As I schoolboy in the late 1960s
I knew all about Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: Space
Odyssey. Despite it being classified ‘A’ most of us managed to sneak into a
local cinema to see this more than two-hour-long sci-fi classic - without
parental approval! At that time, I knew little about classical music, save what
I heard on my father’s record player and at church.
I recall being bowled over by the
well-known opening and closing music, which I later found out to be Richard
Strauss’ Also Sprach Zarathustra, op.30.
Other works featured in this film include Johann Strauss’ waltz The Blue Danube and the ‘Adagio’ from
Aram Khachaturian’s ballet Gayane. Interspersed
between these pot-boilers were some avant-garde pieces by Hungarian composer György
Ligeti: Atmospheres, Lux Aeterna and the Requiem for mezzo
soprano, chorus and orchestra. Apart from the Richard Strauss, I cannot recall
any of the other pieces of music within the context of the film.
A few years later, I bought a
copy of the Decca Eclipse (ECS 572) recording of Also Sprach Zarathustra and Till
Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks, op. 28. I guess what inspired me to buy this particular
record was the wonderfully evocative picture of Buttermere, Crummock Water and
Loweswater in the Lake District. The view was taken from Fleetwith Pike. It was to be several years before I gained the
summit of this 2,126 feet mountain and saw this striking panorama for myself.
As for the music, I was most
surprised that Also Sprach Zarathustra
‘went on’ for over half an hour: I guess I thought what was used in the film
score was all there was... Incidentally, the film score was played by the Berlin
Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Karl Böhm. And secondly, I remember being
more impressed by Till Eulenspiegel.
For the record, Also Sprach Zarathustra (Thus Spoke
Zarathustra) op.30 is a tone-pone composed in 1896 and first heard that year on
27 November in Frankfurt, with the composer conducting. The work is divided
into seven sections which mirror some of the chapter headings in Friedrich
Nietzsche’s eponymous book. The tone poem is not an attempt to portray a
detailed account of Nietzsche’s philosophy, but explores thoughts about the
origin of humankind, its progress and evolution. In fact, Strauss himself wrote
that “I did not intend to write philosophical music or portray Nietzsche’s
great work musically…I meant rather to convey in music an idea of the evolution
of the human race from its origin, through the various phases of development,
religious as well as scientific, up to Nietzsche’s idea of the superman. The
whole symphonic poem is intended as my homage to the genius of Nietzsche…”
Zarathustra was an ancient
Iranian philosopher also known as Zoroaster. He promulgated self-realisation
and a strong faith in dualism – Satan versus God. Nietzsche’s concept of
Superman – übermensch – gained negative connotations subsequent to Adolf
Hitler’s master race theories.
The extract used in the film
presents the introduction of the work as ‘Sunrise’ and features the ‘World
Riddle Theme.’
Till Eulenspiegel, op.28 is a tone-poem, based on an ancient German
folktale. It was premiered in Cologne in 1895. This is one of Strauss’ most
sparkling scores. Designed as an orchestral rondo, the work musically portrays
some of Till’s exploits which lead inexorably to his death by hanging. The
music is dominated by Till’s theme, which is the principal subject around which
the adventures are represented as musical episodes.
The Decca Eclipse LP featured
Clemens Krauss (1893-1954) conducting the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Also Sprach Zarathustra had been previously
released on Decca LXT 2548 and a had been recorded on 12/13 July 1950. Till Eulenspiegel was recorded on 16
July 1950 and was issued on Decca LXT 2549.
It is not the greatest of
recordings, sound quality wise, but does reveal considerable insight and a
depth of understanding by Clemens Krauss.
As a result of the writing this
short post, I must dig out the Ligeti pieces and listen to them. And perhaps I
may invest in a DVD of 2001: Space
Odyssey: it must be more than fifty years since I last saw it.
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