Also sprach Zarathustra

Also sprach Zarathustra
Tone poem by Richard Strauss
Strauss in 1894
Opus30
Based onNietzsche's philosophical novel
Composed1896 (1896)
Duration33 minutes
ScoringLarge orchestra
Premiere
Date27 November 1896 (1896-11-27)
LocationFrankfurt
ConductorRichard Strauss

Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 (German: [ˈalzo ʃpʁaːx t͡saʁaˈtʊstʁa] , Thus Spoke Zarathustra or Thus Spake Zarathustra) is a tone poem by German composer Richard Strauss, composed in 1896 and inspired by Friedrich Nietzsche's 1883–1885 philosophical work of the same name. Strauss conducted its first performance on 27 November 1896 in Frankfurt. A typical performance lasts roughly 33 minutes.

The initial fanfare – titled "Sunrise" in the composer's programme notes – became well known after its use in Stanley Kubrick's 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey.