Friedrich Nietzsche the composer

We all know him as a prominent philosopher and philologist but hardly would anyone mention Friedrich Nietzsche as a… composer or pianist. However, he was one, and a quite enthusiastic one. His experience as a musician preceded his engagement as a thinker and undoubtedly influenced his philosophy in one way or another. Nietzsche actually moved in well-known composers’ circles and such outstanding music figures as Gustav Mahler, Frederick Delius and Richard Strauss were influenced by Nietzsche’s philosophical thinking which was reflected in some of their music pieces. Nietzsche’s own works were not at all popular during his lifetime but a couple of albums were published later on, “In the Moonlight on the Plains”, “Hymnus an das Leben”, “There Goes a Brook” being among some of the published works. Free from conservatory strictness, today Nietzsche-composer’s music is considered as improvising and fascinating in its own manner.