BaL 15.06.24 - Strauss: Also sprach Zarathustra

[Pulcinella]

3.00 pm
Building a Library

Jonathan Cross chooses his favourite recording of Strauss's Also sprach Zarathustra.

Richard Strauss's tone poem, Also sprach Zarathustra, was composed in 1896 and inspired by Friedrich Nietzsche's philosophical novel Thus Spoke Zarathustra. The initial fanfare, "Sunrise", became well known after its use in Stanley Kubrick's 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey. The BBC used the theme in its television coverage of the Apollo space missions. It also became a regular intro to Elvis Presley's concerts in his later years.

Presto listing here (227 results!):

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/works/30395--strauss-r-also-sprach-zarathustra-op-30/browse

The BBC MM offering (Volume 22, Number 4) is a live recording from St David's Hall, Cardiff Bay, on 18 April 2009: BBC NOW under Jac van Steen.

Recommended version:
Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
Vasily Petrenko (conductor)
LAW LWC1166

[LMcD]

3.00 pm
Building a Library

Jonathan Cross chooses his favourite recording of Strauss's Also sprach Zarathustra.

Richard Strauss's tone poem, Also sprach Zarathustra, was composed in 1896 and inspired by Friedrich Nietzsche's philosophical novel Thus Spoke Zarathustra. The initial fanfare, "Sunrise", became well known after its use in Stanley Kubrick's 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey. The BBC used the theme in its television coverage of the Apollo space missions. It also became a regular intro to Elvis Presley's concerts in his later years.

Presto listing here (227 results!):

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/works/30395--strauss-r-also-sprach-zarathustra-op-30/browse

I wonder how much shorter the Presto listing would be if Stanley Kubrick had chosen something else for his Space Odyssey.

[Pulcinella]

I wonder how much shorter the Presto listing would be if Stanley Kubrick had chosen something else for his Space Odyssey.

There are an additional 43 references to just the Introduction (Sunrise)!

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/works/60969--strauss-r-also-sprach-zarathustra-op-30-introduction-sunrise/browse

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The Decca VPO/Karajan recording was the one used for the film 2001. Decca only sanctioned its use on the condition that it was kept a secret.

Wow! They really knew about marketing.

[Pulcinella]

The Decca VPO/Karajan recording was the one used for the film 2001. Decca only sanctioned its use on the condition that it was kept a secret.

Wow! They really knew about marketing.

Going off-topic already: so unlike DG with their Anda Mozart PC21, then?

[Ein Heldenleben]

The Decca VPO/Karajan recording was the one used for the film 2001. Decca only sanctioned its use on the condition that it was kept a secret.

Wow! They really knew about marketing.

There’s a page on the whole fiasco in John Culshaw’s Putting The Record Straight.Karajan was so annoyed about the lack of credit and other companies rushing out their own version that he threatened to sue Decca and MGM. The main problem Culshaw had was that there was no organ in the Sofiensaal the recording venue. They tracked down an organ in a local military chapel to dub in . It needed tuning by pipe shortening and then kept drifting out of tune during a marathon 6 hour recording session for just two minutes of music.

[mikealdren]

My earliest HiFi memory was of someone (a parent perhaps) bringing his system into school and demonstrating the opening. I suspect it was the Mehta recording and the Quad electrostatics made quote an impression. I still use later models now!

[Petrushka]

The VPO/Karajan recording was one of my very first classical LPs, bought in 1971 in the Ace of Diamonds reissue with a big picture of Nietszche on the cover complete with monster moustache. I had no idea who he was!

I've got several versions on CD now but the best, by a country mile, is the 1974 BPO/Karajan.

Incidentally, I can't agree with those who say that the rest of the work is boring after the spectacular introduction. I found it an absorbing piece from the start and still do.

I've heard it live just once: at the 2013 Proms with. LPO/Jurowski, that one where the organist made an almighty gaffe and their hands and/or feet accidentally hit the keys at a very quiet moment. It completely wrecked the whole performance and being the RAH organ it was very loud!

[Pulcinella]

The VPO/Karajan recording was one of my very first classical LPs, bought in 1971 in the Ace of Diamonds reissue with a big picture of Nietszche on the cover complete with monster moustache. I had no idea who he was!

I've got several versions on CD now but the best, by a country mile, is the 1974 BPO/Karajan.

Incidentally, I can't agree with those who say that the rest of the work is boring after the spectacular introduction. I found it an absorbing piece from the start and still do.

I've heard it live just once: at the 2013 Proms with. LPO/Jurowski, that one where the organist made an almighty gaffe and their hands and/or feet accidentally hit the keys at a very quiet moment. It completely wrecked the whole performance and being the RAH organ it was very loud!

Easily enough done.
I managed to produce a 'peep' (not so almighty) in a school performance of St Nicolas in a local church and got a rather withering glance from the conductor!

[Petrushka]

Easily enough done.
I managed to produce a 'peep' (not so almighty) in a school performance of St Nicolas in a local church and got a rather withering glance from the conductor!

Not sure what Jurowski said afterwards but the organist was reportedly mortified. It sounded like they'd nodded off at the keyboard and was more a 'blast' than a 'peep'!

[Parry1912]

Incidentally, I can't agree with those who say that the rest of the work is boring after the spectacular introduction. I found it an absorbing piece from the start and still do.

[gradus]

Never bothered to buy another version since acquiring the Mehta/LAPhil on Decca, mighty impressive in the sixties on my Lowther speakers but don't think I've ever played it on the Quads and I'm not greatly tempted to try, the opening aside its not my favourite of the tone poems.

[Barbirollians]

Not my favourite either but I have the excellent Kempe version , 1974 Karajan, Previn, Reiner and Clemens Krauss- all have something to offer but my favourite is a late 1970s account on CfP from Norman del Mar and the LPO.

[oliver sudden]

There’s a page on the whole fiasco in John Culshaw’s Putting The Record Straight.Karajan was so annoyed about the lack of credit and other companies rushing out their own version that he threatened to sue Decca and MGM. The main problem Culshaw had was that there was no organ in the Sofiensaal the recording venue. They tracked down an organ in a local military chapel to dub in . It needed tuning by pipe shortening and then kept drifting out of tune during a marathon 6 hour recording session for just two minutes of music.

Even when the organ is in the same building, the orchestra seldom fails to drift sharp during those crucial opening minutes (in any case the organ doesn’t play anything audible until it’s too late), with grisly results when the organ is finally left alone…

The last live performance I saw/heard was the Melbourne Symphony a few years back during a brief visit to my childhood (and early adulthood) home. Unfortunately it was in a hall that had relatively recently been renovated, and the organ had not at that stage been reinstalled (perhaps it still hasn’t?). There was an electronic substitute of spectacular inadequacy. The conductor drastically shortened its solo contribution, but left just enough for the awfulness to be readily apparent, thus satisfying no one.

[smittims]

I agree with the recommendations given above. I don't really have a favourite though I do think the 1974 Karajan is the most memorable . I was working in a music shop at the time it came out and annoyed some customers by playing it at full chat on the BOSE speakers. . Ah, where are those days of youth...?