2001: A Space Odyssey will get a soundtrack reissue, courtesy WaterTower Music. (Photo courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures)

WaterTower Music is reissuing to vinyl and digital the soundtrack to Stanley Kubrick’s groundbreaking science fiction masterpiece 2001: A Space Odyssey.  The previously out-of-print music owes its new life to 50th anniversary festivities surrounding the Warner Bros. Pictures theatrical release, which is once again enjoying limited theatrical release with new 70mm prints.

Music plays a powerful role in Kubrick’s seminal sci-fi masterpiece based on the novel by Arthur C. Clarke. WaterTower Music today released 2001: A Space Odyssey (Music From The Motion Picture) as a digital download, and has also announced upcoming CD and vinyl releases .

Widely considered among the greatest films of the 20th century, 2001: A Space Odyssey ignited the imaginations of critics and audiences when it was initially released, April 4, 1968. With the film, Kubrick redefined the limits of moviemaking and cemented his legacy as one of the most revolutionary and influential motion picture directors of all time.

Christopher Nolan, a longtime admirer of the late American auteur, worked closely with the team at Warner Bros. to oversee the film’s mastering process. A true photochemical film recreation, this print was struck from new printing elements made from the original camera negative. There are no digital tricks, remastered effects, or revisionist edits. For the first time in decades, audiences can see the awe-inspiring epic on the big screen in 70mm.

Initially, Kubrick had commissioned composer Alex North, who had done the score for his film Spartacus (1960) and also worked on Dr. Strangelove (1946, with score by Laurie Johnson). But the director later opted to ditch the score in favor of classical music, notably “Also sprach Zarathstra,” now famously associated with the film’s opening.

2001 is largely non-verbal, relying on music and sound effects. According to Wikipedia: “About half the music in the film appears either before the first line of dialogue or after the final line. Almost no music is heard during any scenes with dialogue.”

2001: A Space Odyssey (Music From The Motion Picture) is now available for download. CD and vinyl release information will soon be announced. The album track listing is as follows:

1. Atmosphères (8:41)
Composed by György Ligeti
Performed by Ernest Bour Conducting The Südwestfunk Symphony Orchestra

2. Prelude (Sonnenaufgang) – Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30, TrV 176 (1:43)
Composed by Richard Strauss
Performed by Karl Böhm Conducting Berliner Philharmoniker

3. Requiem For Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Two Mixed Choirs & Orchestra (4:21)
Composed by György Ligeti
Performed by Francis Travis Conducting Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks

4. 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,

5. Lux aeterna (8:01)
Composed by György Ligeti
Performed by Helmut Franz Conducting Chor des Norddeutschen Rundfunks

6. Gayaneh’s Adagio (Gayane Ballet Suite) (5:25)
Composed by Aram Il’yich Khachaturian
Performed by Gennadi Rozhdestvensky Conducting Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra

7. Aventures (12:01)
Composed by György Ligeti
Performed by Pierre Boulez Conducting Ensemble Intercontemporain with Jane Manning, Mary Thomas, William Pearson

2001: A Space Odyssey was directed and produced by Kubrick from a screenplay he cowrote with science fiction writing legend Arthur C. Clarke. The film starred Keir Dullea and Gary Lockwood. “2001: A Space Odyssey” opened in 70mm on May 18th in Los Angeles, at the Arclight Hollywood; New York City, at the Village East Cinema; in San Francisco, at the Castro Theatre; and Chicago, at the Music Box Theatre, and will be expanding to other cities on future dates, to be announced.