Ancient Composers
This Baroque era composer wrote a piece for each of the four seasons:
Vivaldi
We watched jazz legend Winton Marsalis explain how this American instrument was slowly built up piece by piece.
The drum kit!
Chappell Roan is yet another artist who has turned their attention towards this genre:
Country!
1
Cello Suite no. 1 - J.S. Bach - Baroque era
Dated at approximately 60,000 years old, the oldest instrument on record is one of these:
A Flute!
This Classical era composer began composing and performing while he was still a child and was paraded around Europe in front of royalty.
W.A. Mozart
This avant-garde work by American composer John Cage gives the performer these awkward instructions:
Sit in silence!
4'33"
Name all the black keys on the keyboard. Do it in both sharps and flats for 1,000 points!
A# C# D# F# G#
B-flat, D-flat, E-flat, G-flat, A-flat
3
Lacrimosa from Requiem in D minor - W.A. Mozart - Classical era
Many of the Ancient Greeks were interested in numerous topics. Though were more known for works in science, math, philosophy, and astronomy, they also wrote about music. Can you name one of these Ancient Greek musicians?
Plato, Aristotle, or Pythagoras
The Baroque era (1685-1750) is the period following the renaissance and just before the time of Mozart and Beethoven. This Baroque composer wrote over 1,000 works and had 20 children!
J.S. Bach
John Coltrane and Herbie Hancock went on to have legendary careers of their own, but they got their start playing in this famous Trumpet player's group.
Miles Davis
This artist won a Pulitzer Prize in 2018 and will likely be up for a Grammy in 2026.
Kendrick Lamar
4
Piano Sonata no. 8 "Pathetique" - L.V. Beethoven - Classical/Romantic era
Most medieval European music was connected to liturgy of the church, but the influence of the Ancient Greeks returned in 1607 with one of the first operas based on a greek myth. Can you name the myth or the composer for double points?
Often called the "Composer of Firsts" - this composer was first to catalog his own music, first to use a trombone, double bass, or choir in a symphony, first composer to write auto-biographical works, first composer to use a metronome, first composer to be financially independent, and the first composer to organize and perform public concerts.
Ludvig Van Beethoven
No, not John Williams. This composer is known for his work on Pirates of the Caribbean, The Dark Knight series, Inception, Dunkirk, Dune, his recent work with Camila Cabello, a wide array of video game scores, and many more!
Hans Zimmer
This 2025 grammy winner's "Love on Top" gradually modulates higher and higher throughout the song - this technique is sometimes called "text-painting":
Beyonce
4
Nocturne - F. Chopin - Romantic era
No, not like a candlelight dinner - Chopin, Liszt, Paganini, and Rachmaninoff are some of the big names from this musical era.
Romantic Era
While very different in style, Mozart and Beethoven share some similarities in their writing. This could be because they were both taught by this famous Classical Era composer:
Joseph Haydn
Timothée Chalamet plays this Nobel prize winning American Songwriter in the 2024 movie "A Complete Unknown". For double points, who famously covered this musicians song, "All Along the Watchtower"?
Bob Dylan
Jimi Hendrix
Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti, Do are originally from what?
Ut Queant Laxis - A hymn - they are the first syllables and notes of each melodic phrase.
5
Rite of Spring - Igor Stravinsky - 20th century
The Baroque era was defined by complexity and emotional expression. What were some of the qualities of the Classical era? Think about the music of Mozart for inspiration.
Simple, singable tunes