Richard Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra on Decca Eclipse

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.