In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Stanley Kubrick’s groundbreaking science fiction masterpiece 2001: A Space Odyssey, Warner Bros. Pictures has released new 70mm prints of the seminal film in select theatres. In conjunction with the anniversary, WaterTower Music have reissued the soundtrack...

The chance to pick up the score to 2001: A Space Odyssey will either by something that will light your fire or something that you couldn't care less about. Personally I'm firmly in the later category.

The majority of the music included in the score comes from compositions by György Ligeti. It's known that Kubrick used and edited Ligeti's pieces without the composers authorisation (effectively stealing them). The case was eventually settled out of court.

It's not overly clear whether this score is the music as heard in the film, or Ligeti's original pieces untouched, but fans of the composer would probably be better off picking up his original compositions for 'Atmosphères', 'Lux Aeterna', 'Requiem' and 'Aventures'. The other music pieces you'll probably already own if you're a classical music fan.

Fans of Aliens might also notice that James Horner borrows huge chunks of Aram Khachaturian's 'Gayaneh’s Adagio' from '40s ballet Gayane. At one point it's so blatant that you have to almost admire Horner's cheek.

Despite my reservations, it's still an interesting collection, and if you're a fan of the movie and don't already own the score now is the perfect chance to add it to your collection.

Track listing:

01. Atmosphères (8:41) Composed by György Ligeti Performed by Ernest Bour Conducting The Südwestfunk Symphony Orchestra
02. Prelude (Sonnenaufgang) - Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30, TrV 176 (1:43) Composed by Richard Strauss Performed by Karl Böhm Conducting Berliner Philharmoniker
03. Requiem For Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Two Mixed Choirs & Orchestra (4:21) Composed by György Ligeti Performed by Francis Travis Conducting Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks
04. An der schönen blauen Donau, Op. 314 (The Blue Danube) (10:00) Composed by Johann Strauss II Performed by Herbert von Karajan Conductings Berliner Philharmoniker
05. Lux aeterna (8:01) Composed by György Ligeti Performed by Helmut Franz Conducting Chor des Norddeutschen Rundfunks
06. Gayaneh’s Adagio (Gayane Ballet Suite) (5:25) Composed by Aram Il'yich Khachaturian Performed by Gennadi Rozhdestvensky Conducting Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra
07. Aventures (12:01) Composed by György Ligeti Performed by Pierre Boulez Conducting Ensemble Intercontemporain with Jane Manning, Mary Thomas, William Pearson

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Darren Rea