KFJC 89.7FM
2001: a Space Ody (soundtrack) – “2001: a Space Odyssey” – [Rhino Records]
Marlena Poliatevska 3/23/2009 CD, Soundtrack
2001: A space Odyssey, Directed by Stanley Kubrick
The soundtrack from a classic science fiction movie, released by MGM
in 1968, which is now part of the American psyche.
The story was originally written by Arthur C. Clarke.
The album consists of the music used in the movie, in scene-order on
tracks 1 through 9. “Thus Spake Zarathustra” has become the audio
symbol of “2001: A space Odyssey”, much as the sound of
helicopter blades, became the symbol of the Vietnam war in the movie
“Apocolypse Now”.
“Also Sprach Zarathustra” was composed by Richard Strauss in 1896, as a
musical representation of Nietzsche’s “Superman” who would transcend
human limitations. This musical piece includes in its composition a
‘World riddle Theme’ consisting of a particular sequence of
musical notes in the melody.
Most notable for play on KFJC is track #7, “Jupiter and Beyond” (15:13)
consisting of three parts:
a) “Requiem for Soprano, Mezzo Soprano, Two Mixed Choirs & Orchestra”
b) “Atmospheres”
c) “Adventures”
The album also includes four supplemental tracks, the most notable being a
collage of dialog with, and about HAL, the 9000-series computer aboard
the Discovery 1 craft headed on a half-billion mile journey to the planet
Jupiter. “HAL9000” is an interview with HAL, interspersed with dialog
between the crew and its computer which occur in several memorable
scenes in the movie.
The album also includes a 23-page booklet documenting the movie and
its production.
Two historical ICONS are presented in this movie, “The Bell System”
which was a national monopoly in the United States at that time, and also the international airline “Pan Am”
The shuttlecraft depicted in the movie is branded with the famous ‘Pan Am’
logo of Pan American Airways, which was founded in 1927 as the only
American airline company providing intercontinental air travel from the
United States to other countries.
Pan Am was barred from domestic flights within the Untied States, however
other airlines were permitted to compete with Pan Am internationally in 1978.
Pan Am declared bankruptcy in 1991, and its assets were purchased
by Delta Airlines.
Marlena Poliatevska