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Article: Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra. (Vladimir Ashkenazy, Cleveland Orchestra)
- Article from:
- National Review
- Article date:
- February 11, 1991
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1991 National Review, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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* Also Sprach Zarathustra, Richard Strauss's tone poem to Nietzsche's clanking "philosophical" work, is a rousing piece of music, and one more example of Strauss's inquiries into polyharmony, polyrhythm, and polytonality-as well as his Germanic Expressionismus. If there is a Nietzschean "program" I fail to find it. The tone poem is good bravura music, with much brass and kettledrum-perfect to wake up an audience too full of martinis and dinner. This is not said pejoratively, for there are lovely passages in which Strauss does not wear his Teutonic ...