Also sprach Zarathustra

This article is about the musical work by Strauss. For the original book by Nietzsche after which this piece is named, see Thus Spoke Zarathustra. For other uses, see Also sprach Zarathustra (disambiguation).

Also sprach Zarathustra
Tone poem by Richard Strauss
Strauss in 1894
Opus30
Based onNietzsche's philosophical novel
Composed1896 (1896)
Duration33 minutes
ScoringLarge orchestra
Premiere
Date27 November 1896 (1896-11-27)
LocationFrankfurt
ConductorRichard Strauss

Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 (German: [ˈalzo ʃpʁaːx t͡saʁaˈtʊstʁa] ⓘ, Thus Spoke Zarathustra or Thus Spake Zarathustra)[1] is a tone poem by German composer Richard Strauss, composed in 1896 and inspired by Friedrich Nietzsche's philosophical 1883–1885 novel Thus Spoke Zarathustra.[2] Strauss conducted its first performance on 27 November 1896 in Frankfurt. A typical performance lasts roughly thirty-three minutes.

The initial fanfare – titled "Sunrise" in the composer's programme notes[3] – became incredibly well known after its use in Stanley Kubrick's 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey.[4]

  1. ^ Listed in the closing credits of 2001: A Space Odyssey as "Thus spoke Zarathustra" but on the official soundtrack albums as "Thus spake Zarathustra". The book by Nietzsche has been translated both ways and the title of Strauss's music is usually rendered in the original German whenever not discussed in the context of 2001. Although Britannica Online's entry lists the piece as "Thus spoke Zarathustra", music encyclopedias usually use "spake".
  2. ^ "Richard Strauss – Tone-Poem, Death and Transfiguration, Opus 24" Archived 2008-04-15 at the Wayback Machine (and other works), Old And Sold
  3. ^ Also sprach Zarathustra Archived 2011-07-13 at the Wayback Machine – notes by Los Angeles Philharmonic
  4. ^ "Also Sprach Zarathustra!", Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, January 2012.