Richard Strauss

Also Sprach Zarathustra, Opus 30
Symphonic Tone Poem, 1896

Strauss titled his tone poem, Also Sprach Zarathustra, based upon the famous, philosophical novel by Frederich Nietzsche which bears the same title. Strauss claims that his intent was not to create music that represents the story of Zarathustra. However, Strauss succeeds in capturing the essence of the message of Nietzsche's novel, where Zarathustra descends from his mountain of solitude to join the ranks of mankind and to give them the message that "God is dead." Only, this is where the story begins, not where it ends...

The following animation is my own vision of the essence of Zarathustra with a light-hearted direction for the "ending?". (The music is only an excerpt from the 40 minute tone poem)