Our Festive News Extra was sent to all Interest Groups Online Members on 22 December. Read more full articles here. How did you do in the quiz included in the newsletter?
Download a PDF of the December 2022 News Extra for IGO members: Interest Groups Online Festive News Extra (545.07 KB)
QuizZoomers Group News
The full letter from the regular “quizmaster” Phil, the group leader
The quiz takes place every Monday evening at 7pm, and lasts about an hour. Some players are regulars, others sporadic competitors. The standard format is of matches between two teams of four, nominally Reds versus Blues, with players being assigned to a team each week. A round will see each player, in alternating team turn, asked an individual question. If they get the correct answer they score two points for the team. If they fail then their team may confer, with a correct answer from that conference scoring one point (a save). Should that answer be wrong, then the opposition can confer for the chance of a correct answer gaining one point (a steal).
If you wish to join then you can use the Beacon Link,
Yours in quizzing, Phil G
Exploring Classical Music Group Full List of Music Recommendations
In our little group, Mmembers select a piece of music, preferably classical, typically up to 15 minutes, that fits the occasion. This time the occasion was Christmas, New Year or something that we heard during the year and it stuck in our heads. The list below beautifully illustrates that classical music is fun!
P I Tchaikovsky: December – Christmas from The Seasons, Vadim Chaimovich.
Antonio Vivaldi, Winter from the Four Seasons, Voices of Music and Cynthia Miller Freivogel. I am sure that you've heard of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. But this rendition played on baroque instruments surely is unique in its freshness.
Johann Sebastian Bach, Christmas Oratorio; opening chorus until Wie soll ich Dich empfangen, RIAS Kammerchor, Freiburg baroque orchestra, Hans-Christoph Rademann, Conductor. This recording brings back memories of my childhood: Johan Sebastian wrote beautiful music for almost every occasion, including Christmas.
Victor Hely-Hutchinson (1901—1947), Carol Symphony (1927). Listen to this piece very carefully. How many Christmas carols can you hear? The way Hely-Hutchinson organized them is really mind-boggling!
J S Bach : Wachet auf uns ruft die Stimme. Chris Thile, Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer.This is a rendition of Bach’s possibly most famous tune. Listen to it and enjoy its simplicity and heavenly beauty!
Johann Strauss II / Georges Cziffra, Tritsch-Tratsch Polka, Yuja Wang (1987). Have you seen Yuja Wang at this year’s Proms? Well, her virtuosity is unsurpassable!
Johann Strauß, Die Fledermaus (sung in German with English subtitles). Wiener Staatsoperchor, Wiener Philharmoniker, Karl Böhm.
Champagnerlied, listen, 2:50.
And we closed our session with a generous serving of champagne and the best holiday wishes. Tomy, Exploring Classical Music Group Leader
Quiz Questions
Scroll down for the answers!
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Which carol did Christina Rossetti write in 1872
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Which carol has a city in the midlands for a name?
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Stille Nacht was first translated into English in 1859. By what name do we know it?
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Rector Phillip Brooks was inspired to write which carol whilst looking over Bethlehem from the Palestine Hills?
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What is the more usual name for the carol Tidings of Comfort and Joy?
The QuizZoomers Sample Question
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The actor who played Churchill in a 2017 film of that name shares his name with a scientist from Manchester University who presents TV documentaries. What is that name?
Quiz Answers
- In the bleak midwinter
- Coventry Carol
- Silent night
- Oh little town of Bethlehem
- God rest ye merry gentlemen
QuizZoomers Question Answer
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Brian Cox