Here are the answers to the questions posed in my earlier post.
Today’s first question, relates to a birth on February 3rd, has a musical theme and the subsequent questions follow on from it.
Image Wikimedia Commons
One
A German composer who was born this day in 1809 wrote an 1830 overture which has been credited with popularising Fingal’s Cave as a tourist destination. Who was the composer, and in what country is the cave located?
Answer: Felix Mendelssohn; Scotland.
Fingal’s Cave, popularised by Mendelssohn’s overture, inspired many 19th-century artists and writers, including Verne, Wordsworth, Keats, and Turner, and more recently Pink Floyd. Its unique basalt columns and echoing chambers captivated visitors like Sir Walter Scott and Queen Victoria. The cave continues to inspire modern artists, featuring in films and exhibitions.
Two
In a Beatles’ song, the lyrics in verses I and III respectively mention a barber showing photographs and a fireman with an hourglass. Where are these characters located?
Answer: Penny Lane.
Penny Lane, a Beatles song written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon, was inspired by a Liverpool street familiar to both. The song, evoking nostalgic childhood memories, was released in 1967 and topped the US Billboard Hot 100.
Three
An unexpected pairing led to this 1987 song, which has been described as ‘a spectacular blend of rock and opera, celebrating both the city of __ and the Olympic spirit with its grandiose composition’. What is both the name of the city and the song; and what are the names of the rock legend and world-famous soprano who formed the pairing?
Answer: Barcelona; Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballé
Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballé’s iconic song Barcelona was performed at the 1992 Olympics opening ceremony a year after Mercury’s death. The song, a collaboration between the rock legend and the operatic soprano, was recorded in 1987 and became a hit single. Mercury’s love for opera and his admiration for Caballé led to this memorable musical pairing.
Four
What place is in the title of a 1938 novel by Graham Greene and a 1974 song by Queen?
Answer: Brighton.
Both are set in Brighton, England. Brighton Rock is the title of both Greene’s novel and Queen’s song. Queen’s song, written by Brian May in 1973, features a famous guitar solo and was on the 1974 album Sheer Heart Attack. It gained renewed popularity after being featured in the 2017 film Baby Driver. Graham Greene’s 1938 novel is a murder thriller set in Brighton. It explores moral issues, class privilege, and evil.
Five
Sinfonia Antartica, which premiered in 1953 incorporated music from the 1948 film Scott of the Antarctic. Who composed Sinfonia Antartica?
Answer: Ralph Vaughan Williams.
Vaughan Williams composed his Seventh Symphony, Sinfonia Antartica, inspired by the musical score he had written for the film Scott of the Antarctic depicting Robert Falcon Scott’s ill-fated 1912 Terra Nova Expedition to the South Pole. The film, shot in Technicolour, follows Scott’s fundraising efforts, the expedition’s journey, and the tragic deaths of Scott and his team on their return journey from the pole.
Quizology Online 