Strauss’s majestic tone poem is based on the philosophical masterwork of Friedrich Nietzsche. Begin by tracing Strauss’s musical education, his points of connection with Nietzsche, and the philosophical underpinnings of Nietzsche’s work. In Strauss’s musical rendering, grasp the structure of the famous “Nature theme” and follow Strauss’s interpretation of eight “sermons” from Nietzsche’s original, dramatizing the sage Zarathustra’s quest to enlighten and elevate humanity.