Philosophy in Music: Strauss, Kubrick, Nietzsche and Zarathustra

The opening of Strauss’ Also sprach Zarathustra is as famous as the greatest works of Beethoven. It is an Earth-shattering—or rather, an Earth-creating—intro that literally builds from the bottom up, imitating the beginning of time. We all know this music, but what does it mean?

Also sprach Zarathustra translates as “Thus Spoke Zarathustra,” a novel by the German philosopher and writer Friedrich Nietzsche. It is considered a classic of Western philosophy, and Strauss extracted nine chapter titles from the work for the nine sections of his tone poem. The introduction is entitled “Sunrise” and contains the most recognizable music of the 30-minute tone poem. The piece is perhaps most recognizable for its usage in the opening of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey.

This is just one scene of a few from the movie that use this exact music. However, the opening of the film most appropriately matches Strauss’ introduction when paired with Nietzsche’s introduction.

Listen to this opening again while reading aloud “Zarathustra’s Prologue,” the beginning of the book, to see how Strauss’ music syncs with Nietzsche’s words:

“When Zarathustra was 30 years old, he left his home and the lake of his home and went into the mountains.
Here he had enjoyed his spirit and his solitude and for 10 years he did not tire of it. But at last his heart transformed—one morning he arose with the dawn, stepped before the sun and spoke thus to it:
“Great star! What would your happiness be if you had not those for whom you shine?
For 10 years you have come up here to my cave:
You would have tired of your light and of this journey without me, my eagle and my serpent.
But we awaited for you every morning, took your overflow from you and blessed you for it.
Behold! I am weary of my wisdom, like a bee that has gathered too much honey;
I need hands outstretched to take it.
I want to bestow and distribute until the wise among human beings have once again enjoyed their folly,
and the poor once again their wealth.”

Thus Spoke Zarathustra is a philosophical novel; a treatise. Zarathustra is Nietzsche’s protagonist, a fictionalized version of the ancient Persian philosopher and prophet of the same name. Zarathustra, also known as Zoroaster, wrote of free will and discovering one’s true self. His work founded one of the longest-running monotheistic religions, Zoroastrianism, which has inspired both Eastern and Western beliefs. It has universality touched many religions, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Buddhism.

Zoroaster’s influence on Western philosophy is apparent both in Nietzsche’s larger-than-life musings and in other European works. Take a look at Rafael’s awe-inspiring fresco The School of Athens. This is a fictitious gathering of all the great philosophers. There are speculations about who is who in this painting, some more certain than others.

Regardless, just about every depiction is a prominent figure of Western civilization and is either Greek or Italian. However, it is believed that Rafael included Zoroaster (circled in red).

He is identified by the astrolabe he is holding, a spherical map of the stars.

The astrolabe represents Zoroaster’s universality and his wisdom of other worldly ideas.

Zoroaster’s general teachings recognized the course of life as a duality for human beings—good and evil, truth and lies, order and chaos—and our free will to choose between them.
 
Nietzsche, also being a man ahead of his time, understood this dualism. He once wrote of Zoroaster (the actual philosopher, not his fictional character): “Zarathustra was the first to consider the fight of good and evil the very wheel in the machinery of things: the transposition of morality into the metaphysical realm, as a force, cause, and end in itself, is his work.”

And Strauss, too, recognized this dualism at the very end of his piece. The ending chord played by the winds is a high B-major chord, yet the basses pluck their lowest note, a C, leaving the work on the same note it started, and a bit open-ended. Have a listen:

You do not want to miss the NJSO perform this larger-than-life work Jan 25–27, during the final weekend of the 2019 NJSO Winter Festival!

» Concert info and tickets

Post by Michael Rosin