Spacey music by Strauss and Ligeti

Synopsis

Also Sprach Zarathustra, a tone poem by Richard Strauss, was first performed in Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany, on this day in 1896, with the composer conducting.

For decades thereafter, it was considered one of his lesser works and only occasionally performed. Then, in 1968, Stanley Kubrick chose its opening fanfare as the main theme of his movie 2001: A Space Odyssey. Suddenly Also Sprach Zarathustra jumped to the top of the classical charts and became a concert hall favorite as well — even though many of its new audiences are surprised when the piece goes on for another half hour after its spectacular opening.

Another composer who also benefited from Kubrick’s movie was Hungarian György Ligeti. Initially, Ligeti’s fame was limited to avant-garde circles, but his 1961 composition Atmosphères also became part of the soundtrack and catapulted him to much wider fame. Ligeti’s eerily floating sound-clusters seemed to Kubrick perfect outer space music.

Ligeti himself was not happy how his music was used in the film, but, grudgingly, did express admiration for the film’s surreal final sequence. Richard Strauss died in 1949 — some 20 years before Kubrick’s film debuted — but we suspect that hard-headed businessman would have been pleased that his music was used — and would have promptly demanded a hefty cut of Kubrick’s royalties.

Music Played in Today's Program

Richard Strauss (1864-1949): Also Sprach Zarathustra; Chicago Symphony; Fritz Reiner, conductor; RCA/BMG 60833

György Ligeti (1923-2006): Atmospheres; Hollywood Bowl Orchestra; John Mauceri, conductor; Philips 446 403

On This Day

Births

• 1750 - Bohemian composer Anton Stamitz, in Nemecky Brod (now Havlickuv Brod)

• 1759 - Moravian composer Franz Krommer (Kramár), in Kamenice

• 1860 - Russian composer Viktor Ewald, in St. Petersburg (Julian date: Nov. 15)

• 1867 - French composer Charles Koechlin, in Paris

• 1942 - American rock guitarist and composer Jimi Hendrix, in Seattle

Deaths

• 1474 - French composer Guillaume Dufay, 74, in Cambrai,

• 1955 - Swiss-born French composer Arthur Honegger, 63, in Paris

Premieres

• 1743 - Handel: Dettingen Te Deum and Anthem in London at the Chapel Royal, St. James’s Palace, to celebrate the safe return of George II to England, after a victory over the French in Bavaria (Gregorian date: Dec. 8)

• 1745 - Rameau: opera-ballet Le Temple de la Gloire (to a text by Voltaire, for the victory of Fontennoy), at Versailles

• 1748 - Rameau: opera-ballet Les Surprises de l'Amour, at Versailles

• 1836 - Glinka: opera A Life for the Tsar, in St. Petersburg (Gregorian date: Dec. 9)

• 1842 - Glinka: opera Russlan and Ludmilla, in St. Petesrburg (Gregorian date: Dec. 9)

• 1843 - Balfe: opera The Bohemian Girl, in London

• 1855 - Brahms: Piano Trio No. 1 (first version, American premiere), at Dodworth’s Saloon (Hall) in New York, by violinist Theodore Thomas, cellist Carl Bergmann, and pianist William Mason. Mason claimed it was the world premiere of this work. The most recent Grove Dictionary, however, lists this Trio’s European premiere as occurring in Danzig on Oct. 13, 1855 — but does not indicate whether this was a private or public event.

• 1896 - R. Strauss: tone-poem Thus Spake Zarathustra, in Frankfurt, with the composer conducting

• 1903 - Wolf-Ferrari: opera Le Donne Curiose (The Curious Woman), in Munich at the Residenztheater

• 1913 - George Tempelton Strong, Jr.: orchestral suite Die Nacht (The Night), in Montreux, Switzerland, by the Orchestre du Kursaal, Ernest Ansermet conducting

• 1928 - Stravinsky: ballet, Le Baiser de la Fée (The Fairy’s Kiss), at the Paris Opéra, by the Ida Rubinstein Company, with the composer conducting

• 1972 - First successful concert performance of Korngold: Symphony, in Munich (posthumously), with Rudolf Kempe conducting; Harold Byrns had conducted the Vienna Symphony in a poorly rehearsed and performed Austrian radio premiere of this work on October 17, 1954.