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Also Sprach Zarathustra

Music by Richard Strauss

Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 (Thus Spoke Zarathustra or Thus Spake Zarathustra) is a tone poem by Richard Strauss, composed in 1896 and inspired by Friedrich Nietzsche's philosophical treatise of the same name. The composer conducted its first performance on 27 November 1896 in Frankfurt.

A typical performance lasts half an hour. The work has been part of the classical repertoire since its first performance in 1896. The initial fanfare - entitled 'Sunrise' in the composer's program notes - became particularly well known to the general public due to its use in Stanley Kubrick's 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey. The fanfare has also been used in many other productions.

Now of course known to Elvis fans as the opening music for hundreds of his concerts in the 1970s.

Very dramatic and everyone knew Elvis was own his way!

Elvis is not the only performer to use this as an opening with Aretha Franklin using it on at least one occasion to open a concert in 1972. [CD, 'Oh Me Oh My: Aretha Live In Philly 1972']

'This powerful opus created an almost supernatural atmosphere as it filled the entirety of the completely darkened showroom. Then Elvis came on stage, carried on by a drum roll, to greet an ecstatic audience in a frenzy of exultation at this intoxicating music which seemed as though it had been composed with a thought to the infinity of the universe - and, unbelievably enough, as though it had been composed just for the artist Elvis Presley's entrance to the concert stage'. Stein Erik Skar 'Elvis The Concert Years 1969-1977' Book.