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Henry Wadsworth Longfellow composed the poem 'Christmas Bells' in 1861, immediately following his wife's demise.
Answer: False
Explanation: Longfellow composed 'Christmas Bells' in 1863, two years subsequent to his wife's tragic death in 1861 from fatal burns in an accidental fire.
The American Civil War constituted a pivotal historical context for Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem 'Christmas Bells.'
Answer: True
Explanation: The American Civil War provided the significant historical context for Longfellow's poem 'Christmas Bells,' reflecting the national turmoil and despair of that period.
Longfellow's second wife passed away in 1861 due to a protracted illness, a loss that profoundly impacted him.
Answer: False
Explanation: Longfellow's second wife died in 1861 from fatal burns sustained in an accidental fire, not from a prolonged illness.
Charles Appleton Longfellow enlisted in the Union Army in 1863 with the explicit approval and encouragement of his father.
Answer: False
Explanation: Charles Appleton Longfellow joined the Union Army in 1863 without his father's blessing, informing him by letter only after his enlistment.
In a letter, Charles Appleton Longfellow articulated his conviction that his 'first duty' was to contribute to his country's welfare.
Answer: True
Explanation: Charles Appleton Longfellow's letter of March 14, 1863, explicitly states his belief that it was his 'first duty to do what I can for my country.'
Charles Appleton Longfellow completed his service throughout the entirety of the Civil War, ultimately attaining the rank of captain.
Answer: False
Explanation: Charles Appleton Longfellow was severely wounded in November 1863, which concluded his military service, and he was appointed as a lieutenant, not a captain.
Longfellow authored 'Christmas Bells' on Christmas Day in 1863.
Answer: True
Explanation: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow composed the poem 'Christmas Bells' on Christmas Day, 1863.
The poem 'Christmas Bells' saw its initial publication in 1863 as part of a compilation of Longfellow's war-themed poetry.
Answer: False
Explanation: The poem 'Christmas Bells' was first published in February 1865 in *Our Young Folks*, a juvenile magazine, not in 1863 in a collection of war poetry.
The juvenile periodical that first published 'Christmas Bells' bore the title *Young Folks Monthly*.
Answer: False
Explanation: The juvenile magazine where 'Christmas Bells' was initially published was titled *Our Young Folks*, not *Young Folks Monthly*.
Ticknor and Fields served as the publishing house for *Our Young Folks* magazine.
Answer: True
Explanation: Ticknor and Fields was indeed the publisher of *Our Young Folks* magazine, which first featured Longfellow's poem 'Christmas Bells'.
Who is the author of the original poem 'Christmas Bells,' which serves as the lyrical foundation for 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day'?
Answer: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Explanation: The original poem 'Christmas Bells,' upon which the carol is based, was written by the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in 1863.
What was the year of original composition for Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem 'Christmas Bells'?
Answer: 1863
Explanation: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow composed the poem 'Christmas Bells' in 1863.
Which major historical conflict served as the contextual foundation for Longfellow's poem 'Christmas Bells'?
Answer: The American Civil War
Explanation: The American Civil War provided the significant historical context for Longfellow's poem 'Christmas Bells,' reflecting the turmoil and despair of the nation during that period.
Which personal tragedy did Henry Wadsworth Longfellow endure in 1861, two years prior to composing 'Christmas Bells'?
Answer: His second wife died from fatal burns in an accidental fire.
Explanation: In 1861, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's second wife tragically died from fatal burns in an accidental fire, a devastating event that preceded the poem's composition.
By what means did Charles Appleton Longfellow communicate his decision to join the Union Army to his father?
Answer: He informed him by letter after he had already left to enlist.
Explanation: Charles Appleton Longfellow joined the Union Army in 1863 without his father's blessing, informing him by letter after he had already left to enlist.
What was the ultimate consequence of Charles Appleton Longfellow's military engagement in the Union Army?
Answer: He was severely wounded in the Battle of Mine Run and his time as a soldier concluded.
Explanation: Charles Appleton Longfellow was appointed as a lieutenant but was severely wounded in the Battle of Mine Run in November 1863, which concluded his time as a soldier.
In what month and year did Longfellow's poem 'Christmas Bells' first appear in print?
Answer: February 1865
Explanation: The poem 'Christmas Bells' was first published in February 1865 in *Our Young Folks*, a juvenile magazine.
Which periodical served as the initial platform for the publication of Longfellow's poem 'Christmas Bells'?
Answer: *Our Young Folks*
Explanation: Longfellow's poem 'Christmas Bells' was first published in February 1865 in *Our Young Folks*, a juvenile magazine.
Identify the publishing house responsible for *Our Young Folks* magazine, the initial venue for Longfellow's poem.
Answer: Ticknor and Fields
Explanation: Ticknor and Fields was the publisher of *Our Young Folks* magazine, which first featured Longfellow's poem 'Christmas Bells' in February 1865.
The refrain 'peace on earth, good will to men' in Longfellow's poem directly alludes to a passage found in the Book of Revelation.
Answer: False
Explanation: The refrain 'peace on earth, good will to men' directly references Luke 2:14 in the King James Version of the Bible, not the Book of Revelation.
The emotional tenor of Longfellow's poem 'Christmas Bells' sustains an unwavering optimism across all seven of its quatrains.
Answer: False
Explanation: The poem's mood shifts from an initial optimism to a pessimistic reflection on the Civil War, before ultimately concluding with a call for faith to overcome despair.
Longfellow's poem 'Christmas Bells' is characterized by the poetic meter known as Long Metre (L.M.), or 8.8.8.8.
Answer: True
Explanation: The poetic meter of Longfellow's poem 'Christmas Bells' is indeed 8.8.8.8., also known as Long Metre (L.M.).
Longfellow's poem employs imagery of a 'thundering cannon' and an 'earthquake' to illustrate the profound impact of the Civil War.
Answer: True
Explanation: Longfellow's poem uses vivid imagery such as 'Then from each black, accursed mouth The cannon thundered in the South' and 'It was as if an earthquake rent The hearth-stones of a continent' to convey the devastating impact of the Civil War.
The culminating message of hope in Longfellow's poem posits that humanity will ultimately attain peace through its autonomous endeavors.
Answer: False
Explanation: The ultimate message of hope is that 'God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; The Wrong shall fail, The Right prevail,' emphasizing divine justice and intervention, not solely human effort.
Longfellow's original poem 'Christmas Bells' is structured into five quatrains.
Answer: False
Explanation: Longfellow's original poem 'Christmas Bells' is comprised of seven quatrains, not five.
To which specific biblical passage does the refrain 'peace on earth, good will to men' in Longfellow's poem directly allude?
Answer: Luke 2:14
Explanation: The refrain 'peace on earth, good will to men' is a direct reference to Luke 2:14 in the King James Version of the Bible, which describes the angels heralding the birth of Christ.
Describe the general progression of mood within Longfellow's poem 'Christmas Bells'.
Answer: It begins with optimism, shifts to pessimism, and concludes with a call for faith.
Explanation: Longfellow's poem 'Christmas Bells' opens with optimism, transitions to a pessimistic mood reflecting the Civil War, and ultimately concludes with a call for faith to overcome doubt and despair.
Identify the specific poetic meter employed in Longfellow's poem 'Christmas Bells'.
Answer: 8.8.8.8. (Long Metre)
Explanation: The poetic meter of Longfellow's poem 'Christmas Bells' is 8.8.8.8., which is also known as Long Metre (L.M.), a common hymn meter.
Select the line from Longfellow's poem that most effectively communicates the destructive force of the Civil War.
Answer: "Then from each black, accursed mouth The cannon thundered in the South."
Explanation: Longfellow employs vivid imagery such as 'Then from each black, accursed mouth The cannon thundered in the South' to convey the devastating impact of the Civil War.
Articulate the ultimate message of hope conveyed at the culmination of Longfellow's poem.
Answer: That "God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; The Wrong shall fail, The Right prevail."
Explanation: The ultimate message of hope delivered at the conclusion of Longfellow's poem is that 'God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; The Wrong shall fail, The Right prevail, With peace on earth, good-will to men,' asserting a belief in divine justice and eventual peace.
State the number of quatrains that constitute Longfellow's original poem 'Christmas Bells'.
Answer: Seven
Explanation: Longfellow's original poem 'Christmas Bells' is comprised of seven quatrains, with each quatrain being a stanza of four lines.
John Baptiste Calkin holds the distinction of being the first documented composer to set Longfellow's poem to music in 1872.
Answer: True
Explanation: The English organist John Baptiste Calkin is credited as the first known composer to set Longfellow's poem to music in 1872.
Calkin specifically composed a novel melody for 'Christmas Bells' in 1872, which he designated 'Waltham.'
Answer: False
Explanation: Calkin utilized a melody he named 'Waltham' for his arrangement, but he had previously used this tune as early as 1848, indicating it was not newly composed in 1872.
Joseph Mainzer's 1845 composition, 'Mainzer,' served as a widely adopted musical setting for Longfellow's poem.
Answer: False
Explanation: Joseph Mainzer's 'Mainzer' was a less commonly used musical setting for Longfellow's poem, not a widely adopted one.
Harriet P. Sawyer, a composer active during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, also produced a musical setting for Longfellow's poem.
Answer: True
Explanation: Harriet P. Sawyer (1862-1934) is noted as another composer who created a musical setting for Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem.
Identify the earliest documented composer who adapted Longfellow's poem 'Christmas Bells' into a musical setting.
Answer: John Baptiste Calkin
Explanation: The English organist John Baptiste Calkin is credited as the first known composer to set Longfellow's poem to music in 1872.
Which melody did John Baptiste Calkin employ for his musical arrangement of 'Christmas Bells'?
Answer: Waltham
Explanation: John Baptiste Calkin utilized a melody he named 'Waltham' for his musical arrangement of 'Christmas Bells', a tune he had previously used as early as 1848.
Beyond John Baptiste Calkin's arrangement, which other earlier musical composition was less frequently employed for Longfellow's poem?
Answer: "Mainzer" by Joseph Mainzer
Explanation: Less commonly, Longfellow's poem was also set to Joseph Mainzer's 1845 composition titled 'Mainzer'.
Name the composer, active from 1862 to 1934, who also developed a musical setting for Longfellow's poem.
Answer: Harriet P. Sawyer
Explanation: Harriet P. Sawyer, who lived from 1862 to 1934, also composed a musical setting for Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem.
The most prominent contemporary melody for the carol was composed by Johnny Marks in 1956.
Answer: True
Explanation: Johnny Marks composed the most notable recent melody for 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day' in 1956.
Bing Crosby's 1956 recording of 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day' utilized a traditional folk melody.
Answer: False
Explanation: Bing Crosby recorded his version in 1956 using Johnny Marks's melody, which was composed in 1956, not a traditional folk melody.
Bing Crosby's 1956 recording of 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day' incorporated all seven stanzas of Longfellow's original poem.
Answer: False
Explanation: Bing Crosby's 1956 recording included verses 1, 2, 6, and 7 of Longfellow's original poem, not all seven verses.
Bing Crosby's single 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day' attained a position within the top 10 on the Music Vendor survey.
Answer: False
Explanation: Bing Crosby's single reached No. 55 on the Music Vendor survey, not the top 10.
*Variety* magazine forecasted that Bing Crosby's rendition of the song would achieve considerable success during the 1956 Christmas season.
Answer: True
Explanation: *Variety* magazine indeed predicted that Bing Crosby's recording would be 'a big one for the '56 Yule' with 'enduring hit potential.'
*Billboard* magazine's initial assessment in December 1956 indicated that Bing Crosby's new recording was encountering difficulties in gaining commercial momentum.
Answer: False
Explanation: *Billboard* magazine noted that Crosby's record was off to a promising start and projected impressive sales, indicating it was not struggling.
Bing Crosby humorously commented to Johnny Marks that he had at last discovered a 'decent lyricist' in Longfellow.
Answer: True
Explanation: Bing Crosby is reported to have quipped to Johnny Marks, 'I see you finally got yourself a decent lyricist,' referring to Longfellow's poem.
Johnny Marks's musical composition for the carol has achieved sales exceeding 5 million copies and boasts over 60 commercial recordings.
Answer: True
Explanation: Johnny Marks's tune for 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day' has indeed achieved over 60 commercial recordings and total sales exceeding 5 million copies.
Who composed the most widely recognized contemporary melody for 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day' in 1956?
Answer: Johnny Marks
Explanation: Johnny Marks composed the most notable recent melody for 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day' in 1956.
Identify the arrangers credited for Johnny Marks's 1956 melody of 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day'.
Answer: Lee Kjelson and Margaret Shelley Vance
Explanation: Johnny Marks's 1956 melody for 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day' was arranged by Lee Kjelson and Margaret Shelley Vance.
State the precise date on which Bing Crosby recorded his rendition of 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day,' employing Johnny Marks's melody.
Answer: October 3, 1956
Explanation: Bing Crosby recorded the song 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day' on October 3, 1956, utilizing Johnny Marks's melody.
Identify the specific verses from Longfellow's original poem that were incorporated into Bing Crosby's 1956 recording.
Answer: Verses 1, 2, 6, and 7
Explanation: Bing Crosby's 1956 recording of the song included verses 1, 2, 6, and 7 of Longfellow's original poem.
What was the chart performance of Bing Crosby's single 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day' on the Music Vendor survey?
Answer: It reached No. 55.
Explanation: Bing Crosby's single of 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day' reached No. 55 in the Music Vendor survey.
Summarize *Variety* magazine's critical evaluation of Bing Crosby's recording of 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day'.
Answer: It looked like a big one for the '56 Yule with enduring hit potential.
Explanation: *Variety* magazine praised Bing Crosby's recording, stating that his 'workover of 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day' looks like a big one for the '56 Yule and a hit potential of enduring value.'
What jocular remark did Bing Crosby reportedly make to Johnny Marks concerning the song's lyrical content?
Answer: "I see you finally got yourself a decent lyricist."
Explanation: Bing Crosby is said to have quipped to Johnny Marks, 'I see you finally got yourself a decent lyricist,' referring to Longfellow's poem.
Assess the commercial significance of Johnny Marks's melody for 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day'.
Answer: It has sold over 5 million copies and has over 60 commercial recordings.
Explanation: Johnny Marks's tune for 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day' has achieved significant commercial success, with over 60 commercial recordings and total sales exceeding 5 million copies.
The musical piece 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day' is fundamentally identified as a Christmas carol.
Answer: True
Explanation: The carol 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day' is widely recognized as a traditional Christmas carol, a song or hymn celebrating the Christmas season.
Prominent artists such as Harry Belafonte, Johnny Cash, and Andy Williams have recorded cover versions of 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.'
Answer: True
Explanation: Harry Belafonte (1958), Johnny Cash (1963), and Andy Williams (1974) are explicitly mentioned as notable artists who have covered the song.
Casting Crowns secured a No. 1 Christian hit with their interpretation of the song in 2010.
Answer: False
Explanation: Casting Crowns achieved their No. 1 Christian hit with 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day' in 2008, not 2010.
Casting Crowns' successful rendition of the song was released on their album *A Christmas Story*.
Answer: False
Explanation: Casting Crowns' hit version originated from their album *Peace on Earth*, not *A Christmas Story*.
Casting Crowns' musical interpretation constitutes an exact replica of Longfellow's original poem set to music.
Answer: False
Explanation: Casting Crowns' rendition is an interpolation, combining specific verses (1, 6, 7, 3) from the original poem with a newly composed chorus, rather than being an exact replica.
Richard Marx incorporated Casting Crowns' version of the carol into his 2012 album *Christmas Spirit*.
Answer: True
Explanation: Richard Marx indeed used Casting Crowns' version of 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day' for his 2012 album *Christmas Spirit*.
Ray Bradbury's 1962 novel *Something Wicked This Way Comes* characterized the carol as 'immensely moving.'
Answer: True
Explanation: In chapter five of his 1962 novel *Something Wicked This Way Comes*, Ray Bradbury described the carol as 'immensely moving, overwhelming, no matter what day or what month it was sung.'
Within Bradbury's novel, the carol functioned to amplify the celebratory and joyous ambiance of Mr. Dark's carnival.
Answer: False
Explanation: In Ray Bradbury's novel, the carol provided an ironic contrast to the evil that Mr. Dark's carnival was about to unleash, highlighting the clash between innocence and malevolence.
In the 1983 cinematic adaptation of *Something Wicked This Way Comes*, both Mr. Dark and Charles Halloway are portrayed quoting excerpts from the carol.
Answer: True
Explanation: In the 1983 film adaptation of *Something Wicked This Way Comes*, Mr. Dark and Charles Halloway both quote passages from the carol.
Mr. Dark's foreboding statement while quoting the carol in the film was, 'Christmas is a thousand years away.'
Answer: False
Explanation: Mr. Dark's ominous remark when quoting the carol in the film adaptation was 'it's a thousand years to Christmas,' implying a distant or impossible hope for peace.
The 2022 film *I Heard the Bells* from Sight & Sound Films primarily explores the musical evolution of the carol.
Answer: False
Explanation: The 2022 film *I Heard the Bells* by Sight & Sound Films depicts the events and personal struggles surrounding Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's writing of the poem 'Christmas Bells', not its musical history.
What is the fundamental classification of 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day'?
Answer: A traditional Christmas carol
Explanation: The musical piece 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day' is primarily recognized as a Christmas carol, a traditional song or hymn celebrating the Christmas season.
From the following list, identify the artist NOT cited as having recorded a cover of 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day'.
Answer: Elvis Presley
Explanation: Harry Belafonte, Johnny Cash, and Andy Williams are mentioned as having covered the song, but Elvis Presley is not listed among the notable artists.
Specify the year in which the contemporary Christian music group Casting Crowns attained a No. 1 Christian hit with their rendition of 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day'.
Answer: 2008
Explanation: The contemporary Christian music group Casting Crowns scored their eighth No. 1 Christian hit with 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day' in 2008.
Identify the album from which Casting Crowns' critically acclaimed version of 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day' was released.
Answer: *Peace on Earth*
Explanation: Casting Crowns' hit version of 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day' originated from their album titled *Peace on Earth*.
Describe the method by which Casting Crowns' musical rendition of 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day' integrates elements from Longfellow's original poem.
Answer: It combines specific verses (1, 6, 7, 3) from the poem with a newly composed chorus.
Explanation: Casting Crowns' rendition is an interpolation, meaning it combines verses 1, 6, 7, and 3 (in that specific order) from the original poem with a newly composed chorus, rather than being an exact replica.
Which musical artist incorporated Casting Crowns' arrangement of 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day' into his 2012 Christmas album?
Answer: Richard Marx
Explanation: Richard Marx also used Casting Crowns' version of 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day' for his album *Christmas Spirit* in 2012.
In his 1962 novel *Something Wicked This Way Comes*, how did Ray Bradbury describe the carol?
Answer: As immensely moving and overwhelming.
Explanation: In chapter five of his 1962 novel *Something Wicked This Way Comes*, Ray Bradbury described the carol as 'immensely moving, overwhelming, no matter what day or what month it was sung.'
What thematic role did the carol fulfill in Ray Bradbury's novel *Something Wicked This Way Comes*?
Answer: To provide an ironic contrast to the evil Mr. Dark's carnival was about to unleash.
Explanation: In Ray Bradbury's novel, the carol provided an ironic contrast to the evil that Mr. Dark's carnival was about to unleash upon Green Town, Illinois, highlighting the clash between innocence and malevolence.
In the 1983 film adaptation of *Something Wicked This Way Comes*, which two characters are portrayed reciting excerpts from the carol?
Answer: Mr. Dark and Charles Halloway
Explanation: In the 1983 film adaptation of *Something Wicked This Way Comes*, Mr. Dark, portrayed by Jonathan Pryce, and Charles Halloway, played by Jason Robards, both quote passages from the carol.
What foreboding statement did Mr. Dark utter while quoting the carol in the film adaptation of *Something Wicked This Way Comes*?
Answer: "It's a thousand years to Christmas."
Explanation: When quoting the carol in the film adaptation, Mr. Dark ominously stated that 'it's a thousand years to Christmas,' suggesting a distant or impossible hope for peace.
What constitutes the core thematic focus of the 2022 film *I Heard the Bells* by Sight & Sound Films?
Answer: The events and personal struggles surrounding Longfellow's writing of the poem.
Explanation: The 2022 film *I Heard the Bells* by Sight & Sound Films depicts the events and personal struggles surrounding Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's writing of the poem 'Christmas Bells'.
Which particular annual occasion is traditionally linked to 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day'?
Answer: Christmas
Explanation: The specific occasion associated with 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day' is Christmas, a Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.
According to the provided information, what is the concise description of 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day'?
Answer: A musical setting of a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Explanation: The short description for 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day' states that it is a Christmas carol and a musical setting of the poem 'Christmas Bells' by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.