For the past year I have been trying to find a mint or near mint of 2001 on vinyl. I am a big fan of Kubrick and his use of classical music. On a track by Ligeti called ‘’ Lux Aeterna’’ (Stuttgart Schola Cantorum, conducted by Clytus Gottwald ) in my research I found out that the overloaded distorted sound on this track was not my LP12 but all the early vinyl recordings. In the later CD copies ‘’ Lux Aeterna’’ was performed by the Norddeutschen Rundfunks under Helmut Franz. The only vinyl available of this is on Watertower music 2001 soundtrack at 45rpm. I just wanted to share that with you all. Thank you.
That was such an influential film (although I’m not sure that I ever understood it), and the soundtrack was very famous too, with Richard Strauss’s ‘Zarathustra’, the Strauss family waltzes, Ligeti, etc. I am amazed to hear that the soundtrack album is not still in the catalogue.
PS: Have a look at the Amazon.com site (the US one), which appears to have records of the soundtrack (I think).
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I remember seeing it so many times in record shops - puzzling that it has become so specialist. I looked at Presto and they don’t have a copy either
Hello Graham , how are you ?
Is it time to get a copy of the soundtrack for The Great Escape (just in time for Christmas)
My very best wishes
Ian
I had yet another review meeting this morning, which got precisely nowhere (which, I suppose, keeps quite a few of the jobsworths who attended busy). Seriously unchuffed as a result!
But thanks for asking.
I cheered myself up afterwards by listening to ‘The Doors’ and ‘Strange Days’ on my iPhone. What an extraordinary way to announce themselves. Can anyone think of a more impressive entry into the musical pantheon? ‘Led Zeppelin’ and Led Zeppelin II’, perhaps? Maybe The Beatles?
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I shouldn’t say this to a lawyer, but can you have some form of professional advocate /health care professional acting on your behalf?
best wishes
Ian
I was offered some sort of counselling/advocacy service, but declined.
I’m not still in this wretched place because arguments for my release from incarceration have not been put, I can assure you.
Anyway, and moving swiftly on, not very good weather just north of Brighton today…
Oh yes! One of my earliest album purchases 
There seem to be lots of the OST vinyls for sale on Discogs (Various – 2001: A Space Odyssey (Music From The Motion Picture Sound Track).
For those who really want something different, in 1993, Jerry Goldsmith recorded Alex North’s score for 2001 that was rejected by Kubrick in favour of the more famous tracks. It was released on Varese Sarabande (VSD 5400). I bought a copy when it came out and, although it was interesting to hear what could have been, I didn’t hold on to it. Looking at the prices on Discogs, I might have been foolish to do so!
Mark
For the record, I will be watching my new 4K version of this from tomorrow, the boxset I received for Christmas.
I will be paying close attention to the soundtrack.
Goodness, it’s so long since I’ve seen that film! Am I right in thinking that Stanley Kubrick objected to his films being shown on TV (as he thought that they needed to be seen on a huge cinema green, rather than a TV, and so embargoed them being shown on TV?).
From the soundtrack, I remember Richard Strauss’s ‘Also Spruce Zarathustra’, Johann Strauss’s "Blue Danube’ and some strange stuff by Edgar Varèse (to represent the cosmos).
Thank you, QS, that is indeed quite a soundtrack.
Interesting to read that the ‘Zarathustra’ extract is from a Karl Bœhm recording, as DGG had a still photo from the film on the front cover of a Karajan LP (or perhaps it was just a shot of outer space that I assumed was taken from the film?).
And there’s more Ligeti on there than I had remembered.
Stanley Kubrick always paid particular attention to the soundtrack of his films. Not that he made as many films as you imagine. He was famously a perfectionist.
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There are brief references to some of the music from 2001 in the Aardman stop-motion movie: Sean the Sheep – Farmaggedon. It pays homage to many other classic sci-fi films too and it’s fun seeing how many you can spot.
Roger
The official sound track of 2001 included Böhm’s recording of Zarathustra, but the music in the film itself was from Karajan’s Decca recording, with the Wiener Philharmoniker.
2001 is one of my favourite soundtracks. I have grown to appreciate the Ligeti excerpts more as I have got older and would like to investigate this composer. Any recommendations where to go next?
I certainly remembered that the Karajan/Decca VPO recording was used in the film… Is there any reason for substituting Bœhm’s recording for the soundtrack. Copyright issues, or something?
His etudes for piano are amazing and I find them endlessly interesting and rewarding to listen to. I have a recording of the complete set on Naxos by Idel Biret and they are very good but there are probably even better recordings out since she recorded them.
There are a number of recordings of Ligeti piano pieces on the German Amazon site, which may have what you’re looking for (AmazonDOTde). I don’t know where you’re based, but the local Amazon may be worth a look.
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