Great Composer Quiz – May 21, 2020
This time, it’s a medical Quiz. This Great Composer lived his life with chronic illnesses. Scholars today are convinced he suffered from Marfan syndrome, a genetic disorder that involves defects of the heart valves and affects the lungs, eyes, spinal cord, skeleton, and more. People with Marfan syndrome tend to be unusually tall with long limbs and long, thin fingers and toes, and that describes our Great Composer very well, but our Great Composer also suffered from tuberculosis, and from the treatments he received, so that mercury and opium brought upon him serious physical and psychological side effects. At 52, he quit his performing jig and died at 58. So who was this long-fingered man, this Great Composer?
Answer
Time’s up, pencil’s down. The long-limbed Great Composer who likely suffered from Marfan syndrome. The answer is Niccoló Paganini, who also suffered from tuberculosis and from the treatments he received, so that mercury and opium brought upon him serious physical and psychological side effects. At 52 he quit his performing jig and died at 58.