Ludwig van Beethoven with the manuscript of the Missa solemnis, 1820. Image Wikimedia Commons
On 2 April 1800, Ludwig van Beethoven led the premiere of his First Symphony, Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21 in Vienna, so today’s questions are all about music.
One
When Hans von Bulow referred to three composers as ‘The three Bs’, one was Ludwig van Beethoven, but who were the other two?
Two
What is the name of the priest in Eleanor Rigby ?
Three
Who composed the opera Aida, and where was it set?
Four
‘But I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die’, are lyrics from what song, and who wrote it?
Five
First performed in 1934, A Boy was Born is a choral composition by which English composer?
Here are the answers to the questions posted earlier.
These questions are all related to today, April 1st.
See question three. Marlene Dietrich in The Blue Angel. Image Wikimedia Commons
One
Established in 1999, Nunavut, at 135,000 square miles of land (350,000 square km), is the World’s fifth-largest country subdivision.
Of what country is Nunavut a subdivision?
What, to the nearest ten thousand, is the population of Nunavut?
Answers
1. Canada
2. 40,000
Nunavut, established in 1999, is the largest and northernmost Canadian territory, created for Inuit self-government. It covers a significant portion of Northern Canada and the Arctic Archipelago, making it the fifth-largest country subdivision globally. With a population of 36,858, it is the least densely populated major subdivision in the world.
Two
Gmail was launched on this day, in what year did this happen?
Answer: 2004.
Gmail, created by Paul Buchheit, was launched in 2004 and opened to the public in 2007, is the world’s largest email service with 1.8 billion users. It offers 15GB of free storage, supports large attachments, and integrates with Google Drive. The service is accessible from any internet-enabled device and features conversation view, integrated chat, and was briefly integrated with the social networking application Buzz.
Three
Josef von Sternberg’s Der blaue Engel (The Blue Angel) was released in Germany, and the classic film made Marlene Dietrich a star. What was Dietrich’s character name, as billed, in this film?
Answer: Lola Lola.
The Blue Angel (1930) is a German musical comedy-drama directed by Josef von Sternberg, featuring Marlene Dietrich, Emil Jannings, and Kurt Gerron. Based on Heinrich Mann’s novel Professor Unrat, it tells the tragic story of a professor’s downfall into madness due to his obsession with nightclub singer Lola Lola, played by Dietrich in her breakthrough role. This film introduced her iconic song, Falling in Love Again. Filmed in both German and English, the English version was initially lost but rediscovered and screened in 2009. The German version is preferred for its length and superior pronunciation.
Four
The Apple Computer Company, now Apple Inc., was founded in 1976, who were the three people who co-founded it?
Answer: Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne.
Apple Inc., founded in 1976 and headquartered in Cupertino, California, is a leading American multinational technology company renowned for its innovative consumer electronics, software, and online services. Known for its user-centric design and marketplace ecosystem, Apple revolutionised the technology sector with products like personal computers, smartphones and tablets. After nearly going bankrupt in the 1990s, the company returned to profitability under Steve Jobs’ leadership, introducing iconic products such as the iMac, iPod, iPhone and iPad. Today, Apple is the world’s largest company by market capitalisation and a major player in the PC, tablet, and mobile phone markets.
Five
In 1977, who had a U.S. number 1 and U.K. top ten hit with Got to Give It Up from the album Live at the London Palladium?
Answer: Marvin Gaye.
Marvin Gaye, an American soul singer-songwriter-producer, was a cultural icon and one of the greatest singers and songwriters of all time. He began his career with Motown Records, achieving success with hits like I Heard It Through the Grapevine and duets with Tammi Terrell. Gaye’s groundbreaking album What’s Going On showcased his musical individuality and social commentary, paving the way for other artists to take control of their music. He later produced his own albums, significantly influencing 1970s soul music and R&B sub-genres. Tragically, Gaye was shot and killed by his father on 1 April 1984.
1 GB of storage for free
The post title refers to Google offering users 1 GB of space, compared to the 2 to 4 MB that was the standard at the time.
These questions are all related to today, April 1st.
See question three. Marlene Dietrich in The Blue Angel. Image Wikimedia Commons
One
Established in 1999, Nunavut, at 135,000 square miles of land (350,000 square km), is the World’s fifth-largest country subdivision.
Of what country is Nunavut a subdivision?
What, to the nearest ten thousand, is the population of Nunavut?
Two
Gmail was launched on this day, in what year did this happen?
Three
Josef von Sternberg’s Der blaue Engel (The Blue Angel) was released in Germany, and the classic film made Marlene Dietrich a star. What was Dietrich’s character name, as billed, in this film?
Four
The Apple Computer Company, now Apple Inc., was founded in 1976, who were the three people who co-founded it?
Five
In 1977, who had a U.S. number 1 and U.K. top ten hit with Got to Give It Up from the album Live at the London Palladium?
Here are the answers to the questions I posted earlier.
Kublai Khan, a posthumous painting executed shortly after his death in February of 1294. Image Wikimedia Commons
Finishing the alphabetical theme with the remaining letters, so six questions today with answers beginning with the letters from U to Z, with each letter being used only once, but they are not in alphabetical order. If a question has more than one part it is only the first that conforms to the theme.
One
What word links Shangdu, which was ruled by Kublai Khan and is mentioned in the first line of a Samuel Taylor Coleridge poem, with the title track of a 1980 musical of the same name?
Answer: Xanadu.
Shangdu, the summer capital of Yuan dynasty ruled by Kublai Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan. A metaphor for opulence or an idyllic place, based upon Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s description of Shangdu in his 1816 poem Kubla Khan. Xanadu is the title song from the soundtrack of the 1980 musical film of the same name. Written by Jeff Lynne of the English rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), the song is performed by British-Australian singer, songwriter and actress Olivia Newton John.
Two
What professional golfer won the U.S. Masters tournament in 2007, and 2015 Open Championship at St. Andrews?
Answer: Zach Johnson.
Zachary Harris Johnson, an American professional golfer, has won 12 PGA Tour events, including two majors. He captained the unsuccessful U.S. Ryder Cup team in 2023.
Three
The Macallan, Bunnahabhain and Laphroaig are three examples of what product from the United Kingdom?
The last two mentioned, Bunnahabhain and Laphroaig, both come from what region which is well known for this product?
Answers
Whisky.
Island of Islay.
Scotch whisky, first mentioned in 1494, was originally made from malted barley. Single malt Scotch whisky, which the three examples mentioned are, must be distilled in one distillery using only water and malted barley. By 2024, Scotland boasted 151 distilleries, solidifying its reputation for this renowned spirit.
Four
Which name connects a character from a Charles Dickens’ 1850 novel to the 1972 studio album The Magician’s Birthday?
Answer: Uriah Heap.
Uriah Heep, a sycophantic character in Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield, manipulates his employer, Mr. Wickfield, into making him a partner. He later faces exposure for his frauds and is imprisoned for bank fraud. Named after the Dickens’ character Uriah Heep, an English rock band formed in 1969, pioneered hard rock, heavy metal, and progressive rock. With over 40 million albums sold worldwide, they are known for hits like Lady in Black and maintain a strong following in Europe and Asia.
Five
In what film does Tom Hanks play Joe Fox?
Answer: You’ve Got Mail.
You’ve Got Mail is a 1998 romantic comedy starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, directed by Nora Ephron. The film, inspired by a Hungarian play, tells the story of two online romantics who are business rivals.
Six
This small fully independent nation-state’s independence was recognised by the Lateran Treaty of 1929. Which nation is it?
Answer: Vatican City.
Vatican City, the smallest independent nation-state, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Church and home to the Pope. It has its own infrastructure and diplomatic relations, with a population of around 882 people.
Kublai Khan, a posthumous painting executed shortly after his death in February of 1294. Image Wikimedia Commons
Finishing the alphabetical theme with the remaining letters, so six questions today with answers beginning with the letters from U to Z, with each letter being used only once, but they are not in alphabetical order. If a question has more than one part it is only the first that conforms to the theme.
One
What word links Shangdu, which was ruled by Kublai Khan and is mentioned in the first line of a Samuel Taylor Coleridge poem, with the title track of a 1980 musical of the same name?
Two
What professional golfer won the U.S. Masters tournament in 2007, and 2015 Open Championship at St. Andrews?
Three
The Macallan, Bunnahabhain and Laphroaig are three examples of what product from the United Kingdom?
The last two mentioned, Bunnahabhain and Laphroaig, both come from what region, an island which is well known for this product?
Four
Which name connects a character from a Charles Dickens’ 1850 novel to the 1972 studio album The Magician’s Birthday?
Five
In what film does Tom Hanks play Joe Fox?
Six
This small fully independent nation-state’s independence was recognised by the Lateran Treaty of 1929. Which nation is it?
Five questions with the answers beginning with the letters from A to E, with each letter being used only once, but they are not in alphabetical order.
See question two. Death in the Afternoon. Image A Couple Cooks
One
Who wrote, produced, and directed Moulin Rouge (2001) and Australia (2008)?
Answers: Baz Luhrman.
Baz Luhrmann is an Australian film director, producer, writer, and actor known for his Red Curtain Trilogy and other films like Australia, The Great Gatsby, and Elvis. He is also involved in opera, theatre, music, and the recording industries, with Grammy-nominated soundtracks and his own record label.
Two
An absinthe-Champagne cocktail was invented by an author and shares its name with his 1932 non-fiction book about a sport in a southern European nation. Who is the author, and what is the book and cocktail’s shared name?
Answers: Ernest Hemingway; Death in the Afternoon.
Death in the Afternoon, a 1932 non-fiction book by Ernest Hemingway, explores Spanish bullfighting, fear, and courage. Its namesake, a cocktail invented by Hemingway, is made with absinthe and Champagne. The drink, known for its decadence and high strength, can be made with absinthe alternatives like Absente or Pernod.
Three
Which chemical element derives its name from the Latin for ‘coal’?
Answer: Carbon.
Carbon, symbol C and atomic number 6, a non-metal which has two main forms, diamond and graphite, and which also occurs in impure form in charcoal, soot and coal. It is the 15th most abundant element in Earth’s crust and the fourth most abundant in the universe.
Four
Which small dog breed, which is not a terrier, is sometimes known as the monkey terrier?
Answer: Affenpinscher.
The Affenpinscher, a German toy dog breed, originated as a ratter and is now a popular companion worldwide. The breed, whose name is sometimes translated from German as ‘Monkey Terrier’, is believed to be ancestral to the Griffon Bruxellois and Miniature Schnauzer.
Five
The Malawian city of Blantyre was named after the Scottish birthplace of which missionary and explorer (1813-73)?
Answer: David Livingstone
Blantyre, Malawi’s second-largest city and commercial centre, was founded in 1876 by the Church of Scotland. It grew rapidly due to its role in colonial trade and became a major manufacturing centre. The city’s development was influenced by various factors, including commerce, industry, and administration, and it was merged with Limbe in 1956.
Five questions with the answers beginning with the letters from A to E, with each letter being used only once, but they are not in alphabetical order.
See question two. Image A Couple Cooks
One
Who wrote, produced, and directed Moulin Rouge (2001) and Australia (2008)?
Two
An absinthe-Champagne cocktail was invented by an author and shares its name with his 1932 non-fiction book about a sport in a southern European nation. Who is the author, and what is the book and cocktail’s shared name?
Three
Which chemical element derives its name from the Latin for ‘coal’?
Four
Which small dog breed, which is not a terrier, is sometimes known as the monkey terrier?
Five
The Malawian city of Blantyre was named after the Scottish birthplace of which missionary and explorer (1813-73)?
In 1721, a collection of six instrumental works—the composer’s own title was Six Concerts Avec plusieurs Instruments (Six Concertos With several Instruments)—were presented by Johann Sebastian Bach to Christian Ludwig, a marquess and younger brother of King Frederick I of Prussia. Using the above picture as a clue, by what name is this collection commonly known today?
Answer: Brandenburg Concertos
Johann Sebastian Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos, now his most popular work, were likely never performed during his lifetime. Bach sent the original manuscript to the Margrave (Marquess) of Brandenburg in 1721, possibly as a job application, but the Margrave never acknowledged the gift. The concertos were forgotten for over a century until they were rediscovered and published in the 19th century.
The male monarch pictured above succeeded the female one on her death in 1603.
Who is the queen?
Who was the king?
What was the familial relationship between them?
Answers
Queen Elizabeth I
King James VI and I
Cousins.
Queen Elizabeth I’s death in 1603 ended her reign of England and Ireland, leading to her cousin King James VI of Scotland’s succession as King of England and Ireland. Now both James VI and I, his reign saw the beginning of the Plantation of Ulster and English colonisation of the Americas.
Three
From Jules Verne’s novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. Image Wikimedia CommonsFrom the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne Image Wikimedia Commons
The two illustrations above are from novels by an author, ‘the father of science fiction’, who died in 1905, aged 77. Since 1979, he has been the second most translated author.
Who was the author?
From what novel is the first illustration?
From what novel is the second illustration?
Answers
Jules Verne
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
From the Earth to the Moon
Jules Verne was a French novelist, poet, and playwright, best known for his adventure novels like Journey to the Centre of the Earth and Around the World in Eighty Days His work, often set in the 19th century, incorporated contemporary scientific knowledge and technological advances. Verne is considered an important author in Europe and has been the second most-translated author in the world since 1979.
Four
Harry Houdini, performing The Chinese Water Torture Cell. Image Wikimedia Commons
Erik Weisz, who was born in 1874, is pictured above during one of his acts, although he’s better known by his stage name.
In what European city was he born?
Who is he better known as?
Answers
Budapest
Harry Houdini.
Harry Houdini, a Hungarian-American escapologist, gained fame for his daring escape acts, including freeing himself from handcuffs, chains, and straitjackets. He also pursued a crusade against fraudulent spiritualists and was a pioneer aviator.
The prisoner of war camp above was made famous by a 1963 film which features the inmates attempts to leave it on the night of 24 March 1944.
By what name is this POW camp commonly known?
What was the 1963 film?
In what modern country is the site of the camp today?
Answers
Stalag Luft III
The Great Escape
Poland
Stalag Luft III (in full Stammlager Luft III; literally meaning Main Camp, Air, III) was a World War II POW camp for Allied airmen, known for escape plots including the Great Escape. Of the 76 men who escaped that night, 73 were recaptured, and fifty of those were executed. The camp, which was liberated in 1945 and is now a museum, was the subject of two feature films about the escape attempts that were made: The Wooden Horse (1950) and The Great Escape (1963).
Five pictures and some questions all of which are related to today’s date, March 24th.
One
Image Wikimedia Commons
In 1721, a collection of six instrumental works—the composer’s own title was Six Concerts Avec plusieurs Instruments (Six Concertos With several Instruments)—were presented by Johann Sebastian Bach to Christian Ludwig, a marquess and younger brother of King Frederick I of Prussia. Using the above picture as a clue, by what name is this collection commonly known today?
Two
Image Wikimedia CommonsImage Wikimedia Commons
The male monarch pictured above succeeded the female one on her death in 1603.
Who is the queen?
Who was the king?
What was the familial relationship between them?
Three
First illustration. Image Wikimedia Commons Second illustration. Image Wikimedia Commons
The two illustrations above are from novels by an author, ‘the father of science fiction’, who died in 1905, aged 77. Since 1979, he has been the second most translated author.
Who was the author?
From what novel is the first illustration?
From what novel is the second illustration?
Four
Eric Weisz. Image Wikimedia Commons
Erik Weisz, who was born in 1874, is pictured above during one of his acts, although he’s better known by his stage name.
In what European city was he born?
Who is he better known as?
Five
Image Wikimedia Commons
The prisoner of war camp above was made famous by a 1963 film which features the inmates attempts to leave it on the night of 24 March 1944.
By what name is this POW camp commonly known?
What was the 1963 film?
In what modern country is the site of the camp today?
These questions are all about today’s date, March 22nd.
One
Born in 1948, this composer wrote the music for a musical based on a 1939 T.S. Eliot poetry collection. Three questions…
Who is the composer?
What is the title of the musical?
What is the name of the poetry collection?
Answers
Andrew Lloyd Webber;
Cats
Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats
Cats, a sung-through musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber based on T.S. Eliot’s poetry, tells the story of the Jellicle cats and their annual ‘Jellicle choice’. Premiering in 1981, it became a commercial success, running for decades in both the West End and Broadway, and sparking the mega-musical phenomenon.
Two
Canadian actor William Shatner, who was born on 22 March 1931, first appeared in the role of James T. Kirk in series 1 episode 1 of the original television series Star Trek in September 1966. What was the episode title?
Answer: The Man Trap.
William Shatner, born in 1931, is a Canadian actor renowned for his iconic role as Captain Kirk in the Star Trek franchise. He also starred in T.J. Hooker, Rescue 911, and Boston Legal, earning two Emmy Awards for the latter. Beyond acting, Shatner has released several albums and made history in 2021 as the oldest person to fly in space.
Three
Hugo Grotius, a Dutch jurist, scholar and diplomat, is often called the ‘father of modern international law’. Today, he is best known for escaping imprisonment in Loevestein Castle, Netherlands, on this date in 1621. His wife devised the escape plan; what was it?
Answer: Hidden in a wooden chest.
On this day in 1621, Hugo Grotius was smuggled out of prison in a chest. Religious tensions were high in Holland and Grotius, who favoured tolerance, made many enemies. Arrested and sentenced to life in prison in 1618, his guards grew careless, neglecting to inspect the large book chest he often received. His wife then devised a plan to smuggle him out using the same chest. The plan was successful and the couple later reunited in Paris. Grotius is also remembered for his extensive legal writings which earned him the title ‘father of international law’.
Four
Born in 1976 in New Orleans, Louisiana, this actress won an Academy Award in 2006 for her role in Walk the Line. Who is she?
Answer: Reese Witherspoon.
Reese Witherspoon, born on March 22, 1976, in New Orleans, Louisiana, is an acclaimed American actress and producer renowned for her roles in romantic comedies and films like Legally Blonde and Walk the Line — for which she won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of June Carter. Witherspoon founded Hello Sunshine, a production company dedicated to female-led literary adaptations, and is actively involved in advocacy for children and women.
Five
Born in 1641 in Antwerp, Spanish Netherlands (now Belgium), this Flemish Baroque artist became a leading court painter in England. He is also known for having a beard named after him. Who is he?
Answer: Anthony van Dyck.
Sir Anthony van Dyck, a Flemish Baroque artist, revolutionised court portraiture in England, notably painting Charles I. He was a prolific painter of portraits, religious and mythological subjects, and a fine draftsman and etcher. The Van Dyke beard is named after him.
Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer
Today’s post title is the names of two feline characters from T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats and the musical Cats.
Quizology.Online 