Musical inspirations and materials often emanate from outstanding literary works. Richard Strauss based his symphonic poem on Nietzsche’s essay Thus Spoke Zarathustra, a veritable musical response to philosophical thoughts contrasting man and nature. Bernstein’s Second Symphony (“The Age of Anxiety”) took inspiration from the British modernist poet W.H. Auden, manifesting itself as a symphony with the piano soloist as the protagonist, symbolizing Bernstein’s instrumental prowess and compositional aesthetics.