{"id":7610,"date":"2026-09-02T09:00:01","date_gmt":"2026-09-02T13:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/create.richmond.edu\/parsons\/?p=7610"},"modified":"2026-09-02T10:41:17","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T14:41:17","slug":"arachnophonia-2001-a-space-odyssey-soundtrack","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/create.richmond.edu\/parsons\/2026\/09\/arachnophonia-2001-a-space-odyssey-soundtrack\/","title":{"rendered":"Arachnophonia: 2001 – A Space Odyssey soundtrack"},"content":{"rendered":"

Editor\u2019s note:<\/strong> Arachnophonia<\/a> (\u201cArachno\u201d = spider \/ \u201c-phonia\u201d = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library<\/a>\u2018s collection.<\/p>\n

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question<\/a> or to additional relevant<\/a> information from<\/a> around the web<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s installment of Arachnophonia<\/a> is by student manager Danny (class of 2028) and features the soundtrack album for the classic film 2001: A Space Odyssey<\/strong><\/a>. Thanks, Danny!<\/em><\/p>\n

2001: A Space Odyssey<\/em> soundtrack<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\"2001:<\/p>\n

I saw 2001: A Space Odyssey<\/a><\/em> for the first time at a midnight showing, which, like most surreal, feverish movies, is a pretty good time to watch it. 2001<\/a><\/em> is best known for its striking imagery, but just as important to the viewing experience is its memorable soundtrack. Filled with classical and orchestral pieces, the film helped revolutionize the way science fiction cinema approached music. Director Stanley Kubrick<\/a> initially hired composer Alex North<\/a> to write an original score for the film, but later scrapped it entirely in favor of existing classical music he had been using as temporary tracks during the editing process.<\/p>\n

Who would\u2019ve thought to bring classical music into a space opera? But it worked. The film helped popularize pieces such as Richard Strauss<\/a>\u2019 1896 symphonic poem Also sprach Zarathustra<\/a><\/em> and Johann Strauss II<\/a>\u2019s 1866 Blue Danube Waltz<\/a><\/em>, and generations of film and television have drawn on the association between these pieces and space travel ever since.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re looking for some beautiful classical music to relax to, or just something that makes you go, \u201cWait, I\u2019ve heard this somewhere before,\u201d I\u2019d encourage you to check out the 2001: A Space Odyssey<\/em> soundtrack<\/a> here<\/a> at the Parsons Music Library<\/a>!<\/p>\n