Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30

Composed 1896 | Premiered November 1896

B. June 11, 1864, Munich, Germany

D. September 8, 1949, Garmish-Partenkirchen, Bavaria

Scored for 3 flutes (one doubling piccolo), piccolo, 3 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, E-flat clarinet, bass clarinet, 3 bassoons, contrabassoon, 6 horns, 4 trumpets, 3 trombones, 2 tubas, timpani, percussion, 2 harps, piano, and strings. (Approx. 33 minutes)

“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 Übermensch.” —Richard

Strauss, 1896

This composition links Strauss with the musician and philosopher Friedrich Neitzsche, having based the work on Nietzsche’s poem of the same title. Both men were strongly influenced by Wagner. Nietzsche’s poem promoted the idea of the Übermensch (superman) later evident in the ideology of Hitler and Nazi Germany. Although Strauss initially embraced the regime and became President of the Third Reich Music Chamber, he was eventually ousted from that position after collaboration with a Jewish author. He was put under house arrest and his royalties were confiscated by the government.

Strauss musically explored nine sections from Nietzsche’s work; they are performed without interruption:

1. Introduction/Dawn—powerfully majestic;

2. Of the Dwellers in the World Behind Us— the horns play the Gregorian Credo;

3. Of the Great Longing—the organ makes use of a Gregorian Magnificat;

Strauss was a wunderkind, having his reputation as a composer and conductor established by the age of 20. Hans von Bülow, conductor of the Meiningen Court Orchestra, took notice of Strauss. Besides having him compose works for the orchestra, von Bülow appointed him assistant conductor and his eventual successor. It was during his tenure at Meiningen that Strauss’s style radically changed, moving from “absolute” to dramatic and programmatic music.

Also sprach Zarathustra (Thus Spake Zarathustra) is one of six tone poems composed by Strauss that both cast him in role of “bad boy of music” and gave him international recognition. The discords and avant-garde techniques were shocking to their listeners. The first 22 measures of this work are the most recognized of all his works—most prominently as the opening of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey

4. Of Joys and Passions—rich melodic interest in the second violins and oboe, horns portray human passion; 5. Song of the Grave—the oboe continues a passionate theme;

6. Of Science (Learning)—Life’s riddle being solved by science is represented by canonic imitation in fifths;

7. The Convalescent—this movement uses contrapuntal activity in continuing the science theme; 8. Dance Song—Man’s pursuit of earthly joys is expressed by a Viennese waltz melody;

9. The Song of the Night Wanderer—this closing section is announced by twelve strokes of the midnight bell.

The DSO most recently performed Strauss’s Also sprach Zarathustra in December 2014, conducted by Neeme Järvi. The DSO first performed the piece in April 1924, conducted by Ossip Gabrilowitsch.