There have been some concert hall events that have certainly reached the spirit but nothing quite like this. For Miss Mussel, the reasons for this are twofold. The first is that the liturgy hasn’t changed much for 1800 years, so there is a strong sense of connection to those that have come before and as well as a reminder that our allotted 80 years are merely a heartbeat in the grand scheme of human endeavour.

The second attraction is that this is working music that does not aim to entertain but rather to facilitate transcendence. That the music accomplishes this within an aesthetic that is now considered to be austere, makes it all the more beautiful.

There is a new leader in the quiz standings but still plenty of time to get some points up over the next 6 weeks. A strong finish just might get you the top prize, which is, in case you have forgotten, a $100 gift voucher for Arkiv music. Second and third prizes are nothing to sniff at either.

The full rules are here. Clues on Tues and Weds. Guesses that include some combination of composer, title of piece and date of composition are sent in before midnight EST Weds qualify. Points are given for each component, so partial guesses still count.

Like this? Why not try:

• Quiz #6 Pencils Down Everyone
• Quiz #6: Clue Two
• Quiz #6: Clue One

Reader Daniel passed along this news clip:

Daniel also drew Miss Mussel’s attention to a bit of marching band humour courtesy of the Mr Show.

In high school, Miss Mussel’s music teacher was obsessed with marches despite the fact that in Canada we don’t march. Ever. For any reason. So we played them all the time. Army of the Nile, Colonel Bogey, Blaze Away, you name it, we played it. It was during this time that Miss Mussel developed a pathological hatred of the euphonium and its countermelody stardom while the lowly horns were stuck on off-beats and doubled by the alto saxophones. Ugh.

About 15 years ago, a 3 cd set of 100 Greatest Marches or similar ended up in Miss Mussel’s possession, most likely due to the fact that you could get 100 SONGS FOR $6.99!!! and that’s how Lassus Trombone got on the radar.

While we’re on the topic of marching bands, this little video is absolutely hilarious. Yes, it has been posted before here but it never fails to amuse.

Like this? Why not try:

• Boo etc
• Quiz #25 Second Clue Set
• Quiz #25 Left, Right, Left

Here are the final set of clues for this week’s Quiz.

• The composer attended CCM in Cincinnati
• The title of the piece contains the name of the featured instrument
• One of the composer’s legacies was the invention of the smear.
• He was not a gynaecologist.

Have another listen and don’t forget to send in your guess by today at midnight EST. [composer, name and date of composition or some combination thereof.]

Like this? Why not try:

• Quiz #25: Drumroll Please
• Quiz #25 Left, Right, Left
• Quiz #25 First Clue Set

In the first batch of clues, a bonus point was given for the person who could name the author of this über-dense quote: “as paradoxically inimical to the cultural category of art it nevertheless contributed to, relied upon and heightened in so significant a manner.” When Miss Mussel has to get her dictionary out at word number three, her mind goes instantly to two possible choices. Edward Said and Theodor Adorno. Since Mahler doesn’t have much to do with orientalism and the like, that leaves our pal Teddy.

The date of composition for this piece was a trick question because Mahler died before it was completed. He left orchestrated parts for the first and third movements and sketches of the others. Several people have had a crack at completing the score but the version by Deryck Cooke is the most commonly performed.

While Mahler was writing his final symphony, he was overcome with the grief of losing his beloved wife Alma to young architect Walter Gropius. Tragic notes in the margin illustrate Mahlers internal turmoil and correspond with specific events in the score:

The Devil dances it with me / Madness take me, cursed one! / Destroy me, that I forget that I am! / that I cease to be, that I de… [das ich ver… ]’, at the end: ‘You alone know what it means! … Ah! Farewell my lyre!’).

Someone else is wearing the Yellow Jersey this week, meaning they are in top spot after 3 weeks of Quiz play. There are seven remaining weeks until the prizes are awarded, so still plenty of time to have a go.

Like this? Why not try:

• In A Debating Mood
• Quiz #24: Second Clue Set
• Britten: Sinfonia da Requiem

Miss Mussel fell of the face of the earth for two days, so this week’s quiz is in a bit of a shambles. To all of you that were not able to be productive on Wednesday due to lack of quiz, please accept Miss Mussel’s sincerest apologies. She was busy trying to convince American border patrol officers that they should tell her how they profile drug smugglers, in the interests of journalism etc. You can imagine how well that went over.

OK….here is the second batch of clues. A few more people worked it out after Tuesday’s hints. Have another listen, just because the track is lovely, and give some thought to the following:

1. Yesterday Miss Mussel described the sample as the “entire whole movement.” Embarassing tautology aside, this is significant because usually this composer is much less brief. As in “has been known to take 90 minutes to get his point across.”
2. The date of composition is a bit of a trick question.
3. There are currently several versions of this piece in circulation. Only the first and third movements are common to eacht.

Put the composer, name of piece, movement and/or date of composition into an email message and send it to OMHQ.

The quiz will remain open until Friday at midnight EST. Answers sometime at the weekend.

Best of luck!

Like this? Why not try:

• Quiz #24: First Clue Set
• Quiz #24: Here’s One I Made Earlier
• Béla Bartók: Music For Strings, Percussion and Celeste

No guesses yesterday. Miss Mussel is sure that most of you know who the composer is but going through his entire oeuvre and eliminating all possibilities via your CD collection would be a mammoth undertaking. [FREE CLUE ALERT *ahem*]

The following should help you narrow it down a bit.

1. The sample is the entire whole movement.
2. The composer’s work has been described as “as paradoxically inimical to the cultural category of art it nevertheless contributed to, relied upon and heightened in so significant a manner.“
3. Two of the movements were premiered in Vienna in 1924 however it would be 40 more years before the first complete performance was mounted.

Bonus Point: name the author of the quote in #2.

Guesses as to the composer’s name, title of piece and date of composition to hello@theomniscientmussel.com.* There is one point available for each part of the answer plus an additional bonus for writing in before the final clues are revealed, so guessing it worth it.

*Not a typo. The email meltdown is fixed.

Like this? Why not try:

• Quiz #24: Second Clue Set
• Béla Bartók: Music For Strings, Percussion and Celeste
• Gyorgy Ligeti: Romanian Concerto

In the meantime, click on the triangle to hear this week’s sample. Clues tomorrow and Weds.
Newcomers: there are prizes for a correctly guessing the composer, date, title and (if applicable) movement. Two weeks are completed already but there is still plenty of time to catch up to the leaders.

Send your answers here.

Please note that email @theomniscientmussel.com is still not 100% reliable. An announcement will be posted when everything is back on track. In the meantime, please use the link in this post.

Happy guessing everyone!

Like this? Why not try:

• Quiz #24: Second Clue Set
• Béla Bartók: Music For Strings, Percussion and Celeste
• Gyorgy Ligeti: Romanian Concerto

This week’s piece is: Short Ride In A Fast Machine by John (Coolidge) Adams written in 1986.

The other similarly-named American composer mentioned in yesterday’s clues is John Luther Adams, styled by Alex Ross as “one of the most original thinkers of the new century.”

So….no slouch then.

Here is Short Ride In A Fast Machine on…err…gamelan as part of an education project done by the LSO St Luke’s at the Barbican in London.

Like this? Why not try:

• Boo etc
• Quiz #25: Drumroll Please
• 12th Century Helpdesk

Ok, now that we’ve got that out of the way….on to the last set of clues.

1. A few sources have mentioned that this is the encore most often played by American orchestras.
2. There is another composer with the same first and last name as well as two American presidents.
3. The composer had this to say about the title, “You know how it is when someone asks you to ride in a terrific sports car, and then you wish you hadn’t?”

You’ve got til today at midnight EST to chime in with any or all of the name of the composer, title of piece and date of composition.

Happy listening!

Like this? Why not try:

• Quiz #23 First Clues
• Quiz #23 Exemplar
• Come On Then, Have A Guess

In the meantime, click on the pink triangle to your left and listen again while you consider the following clues.

1. The composer has played the clarinet for a Big 5 orchestra
2. His first name is one syllable but it does not rhyme with cleave.
3. In the year this piece was composed, the first Metroid game was released by Nintendo

There’s still on bonus point to be had for getting your answer in today before midnight but the contest doesn’t officially close until midnight tomorrow.

Like this? Why not try:

• Quiz #23 Exemplar
• Quiz #23 Second Clue Set
• Come On Then, Have A Guess

Have a listen to the sample. Clues to follow tomorrow and the next day. Pop your guesses in a note including the name of composer, title of piece and date of composition for a chance to win fabulous, life-changing prizes. Remember, you can get extra points for answering before the clues are given.

This quiz set lasts for a further nine weeks, so it’s worth making a guess even if you’re not entirely sure.

Good luck and have fun…..those stocks are sure rebound at some point in the future. They always do. Unless the company goes bankrupt. Maybe it’s best not to nominate Miss Mussel to be your broker.

Like this? Why not try:

• Quiz #23 First Clues
• Quiz #23 Second Clue Set
• Come On Then, Have A Guess

This week’s piece is Les Barricades Misterieuses by François Couperin (1668-1733), written in 1716-17 as part of his second book of pieces for harpsichord. Couperin was born into a family of organists and was appointed to a position at the court of Louis XIV in 1693. The post was a jobshare with three other organists, which meant he only had to work the first three months of the year.

The rest of the time he devoted to composing and teaching, an effort that resulted in him being the regarded as one of the best in France in both disciplines. His peers thought enough of Couperin to make him the dedicatee of many of their compositions.

The bonus point for this week’s quiz was for the artist. Murray Perahia and Grigory Solokov were put forward but alas the correct answer is Alexandre Tharaud from his 2007 album Tic Toc Choc. If you don’t have it in your collection, you should otherwise your CD cabinet will live out its days as an unfulfilled being and that’s just a bit sad.

The new quiz format means points are calculated over the entire 10 week period to determine the winners. It’s not a competition as such, more like all the fun of music school with some really great prizes instead of hours of practice or exams.

For those of you that are into such things, have a look at the leaderboard.

Otherwise, see yous all Monday for the second installment!

Like this? Why not try:

• Oops…
• Quiz #22: Clue One
• Aaaaand we’re back

Have another listen while you’re pondering these clues:

1. The composer’s job title was ‘ordinaire de la musique de la chambre du Roi.‘
2. In the year the composer was born, Dietrich Buxtehude became the organist at the Marienkirche in Lübeck.
3. Although the source is slightly dubious, someone has postulated that the title of the piece refers to all the harmonic suspensions. Musicologists have weighed in but its exact meaning remains a mystery.

One more set of clues tomorrow. In the meantime, send your guesses here

Like this? Why not try:

• Quiz #22: Behind The Curtain
• Quiz #22: Second Clues
• Quiz #22: Let’s Get This Party Started

Hope you all had a lovely summer doing whatever it is people do in the summertime in your corner of the universe. There are a few small behind-the-scenes technology changes this year as well as the newly revamped points system that should make it more fun for a broader swath of readers.

If you’re new to the quiz, here is a full rundown of how it all works.

The short version is: send in your guesses as to the composer, name of piece [movement if applicable] and date of composition to hello@theomniscientmussel.com by Wednesday at midnight EST for chance to win a some great prizes from Arkiv Music.

Nothing too aurally strenuous this week. It seemed like a better idea to ease into things rather than go all out straight away. Have a listen and if you’re not sure come back Tuesday and Wednesday for some clues.

Also, tell all your friends!

BONUS POINT:name the artist

Like this? Why not try:

• Friday Swag
• Quiz #22: Second Clues
• Quiz #22: Clue One

The OM Quiz is going on a summer hiatus. The blog will continue as normal and will hopefully include more essays and actual opinions “the state of things” rather than just links, cartoons et al. Books for the summer reading session are stacked high and mostly resemble those set aside for the Winter 08 session.

Your feedback on the quiz is most welcome in the comments or via email and will be taken into consideration for the new season starting sometime around Labour Day.

Thanks to all those who listened, played along and wrote in with anecdotes, random factoids and anything else that popped into mind. It’s been a pleasure discovering music with you.

Like this? Why not try:

• Quiz #23 Second Clue Set
• Quiz #23 First Clues
• Quiz #23 Exemplar

2) Miss Mussel stayed up til 7am Sunday morning making a website and hasn’t really been able to string more than four words together since. There’s no real content yet but you’re welcome to head over for a peak anyway.

Believe whichever scenario suits although Miss Mussel will say that learning PHP in help fora at 3am is possible but greatly reduces the chances that you will remember any of it the next day.

Apologies to Roger Miller, furnisher of the music for Quiz 21, for failing do it up properly. There were two people who responded with the correct answer and, given the relative obscurity of the piece, it seems only fair to publicly acknowledge Daniel J. Liss and Philip Amos.

As luck would have it, Mr Amos was the first to emerge from the Official OM Seed Corn Hat and so he can spend the summer ruminating over his choice of piece for an upcoming quiz or gleefully thinking of ways to spend his $20 credit at Arkiv.

So what was the piece? None other than Missa Brevis by British composer Paul Patterson written in 1985 and first performed by the Thomas Tallis Society in the same year. Further information on the Mass, in the form of a very helpful programme note can be found here.

The original recording Roger sent along was of the Epsom Chamber Choir however in the end, he decided to go with an EMI recording with the London Philharmonic Choir. Baton-wielder: Owain Arwel Hughes. Head to the jungle and buy your copy today! Act now, supplies are limited!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, it is time to step away from the direct mail copywriting gigs. Ugh.

Like this? Why not try:

• Quiz #21 Clue One
• Quiz #6 Pencils Down Everyone
• Quiz #6: Clue Two

Let’s just pretend these clues were posted at 9:30 to avoid a disconnect between reality and Miss Mussel’s imagination.

The final track has been added to the player. One person has written in with the answer so far. Send in yours to give him a run for his money.

The clues:
1) The piece was written in 1985 (that’s a freebie as penance for late posting)
2) The composer was commissioned by Kryzsztof Penderecki to write Luslawice Variations for solo violin, which was released by Tasmin Little recently as a free download
3) Trombone is the composer’s primary instrument, or at least the one he entered the RAM on.

Like this? Why not try:

• Quiz #21 Clue One
• Quiz #20: Pencils Down. That Includes You At The Back As Well.
• Quiz #8: In By A Nose

1) The composer was born in 1947 and, for the first time ever on the OM Quiz, is still drawing breath.
2) He wrote a series of fanfares for the inauguration of Chunnel.
3) You might find a staff listing at the Royal Academy in London to be of service. Or you could just ring up and pester the receptionist for the answer. Just don’t ask if her fridge is running.

Like this? Why not try:

• Quiz #21: Lost In The Post
• Quiz #21 Clue Two
• Quiz #18

Have a listen to the two tracks currently on the player and send those guesses in.

To help you along, Miss Mussel will say that if your cassock and surplice encased BFF lives in the UK, all the better.

Clues and more tracks tomorrow.

No relation but still worth a look:

• Saturday Photograph
• Review: Gilles Apap/KW Symphony/Outwater
• The Real Deal Or Just Another Gimmick?

Have a listen to this week’s mystery piece, as chosen by the winner of Quiz #17, Roger Miller, while you think it over.

There is something quite special about this piece, something different to any of the other twenty that have appeared so far. Tune in tomorrow to find out what, if you can’t guess already.

If you know anyone who wears a cassock and surplice on a regular basis, they are your new BFF, or at least until the Quiz closes at midnight EST on Weds.

All you need to do is send in the composer, name of piece and date of composition and your name will be placed in The Official OM Seed Corn Hat. The person whose name is first out receives a $20 credit at Arkiv or the chance to choose the mystery piece in the Autumn Quiz season.

Best of luck!

Like this? Why not try:

• Quiz #21: Lost In The Post
• Review: Grand Phil Choir/Bradley, Enns Modolo, Shaw, Watson
• Review: Jugendsängerfest