Description
Richard Strauss wrote his magnificent tone poem Also Sprach Zarathustra in 1896. He was evidently extremely proud of his work, telling his wife that, “Zarathustra is … by far the most important of all my pieces … The beginning is glorious …”
The beginning is indeed glorious. Following its use in Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 iconic film 2001: A Space Odyssey, these days almost everybody recognises the music, even if they don’t know it by name. The two minute introduction, entitled ‘sunrise’ is a majestically slow fanfare which presents the work’s central theme – the ‘C-G-C’’ Nature-motif. With its trademark major/minor uncertainty the listener is treated to perhaps the most satisfying and radiant resolution to C major there has ever been!
This would make a superb concert opener – and also an encore!
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