Also sprach Zarathustra
Richard Strauss
Op. 30
Recordings
Herbert von Karajan / Berlin Philharmonic
1973 Sounds absolutely fantastic.Top recommendation. One of the all-time great orchestral recordings. The opening is as good as you can imagine. The rest of the piece is powerful and gorgeous, especially the lush, dramatic string section. Great for appreciating the entire work.
Also Worth Hearing
Fritz Reiner / Chicago Symphony Orchestra
1954 Early stereo display issue, sounds fantastic.Iconic recording. Powerful and exciting. Reiner lets the piece do its work, and the CSO plays beautifully. Legendary for a reason.
Label: RCA Living StereoEugene Ormandy / Philadelphia Orchestra
Early digital recording, very good sound.A surprisingly impressive recording. Very powerful playing. Ormandy had a great sense of storytelling and affinity for Strauss. The Philadelphia strings sound gorgeous.
Frederick Stock / Chicago Symphony Orchestra
1940 Dim, crackly sound.Worth hearing if you love the work. Very dramatic and assertive. Great to hear Stock, who built the CSO, and get a sense of his tenure.
Serge Koussevitzky / Boston Symphony Orchestra
1935 Dutton remastering, fairly clear.Right up there with Karajan for interpretation. Very exciting. The opening is perfectly paced and expansive. You get wrapped up in the interpretation and forget the sound.