't really care much about getting the answer.

seems like everyone's stumped too.

[mikeyg]

Is the composer a female?

[mikeyg]

Is the piece for string quartet?

Did s/he die in a year when englang won the world cup?

[xvimbi]

Is the piece for string quartet?

Read posts above for the answer to this one

Did s/he die in a year when englang won the world cup?

No

PS. Only one question per post allowed

[anda]

This piece, which is really about many pieces

would that be as many as 7 pieces?

[xvimbi]

would that be as many as 7 pieces?

No.

I'll help: it is about 32 pieces.

[Floristan]

Too obscure for me, so to help others perhaps...is the non-orchestral reed instrument this composer composed for the saxophone?

[bernhard]

The first syllable of the name of the place is the same as the entire name of a country on a different continent.

Er... are you sure about that? Is it not: "the first two syllables of the name of the place is the same as the entire name of a country?"

[xvimbi]

Er... are you sure about that? Is it not: "the first two syllables of the name of the place is the same as the entire name of a country?"

You are absolutely right! I am sorry for the confusion. Looks like you are on the right track

[xvimbi]

Too obscure for me, so to help others perhaps...is the non-orchestral reed instrument this composer composed for the saxophone?

Indeed it is

[bernhard]

You are absolutely right! I am sorry for the confusion. Looks like you are on the right track

I am pretty sure I know who it is. But I will keep it to myself for now, since I don;t really want to get stuck with another riddle!

Anyway. Are the "about 32 pieces" studies?

[xvimbi]

I am pretty sure I know who it is. But I will keep it to myself for now, since I don;t really want to get stuck with another riddle!

Anyway. Are the "about 32 pieces" studies?

No. I don't think so at least. There is nothing that indicates that (to me).

[bernhard]

Was this work composed in 1928?

No. You're off by about a generation.

Are you considering here the usual definition of a generation as being 30 years?

[xvimbi]

Are you considering here the usual definition of a generation as being 30 years?

Indeedido! It should be a piece of cake now.

[chopinisque]

A piece of birthday cake?  With lots of candles for you to blow out?

[xvimbi]

A piece of birthday cake?  With lots of candles for you to blow out?

Not really

Here is another cryptic statement (KIDS, DO NOT READ!): the piece is about mating procedures. Oh la la!

[chopinisque]

End it Bernhard!  That last statement has made me so curious.  I need to know!!!

[anda]

to bernhard, or xvimbi (since you seem to be the only to have the answer):

POST THE ANSWER PLEASE!!! 

i really wanna know what's this all about...

[xvimbi]

to bernhard, or xvimbi (since you seem to be the only to have the answer):

POST THE ANSWER PLEASE!!! 

i really wanna know what's this all about...

The composer is Jean Absil, born on October 23, 1893 in Peruwelz, Belgium (sometimes the birth place is shown as Bonsecours)

The piece is "Echecs, Suite for Piano, op. 96", composed in 1957

"Echecs" is French for "chess" (mating procedures, many pieces...)

Lazy bunch...

[ahmedito]

Thats good to know.

Since you seem to have no desire to start another one, Ill start one unless someone disagrees?

Cryptic statement:

"You are most likely to have heard his most famous work played transcribed for the violin, showcased by a legendary performer."

[chopinisque]

You've got to be kidding... if it is who I think it is... I don't think he should be called obscure...

The question: Is the piano piece you're refering to for piano solo?

[anda]

is there a piano transcription made by & performed often by a known russian pianist?

[ahmedito]

The piece is for piano solo.

Of the piece that Im asking, there is probably no transcription played by a known russian pianist. On the other hand, on his most famous work usually heard on the violin because of a very famous' violinist's version, It might have been played often by a known rusian pianist... though I cant be sure. (Ive never heard it that way myself, but on the other hand, Horowitz and Richter and the like played such a LOT of stuff, that they might have played it for all I know.)

Chopinesque, since you seem to think its going to be an easy one, Ill refrain from a free cryptic statement right now.

[ahmedito]

I'll bump this up with a couple of cryptic statements for you all:

This composer may be more or less obscure depending on the instrument you play, and the part of the world where you are from.

Among the titles of his piano works, you can find a baroque composer, baroque danses, heavenly bodies, imprisioned works of music... the one I'm looking for has a distant relationship with Venice.

[chopinisque]

Born before or after 1850?

[ahmedito]

After 1850.

One more cryptic statement: If you use his middle name instead of his first name, you could easily think he is a "she".

 

[ahmedito]

I guess you will never know now!!!!  mwa ha ha ha 

[Nightscape]

I'm not totally sure about this, but.....


Estrellita by Manuel Ponce?

[ahmedito]

You got the composer right.... and Estrellita is the piece that Heifetz used to play in a violin transcription.

But the riddle is about a piece MUCH MUCH more obscure than Estrellita.

[Nightscape]

This must be it..... it talks about Venice anyway.

Manuel Ponce:
Four Evocations
Alhambra, Venice, Versailles, Broadway

You and your tricky Mexican ways.....

[ahmedito]

Nope....

The relationship with venice is a lot more distant than that....

Think of the mexican venice (and with that, I just gave it away)

[Nightscape]

Manuel Ponce: Mexican Barcarole "Xochimilco"

[ahmedito]

You got it!!!!!

Good grief, was that as easy as you all thought???