Literary Works About Musical Composers
Test your knowledge about literary works that revolve around the lives and music of famous composers.
Questions
Which novel by Thomas Mann explores the life and struggles of the German composer Adrian Leverkühn?
- The Magic Mountain
- Death in Venice
- Doctor Faustus
- Buddenbrooks
In 'The Agony and the Ecstasy', Irving Stone narrates the life of which iconic Renaissance artist?
- Michelangelo
- Leonardo da Vinci
- Raphael
- Donatello
Which composer's life and music inspired the play 'Amadeus' by Peter Shaffer?
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Ludwig van Beethoven
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Franz Schubert
In 'The World According to Garp', John Irving weaves a tale about a young man named T.S. Garp, who is the son of which famous composer?
- Gustav Mahler
- Leonard Bernstein
- Aaron Copland
- George Gershwin
Which novel by Milan Kundera explores the life and music of Ludwig van Beethoven?
- The Unbearable Lightness of Being
- Immortality
- The Joke
- Life is Elsewhere
In 'The Piano Teacher', Elfriede Jelinek tells the story of Erika Kohut, a piano teacher who becomes obsessed with her student, Walter Klemmer. Which composer's music plays a significant role in the novel?
- Robert Schumann
- Frédéric Chopin
- Franz Liszt
- Johannes Brahms
Which composer's life and music inspired the film 'Shine', directed by Scott Hicks?
- David Helfgott
- Glenn Gould
- Arthur Rubinstein
- Vladimir Horowitz
In 'The Red Violin', a novel by Susan Barker, the main character is a violin that has been passed down through generations. Which composer is associated with the violin's creation?
- Antonio Stradivari
- Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù
- Niccolò Amati
- Carlo Bergonzi
Which composer's life and music is the subject of the opera 'Nixon in China' by John Adams?
- Richard Nixon
- Mao Zedong
- Henry Kissinger
- Zhou Enlai
In 'The Eighth Note', a novel by David Guterson, the protagonist is a young woman named Claire, who is a gifted pianist. Which composer's music does Claire play throughout the story?
- Frédéric Chopin
- Ludwig van Beethoven
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Franz Schubert
Which composer's life and music inspired the film 'Immortal Beloved', directed by Bernard Rose?
- Ludwig van Beethoven
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Franz Schubert
- Robert Schumann
In 'The Music Room', a novel by Namita Gokhale, the protagonist is a young woman named Mira, who is a talented sitar player. Which Indian classical musician is Mira's guru?
- Ravi Shankar
- Ali Akbar Khan
- Vilayat Khan
- Bismillah Khan
Which composer's life and music is the subject of the musical 'Hamilton' by Lin-Manuel Miranda?
- Alexander Hamilton
- George Washington
- Thomas Jefferson
- Aaron Burr
In 'The Dream Thieves', a novel by Maggie Stiefvater, the protagonist, Ronan Lynch, is a gifted musician. Which instrument does Ronan play?
- Guitar
- Piano
- Violin
- Drums
Which composer's life and music inspired the film 'The Pianist', directed by Roman Polanski?
- Frédéric Chopin
- Franz Liszt
- Robert Schumann
- Johannes Brahms