University Challenge

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Some of the questions are ridiculously long, they often start off in total obscurity until the last few words give some clue to the answer. Its the question setter showing off.

But these are only in the "Starters for Ten" category, aren't they - thus gradually providing more clues enabling the more daring souls to interrupt when they think they've got the answer? I think the "Bonus" questions are (and have to be) much more concise.

(Agree with you about the seating arrangements.)

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

... wasn't it double letters in the name? Sheffield, Leeds... so I think it must've been O in Liverpool, T in Nottingham

Genius, vinty - I was as bewildered as Cali.

[teamsaint]

I thought Purcell immediately, then veered like you, but finally plumped for Purcell (it sounded to me like all that weird stuff in Fairy Queen...)

Got all the other music questions though, and tied with the Merton bloke on the Wagner...

Did ANYONE get or even understand that odd 'letters/geography' question? It was along the lines of 'by reference to population, if T is Liverpool and L is Nottingham, what is E?'.... The brain-box from Merton obviously worked it out as Leeds - but what on earth was the question getting at...??

A shame then that they didn't have as a bonus " Why is the name Hull City unique among English Football League clubs........."

[Nick Armstrong]

A shame then that they didn't have as a bonus " Why is the name Hull City unique among English Football League clubs........."

Don't you start....!



I think the 'double letters' question was cunningly crafted to trick the unwary, by the reference to the populations of the cities - which made it seem that the question required more substantive knowledge about the cities themselves than just spelling their names...

[ardcarp]

You're not the only one Cali. Mrs A and I were both completely stumped by...well, what the question was! Mind you Mrs A stormed through the fiction-based family trees. I was impressed.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I was very impressed with the level of classical music knowledge last night - particularly as , unusually , they had a second round of music questions . The Beethoven questions were not easy - I think they have made the music questions harder recently.

[BBMmk2]

I was very impressed with the level of classical music knowledge last night - particularly as , unusually , they had a second round of music questions . The Beethoven questions were not easy - I think they have made the music questions harder recently.

Very true! Rather enjoyable, I thought. Pity they didn't play the music!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Very true! Rather enjoyable, I thought. Pity they didn't play the music!

But they did for the "ghosts" round, where the object was to identify composers from sound clips. The Beethoven round was a test of what was known about Beethoven's life, rather than the sound of the Music - just as there have been similar rounds on the work of painters (that don't show the works in question), philosophers, scientists, politicians, without giving examples of their work beyond a verbal description of it. They never do - it's a different type of question.

[BBMmk2]

But they did for the "ghosts" round, where the object was to identify composers from sound clips. The Beethoven round was a test of what was known about Beethoven's life, rather than the sound of the Music - just as there have been similar rounds on the work of painters (that don't show the works in question), philosophers, scientists, politicians, without giving examples of their work beyond a verbal description of it. They never do - it's a different type of question.

Ah yes they did. That's one area I haven't explored myself, actually.

[Stanfordian]

I've just read this Guardian online article from Sun 14 Jan 2018 by Nicholas Kenyon: concerning a review of the recent CD release of Handel’s Dixit Dominus and J.S. Bach’s Magnificat performed by Vox Luminis directed by Lionel Meunier on Alpha.

"As the celebrity University Challenge teams were much slower to identify this Magnificat as Bach’s than was my six-year-old grandson."

Some kid! I'm glad I'm not having to choose him a bed-time story.

[ardcarp]

So who is this well-known composer Ethel Smith!!**??

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

So who is this well-known composer Ethel Smith!!**??

The correct pronunciation of Ethel Smyth's surname.

[ardcarp]

Really? Where have I been all my life........

Probably in the same place as the person who did this clip:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrAjWPLilTQ

[vinteuil]

.

... I think Smyth here rhymes with Forsyth.

See pages 136-138 of -

https://scholarworks.iu.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/2022/17573/Moon%2C%20Sarah%20%28DM%20Organ%29.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

.

[ardcarp]

Anyway, putting matters of you say potato to one side, I thought Merton not only did astonishingly well, but looked as if they were enjoying it, as opposed to Fitzwilliam who seemed strangely glum.

Back to pronunciation, Mrs A and I were amused by the only female contestant, Ms Woodland, announcing that she read 'Fuzzucks'. (I doubt she went to the local Comp.)