I was little surprised people keep showing interest in this sort of thing...

How about Papa Haydn?
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1. About whom was Haydn speaking when he said, "I tell you before God and man that your son is the greatest composer known to me"?

2. Why is his Symphony No. 101 called "Clock"?

3. Why did his "Emperor" String Quartet become contentious during World War II?

4. How did Haydn let his employer know that he needed a vacation?

5. Identify Haydn's "time of day" symphonies. ?

6. Why is Haydn referred to as "Papa"?

7. Who credited Haydn with showing him the proper way to compose string quartets?

8. It is not among the numbered symphonies, but Haydn did write a "Toy" symphony. Why was it given that name?

9. What type of works are "The Creation" and "The Seasons"?

10. How did the "Miracle" Symphony get its name?

Me too.

1. About whom was Haydn speaking when he said, "I tell you before God and man that your son is the greatest composer known to me"?
Mozart. Haydn was speaking to Mozart's father Leopold.

2. Why is his Symphony No. 101 called "Clock"?
Doesn't the slow movement imitate the "tick, tock" of a clock?

4. How did Haydn let his employer know that he needed a vacation?
By having his orchestra preform his "Farewell" Symphony (#45), where at the fifth and last movement, players blew out their candles next to their music stands and left, one by one, until Prince Eszterhazy got the hint.

5. Identify Haydn's "time of day" symphonies. ?
No. 6, "Le Matin" (Morning)
No. 7, "Le Midi" (Noon)
No. 8, "Le Soir" (Night)

6. Why is Haydn referred to as "Papa"?
Isn't it because some considered him to be the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet", where neither is really true?

7. Who credited Haydn with showing him the proper way to compose string quartets?
It was either Mozart or Beethoven?

8. It is not among the numbered symphonies, but Haydn did write a "Toy" symphony. Why was it given that name?
Wasn't it because it was scored for "toy" instruments plus the usual ones for special effects?

9. What type of works are "The Creation" and "The Seasons"?
Oratorios

10. How did the "Miracle" Symphony get its name?
There was a concert where Haydn was conducting one of his symphonies. The audience moved closer to the stage to see/hear better, suddenly, a chandelier crashed to the floor, right on some seats that some were sitting before they had moved closer! People thought it was a miracle that that happened and that no one got hurt.


pqbd