This is a new competition in which Members are invited to provide a short snatch of unidentified classical music for other Members to identify. The object is to test their knowledge of the repertoire in a competitive environment where time is of the essence if points are to be scored or lost.

The thread follows on from Mr. Wright's "Sounds Familiar," which seems to have stalled after somehow switching over from musical excerpts to famous people's voices!


Anyway here are the new Rules:

• any Member may set a puzzle consisting of a single extract from the "classical repertoire" (see definition below)
• each extract must be an mp3 or wav between two and sixty seconds in length
• any other Member may attempt to "identify" the extract - the name of the composer and the unambiguous name of the work will be considered sufficient identification
• there is no limit to the number of attempts Members may make to identify an extract
• there is no limit to the number of individual puzzles any one Member may set - indeed simultaneous puzzles are encouraged - except that there may not be more than ten unsolved puzzles set by one Member at any one time
• only seven standard message types (see definition below) will be permitted without penalty in this thread
• the modification of messages in this thread is not permitted
• if a puzzle has not been solved seventy-two hours after its setting it will expire, and the setter will lose all bonus points accrued for that puzzle. The setter should at that time supply the correct solution.

Statistics: From time to time a statistical summary will appear, containing the following information:

• the single fastest and slowest solutions to date
• the number of puzzles outstanding and the number solved to date
• table of setters (ranked according to the number of puzzles they have set)
• table of solvers (ranked according to the number of correct solutions they have provided)
• general points table (all participating Members ranked according to the number of points assigned to each).

Scoring:

• for each new puzzle a Member sets he (the setter) receives 100 points
• for the first correct solution of a puzzle a Member (the solver) will receive 800 points if no clues have been given, or 400 points if clues have been given - and in the latter case the setter will receive 400 points bonus
• for each incorrect or incomplete solution of a puzzle a Member (the solver attempting) receives 20 points - but in order to deter frivolity a second attempted solution to any one puzzle within one hour of a first will attract 10 points, a third attempt at the same puzzle within one hour will attract 5 points, a fourth attempt at the same puzzle will attract no points, and subsequent attempts at the same puzzle within one hour will attract minus 20 points.
• for each puzzle where the extract is not between two and sixty seconds in length the Member (the invalid setter) receives minus 75 points
• a successful solver will be entitled to submit one "joker message," which may contain expressions of jubilation or anything at all really without penalty
• all messages not of the "seven standard types" - for example requests for help, or anything "off topic" - will attract minus 75 points; a separate thread (see link below) is available for things of that kind
• the modification of a message will attract minus 75 points, and its content will be ignored (even if it is the correct solution!)
• a correct solution which arrives after a puzzle has already been solved will not attract any minus points but will simply be ignored
• a clue message will attract 75 points.

It may prove necessary in the light of experience to adjust at a later date some of these rules timings and scores.


Targets:

The initial target is 10,000 points. The first member who reaches a target will have his or her total reset to zero, an asterisk set against his or her name, and his or her name name entered in the table of winners. Each successive target will be calculated according to formulae which seem suitable at the time.


Definitions:

1) the "classical repertoire" here means music written between 1500 and 2000, and normally performed in concert halls or churches; "jazz" and "pops" are specifically excluded.

2) the seven standard permitted types of messages are these:

• the setting of a new puzzle (which must contain a direct or indirect link to an mp3 or wav file)
• an attempted solution of a puzzle - such attempted solution must contain both the name of a composer and the unambiguous identification of one work
• a message from the setter indicating either "correct" or "incorrect" (and we would hope no "almosts" "warms" "half rights" etc. For example a vague and inexact attempted answer like "A Schumann symphony" should receive the simple response "incorrect" from the setter in this context even if the correct answer is "Schumann's Fourth Symphony" and the attempted answer would be correct in some more general context)
• statistical summaries
• the provision by the setter of the solution after a lapse of seventy-two hours.
• a "joker" message, which may contain anything at all - one of these will be granted to every Member who solves a puzzle
• a clue message, applying only to a puzzle more than 10 hours old - a setter is permitted to post up to five clue messages per puzzle

3) a "correct solution" will contain both the name of the composer and the unambiguous name of the work.


Optional reservation of puzzle numbers:

When setting a new puzzle, Members may - but are not obliged to - post a message saying something along the lines of "This is a reservation for puzzle number xxx". The idea here is to avoid conflict with other Members in respect to puzzle numbers. A Member who has reserved a puzzle number in this way has one hour to complete the process of uploading his puzzle at his leisure. Once the puzzle has been uploaded the original reservation message should be edited so as to remove the reservation and replace it with a link to the new puzzle, in the usual way.

A Member who reserves a posting for the purpose of later inserting the actual puzzle but fails to do so within one hour will lose 500 points.


HERE is a link to a separate thread, in which unrestricted discussion about this competition may take place.


And HERE is the first puzzle; the clock is now running. . . .

We regret to inform the Member that his suggestion is not in this instance correct, and he will therefore be docked seventy-five points. What a wonderful work the Poem of Ecstasy nevertheless is! It draws upon and sublimates all the best and finest achievements of the great men who laboured before Scryabine's day. With it Western Art Music reached a high point unsurpassed to this day did not it?

Not for every reader here, Sydney, and certainly not for this one: everyone to his own tastes, after all....

Indeed Ron, having not heard the complete Western Art repertoire how can Grew make such a statement, unless he means to hijack his own thread with rpertitive ratings of composers  blah blah blah  

After several links via the Free box I was preseneted with a list of download options totally unfamiliar to me, and became too suspicious to proceed

Syd, why can we not use sendspace  ?

Chafers,

Stravinsky, Rite of Spring?

Nope. Don't work. 

We are unfamiliar with Vertigo but we know it is not the right answer to the first puzzle!

Let us take this opportunity to present the preliminary statistical log, and to remind Members that general discussion should take place in the discussion thread, not here where only five strictly controlled message types are approved.

Member C Dish - 75 for reply 1 (incorrect answer)
Member Martle - 75 for reply 3 (off topic)
Member Dough - 75 for reply 4 (off topic)
Member C Dish + 100 for reply 5 (new puzzle)
Member John W - 75 for reply 6 (off topic)
Member Martle - 75 for reply 7 (incorrect answer)
Member Antheil -75 for reply 8 (incorrect answer)
Member Thompson -75 for reply 9 (incorrect answer)
Member Martle -75 for reply 10 (off topic)

Puzzle 1: Frank Bridge: The Sea ?