Also Sprach Zarathustra

Everyone knows the thundering timpani, powerful brass tones, and awe-inspiring organ chord that opens Richard Strauss's Also Sprach Zarathustra. As if drawn into the immensity of space, this work grips you by the throat. This symphonic tour de force is rarely heard in concert halls. Inspired by Friedrich Nietzsche's philosophy, the symphonic poem paints a grand and challenging picture of the human search for meaning. Film buffs will recognize this captivating opening from classics like "2001: A Space Odyssey," but even without visuals, this music remains just as powerful and exciting. Under the direction of chief conductor Duncan Ward, Philzuid combines this masterpiece with contemporary virtuosity: a new viola concerto by Mark Simpson, written especially for the young viola virtuoso Timothy Ridout. It is a work in which the viola's intensity and expressiveness are fully realized. The orchestra will also perform Rachmaninoff's Isle of the Dead: a mystical, dark composition with deep emotional layers. A concert that offers both familiar grandeur and exciting new sounds.