Q 01/05

Which 1968 science-fiction film made the opening fanfare of Richard Strauss's Also sprach Zarathustra world famous?

A) Planet of the Apes

B) 2001: A Space Odyssey

C) The Day the Earth Stood Still

D) Forbidden Planet

Answer · why

B) 2001: A Space Odyssey

2001: A Space Odyssey kept the fanfare from Stanley Kubrick's temporary soundtrack. Alex North, whose commissioned score was dropped, only found out w...

Q 02/05

Richard Strauss was no relation to Vienna's Strauss dynasty, whose Johann II wrote which famous waltz?

A) The Blue Danube

B) The Merry Widow Waltz

C) Waltz of the Flowers

D) The Skaters' Waltz

Answer · why

A) The Blue Danube

The Blue Danube came from Johann Strauss II, Vienna's Waltz King and no relation. Richard still tipped his hat to that laughing genius of Vienna in th...

Q 03/05

Which rock and roll star took the stage to Richard Strauss's Also sprach Zarathustra fanfare throughout the 1970s?

A) David Bowie

B) Elton John

C) Elvis Presley

D) Freddie Mercury

Answer · why

C) Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley used the fanfare as his entrance music at live shows from 1971 to 1977. The wrestler Ric Flair later walked to the ring to it for most o...

Q 04/05

Richard Strauss's mother, Josephine Pschorr, came from a Munich family that grew rich making which product?

A) Pianos

B) Cigars

C) Clocks

D) Beer

Answer · why

D) Beer

Beer made the Pschorrs wealthy, and the name lives on in Hacker-Pschorr, one of the six Munich breweries that pour at Oktoberfest.

Q 05/05

A Karajan recording of Richard Strauss's An Alpine Symphony was used for the first test pressing of which format?

A) Compact disc

B) LaserDisc

C) Cassette tape

D) Stereo LP

Answer · why

A) Compact disc

Compact disc developers pressed their first trial disc from his December 1980 Berlin recording. Herbert von Karajan had been signed up as an ambassado...