Richard Strauss

Richard Strauss (June 11, 1864 – September 8, 1949) was a German composer of the late romantic era, particularly noted for his tone poems and operas. He was also a noted conductor.

His 1896 composition Also sprach Zarathustra (Thus Spoke Zarathustra) is well known today for its use in Stanley Kubrick's film 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Before and during the 1939-45 War, he was criticised as a Nazi sympathiser, and held an official (musical) post. He lost the job when he refused to remove the name of a Jewish librettist from a programme. He is said to have put his influence to good use, helping persecuted Jews, in particular his daughter-in-law.