My dissertation–if you hadn’t already gathered–focuses on the convergence of popular and classical music streams that informs much of Frank Zappa’s music. This confluence means different things in different places (for both Zappa and his audience), but it seems to me to be a defining characteristic that runs through all of his work. My questions here are: Why would this be such an important aspect of his work? and, What influenced him in thinking this way?
On the one hand, Zappa was trying to establish for himself a reputation as a composer of serious art music. His reasons for this are, of course, open to debate, but Zappa was always quick to point out that his ambitions were aesthetically motivated. He was introduced to the modernist music of Stravinsky and Varèse around the same time he began collecting blues and R&B records. Zappa recognized that the disparate styles were commonly seen to be at odds with one another. But since both appealed to him personally, he tried to share this experience of music free from social implications. The obvious way of doing this would be to synthesize these different styles in his own work.
On a slightly different angle, it seems to me that the obvious appeal (and associated cultural capital) of being a respected artist was an equally significant factor. Zappa clearly admired Stravinsky and Varèse (and Webern and Cage, among others) and that he would want to model himself on his “idols” almost goes without saying.
But where does this all come from? What streams (cultural, social, musical) does he fit into? Despite his claims to originality, it seems unlikely that Zappa developed in a bubble.
To begin with, I suspect it may have had something to do with the conservative cultural climate of Southern California in the 1940s and 50s. Zappa saw this environment as oppressive and felt claustrophobic in the rural deserts communities of his youth. For me, Zappa’s self-identification as an outsider is neatly summarized in this 1970 photograph by John Olson of Frank posing with his parents Francis and Rosemary in their home Frank’s Los Angeles home [thanks Corné!]:
(Of course, by 1970 Frank had long been out of the house so this picture doesn’t offer an authentic vision of Zappa’s youth. Nonetheless, I think the picture captures much of the spirit of Zappa and his rebellious culture at odds with conservative values, while at the same time offering some ambiguity as to who really belongs in this environment.)
While still a child, he found refuge in the modernist avant-garde. (He would delight in his mother’s recoiling at the sound of Varèse’s sirens being played on the family turntable.) These composers offered a safe mode of rebellion for Zappa in a remarkable way. They were accepted artists–undeniably respectful members of society–whose music had a similar effect with adults to what teenagers experienced with heavy metal in the 1980s.
But I don’t think it ends there. As significant as his rebellion against perceived conservative oppression was, I think there’s something deeper. In discussing when the dichotomy between classical and popular entered the American consciousness, Paul Charosh writes:
We would be mistaken to assume that this division between types of music reflects a simple division between two sets of listeners, one group seeking edification and uplift from classical music and a separate group looking to popular music for a cure for the blues. Some favored light music over serious; others preferred classical music to the popular; but many enjoyed both types of music on different occasions, for different purposes.[1]
Charosh is referring to mid-18th century listeners, but this characterization seems to have some resonance with Zappa’s sentiments a century later. Is this a constant stream in American musical consciousness? Did Zappa inherit this dual validity of opposing musical streams?
For that matter, who else was a part of this? Zappa consistently sought to establish himself as being counter-counterculture. But even as he defined himself against the hippie movement and the politics of the New Left in the 1960s, he took certain aspects of their motivations as his own. Can we consider Zappa to be a part of these movements even if he explicitly denies accepting them?
For now, these thoughts are very preliminary. I don’t have the answers to these questions. (Yet!)
Pingback: grande vendita sneakers tamaris jouila nero argento()
Pingback: under armour soccer()
Pingback: 丕乇賷禺 丌賱丞 丕賱毓 賵丿 賲賵賯毓 孬丕賳賵賷丞 毓亘丿丕賱賱賴 丕賱兀丨賲丿 丕賱氐亘()
Pingback: private harry potter and other film sites tour in oxford()
Pingback: senarai harga legoings harry potter figures hermione granger()
Pingback: 胁 锌芯褋褌褍锌懈谢懈 薪芯胁褘械 泻芯谢谢械泻褑懈懈 写械褌褋泻芯泄 芯写械卸写褘 褋()
Pingback: houston astros new era game cooperstown on field 59fifty performance fitted hat()
Pingback: 胤乇賷賯丞 賮氐賷賱 卮賵賲賷夭 賮囟賮丕囟丞 賱兀氐丨丕亘 丕賱賱亘丕爻 丕賱卮乇毓賷 賲()
Pingback: balducci primi passi gucci()
Pingback: louis vuitton velvet lv logo brown loafers shoes size 10 made in italy()
Pingback: blue tweed flat cap()
Pingback: exklusive halterlose str眉mpfe aus spitze mit blumigem muster()
Pingback: 184 three ways to structure your training session coaching()
Pingback: fendi fendi leatherette jacket monster bugs outer long sleeves black size 44 men()
Pingback: dagli stivali da trekking ai tronchetti stringati()
Pingback: damen rucksack daypack cityrucksack schultertasche trekking()
Pingback: gong li. at the yves saint laurent shop rue du faubourg()
Pingback: pink faux leather moto jacket brown()
Pingback: 转讬拽讬诐 city stock()
Pingback: 毓賱賲 丕賱丕賳噩賱賷夭賷丞 賰賱賲丕 賵噩賲賱 亘丕賱毓乇亘賷丞 氐賵 賵氐賵乇丞 for android()
Pingback: lego 2 x base plate board no 10700 large 32x32 green size 10 x 10 25 x 25cm()
Pingback: kendall jenner adds 3k fendi keychain to her valentino()
Pingback: borse coccinelle 2018 catalogo primavera estate smodatamente()
Pingback: nba baseball caps uk()
Pingback: luces en la noche y la representaci贸n 3d del estadio de f煤tbol()
Pingback: unique crystal drop earrings blue pink green silver xmas gifts for her women mum()
Pingback: gucci mens suede gg logo drivers loafers shoes us 10 baffin driver()
Pingback: daniel hechter business schuhe g眉nstig kaufen mirapodo()
Pingback: www. nov茅 hra膷ky .eu kost媒m star wars darth vader se()
Pingback: nike nfl houston texans anthracite travel t shirt()
Pingback: techtronics lego mindstorms ev3 core set includes()
Pingback: baskets mode gar莽on nike internationalist junior noir blanc chaussure pas cher avec chaussures baskets basses enfant()
Pingback: fashion men casual shoes high help sneakers men shoes 2018 new hip hop casual ankle boots lace up superstar white male shoes()
Pingback: pung camila slg()
Pingback: collar de oro rosa()
Pingback: paul smith boys t shirt age 4a classic fit mini free uk pp()
Pingback: converse chuck taylor all star madison retro charm sneakers()
Pingback: 薪邪褉褍褔薪褘械 屑褍卸褋泻懈械 褔邪褋褘 migeer 295 褋懈薪懈械()
Pingback: tods shoes tods patent leather poshmark()
Pingback: bigboyd sports cards james hardy 2009 upper deck()
Pingback: i want vintage vintage designer handbags gucci vintage()
Pingback: st艡铆brn茅 d谩msk茅 diamantov茅 hodinky n谩ramkov茅 hodinky()
Pingback: sandali estivi donna neri plissettati platform made in italy kikkiline marroni zeppa()
Pingback: funda iphone 6 6s apple original silicon case colores varios infopartes computaci贸n()
Pingback: colori invernali per unghie tutte le nuove tonalit脿 da()
Pingback: mcfarlane toys dany heatley series 13 action figure ottawa senators nhl()
Pingback: pin on random booties()
Pingback: rich tops heat gear henley training under armour mens()
Pingback: icon contra womens jacket metallic horses store()
Pingback: gucci calfskin medium dionysus bamboo top handle bag pink blue hibiscus red()