This orchestra switched instruments and tried to play Strauss, and it was a train-wreck

25 September 2020, 17:30 | Updated: 25 September 2020, 17:31

The epic sounds of Richard Strauss’ ‘Also Sprach Zarathustra’ have been ruined forever, in the best possible way...

So, we’re all aware of Richard Strauss’s magnificent orchestral masterpiece Also Sprach Zarathustra, aren’t we?

It’s the 2001: A Space Odyssey music, FYI:

Well, here’s a slightly less successful version of it (watch at the top of the page). We’re pretty sure Richard Strauss didn’t write it like that...

It appears that this now-legendary video wasn’t the work of a terrible orchestra – but in fact, a previously-competent orchestra that decided that they would swap instruments and see what happened. 

And then, some genius decided to add a video:

It seems this test is pretty commonplace for orchestras – here’s a clip of the usually-awesome Portsmouth Sinfonia, who tried it out with the same piece a few years ago.

Music always has the power to bring joy… sometimes, not in the way you might expect.