I Come From Nowhere(?)

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?

Strictly Genteel

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!]:

Zappa with parents

(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!)

References:
[1] Paul Charosh, “‘Popular’ and ‘Classical’ in the Mid-Nineteenth Century,” American Music, Vol. 10, No. 2 (Summer, 1992), 126.
I Come From Nowhere(?)

32,946 thoughts on “I Come From Nowhere(?)

  1. 17鍙?銉儑銈c兗銈?銈汇儸銉儖銉笺偣銉笺儎 閫氳博 銉嬨儍銈汇兂

    buy supreme x nike air humara blacknike kyrie 6 leak youtubeshop nike grey phantom vision academy dynamic ic ao3225 060 for mennike air dunks sole collector nike 993 multi color

  2. 鍏ㄥ搧 閫佹枡鐒℃枡 銉庛兗銈儵銉?銉儛銉笺偡銉栥儷 銉溿偄銉栥儷銈俱兂 銈枫儳銉笺儓涓?銈嗐仯銇熴倞 銉撱儍銈般偡銉偍銉冦儓 銈偊銈裤兗

    銉┿偘銉撱兗 銉樸儍銉夈偖銈?銉樸儍銉夈偔銉c儍銉?銈广儩銉笺儎 閫氳博 yahoo 銈枫儳銉冦償銉炽偘銇┿伄銈广儶銉炽偘銇屻亰銇欍仚銈?鎰涚敤銇椼仸銇勩倠銉炪優閬斻亴浣裤仯銇︺亜銈嬨偪銈ゃ儣銇?/a>娴峰瀛愪緵鏈?鐢枫伄瀛愩儹銉炽儜銉笺偣 銈枫儯銉勩伨銇ㄣ倎銇?娌栫竸銇?/a>pristine銇偑銉笺偓銉嬨儍銈偝銉冦儓銉?銉ゃ偗 璧锋瘺绯搞儶銉栥偨銉冦偗銈广仹銇?娣风巼銇仭銇屻亞銉ゃ偗娣枫伄璧锋瘺绯搞倰浣跨敤銇椼仧銉娿儊銉ャ儵銉偘銉兗銇儛銈ゃ偒銉┿兗 銈姐儍銈偣

  3. portable waterproof pouch

    mens code west country western boots1980 rogets ii the new thesaurus american heritage dictionary thumb tabs sjany design you have in mind i can put on your by dennishoescustomsprincess wears running shoes disney pin

  4. pittsburgh steelers handmade stuffed dog pittsburgh steelers gift steelers gift gift for kids gift for adult christmas gift fun gift

    lego city 3178 seaplane with 100 complete with manual original box retiredwest coasts wizarding world of harry potter to open inwe all live in a lego submarine thanks to toy giant andgali master of water pre redesign version 11 bionicle

  5. dje膷je trenirke benetton i champion

    discount winter love soccer fashion pullover hoodie sweaterkeane away la galaxy soccer jersey 2011 2012 sports mlschuteira nike mercurial superfly 6 elite campo neymar sil锚nciotoddler portland timbers adidas green 2017 18 primary box jersey set

  6. vingino skijacke

    damen tops twbb frauen einfarbig drucken oberteile v ausschnitt lange 盲rmel shirts t beil盲ufigedas bild wird geladen bikinioberteil bikini oberteile xs 34 triangel bademode flowerdas bild wird geladen corsage steampunk gothic kunstleder korsett dessous…

  7. women lace blouse short sleeve girls lovely embroidery floral shirt 2019 summer ladies hollow out blouse female tops femme chic y19043001

    men puma soccer cleats evospeed sl fg blue orange clown fishno lace womens puma running shoes shopstylepuma suede 35546266 puma suede classic wns black pearl pinkpuma mens titantour ignite disc golf shoe black

  8. ba 1adores 2018

    my chemical romance hoodies zipper hoodies spring letter print sweatshirt cool and fashion band streetwear hoodies xxs tobuy long bow stripes flower princess dress baby girl reception formal dresses girl party dress 2018 christmas clothes from reliable…

  9. nike dry circle womens tank size medium

    wholesale 93 jacksonville jaguars calais campbell limited womensnwt nike odell beckham jr. 13 new york giants color rush game womens jersey xldenver broncos shannon sharpe home navy champion jersey men 52 2x largevintage deadstock 80s nfl washington re…

  10. peppa pig decorbal

    louis vuitton bag vernis lead mm yellow leather tote 90 off retaillouis vuitton monogram eclipse keyringsale firm new lv cashmere silk auth shawl leopard nwtwin a luxurious trip to paris 15

  11. w lini臋 bia艂膮 pod pewnym a owa znajduje si臋 tutaj

    granatowo bia艂a tunika z krè´¸tkim r臋kawem bialcon tuniki damskiesukienka dzieci臋ca na weselesukienka ci膮偶owa i do karmienia milky way v neck ecru w ananasy i paskiccc rozpoczyna najwi臋ksz膮 w historii letni膮 wyprzeda偶 i stawia na jeszcze rozwè´¸j e commerc…

  12. 4 gro脽en taschen kinderzimmer aufbewahrung f眉r kinderschuhe accessoires und kleidung

    die insel der besonderen kinder altwei脽 schwarz rabatt stay die insel der besonderensport bringt viele vorteile f眉r menschen miturspr眉ngliche hohe knæžšchel fu脽ball stiefel im freien mercurial superfly fg ag fu脽ball schuhedamen kleider spitze abendkleid…

  13. conjuntos mujer elegantes playa de verano gasa flores impresa vintage joven bastante boho hippies cuello barco

    lenceria fina de segunda mano en zaragoza en wallapopinspecciè´¸n de calidad de prendas de vestir ropa interior todos los servicios de inspecciè´¸n en chinados a帽os de garant铆a e bike bicicleta el茅ctrica kit de conversiè´¸n de bicicletastrajes blancos de pan…

  14. stockholm light blue

    vintage inspired jackets statement jacketsmoncler white teen boys t shirt in south formens nike heathered gray washington state cougars collegiate dry polopoint zero mens reversible jacket xl

  15. asics gel forza

    iphone銇儜銈广偝銉笺儔銈掑繕銈屻仸銇椼伨銇c仧銈夈仼銇嗐仚銈屻伆銇勩亜锛熴儊銈с儍銈仐銇︺亰銇?/a>2018 2019 real madrid kits and logo 512 512 updating dream league soccersearch.php searchterm=Chanel backpacksite sac occasion

  16. sporth盲user die gr枚脽ten deutschen sporth盲user im 眉berblick

    falda de baile para mujer falda de baile flamenco falda de danza del vientre traje de actuaci贸n espa帽olago for gold with dolce gabbanas filigree collection global blueadidas adilette cloudfoam plus stripess 伪谓未蟻喂魏伪 蟽伪谓未伪位喂伪br zowe kozaki badura

  17. 写械褌褋泻懈 屑邪褉邪褌芯薪泻懈 薪邪 邪写懈写邪褋 屑邪褉邪褌芯薪泻懈 屑芯屑懈褔械薪褑械 eu 24 eu 25 eu 26

    garmont dragontail n air g grey green chaussures homme randonn茅echaussure de s茅curit茅 basket run r 210 chaussures et sacschaussure de sport femme homme pas cher vente france en lignebasket jordan homme decathlon

  18. oversized beanie

    dobbs twisted panama straw hot to trot fedora hatsupreme military camp cap fall winter 2018 blackvintage unisex kangol fur bucket hat light bluecrochet unicorn hat pattern crochet baby hat crochet instant

  19. hoka one one womens sky toa wandelschoenen

    锌褉芯写邪屑 芯褉懈谐懈薪邪谢褜薪褘泄 泻褍锌邪谢褜薪懈泻 victorias secret 褉邪蟹屑械褉 36d卸械薪褋泻懈泄 褋械泻褋褍邪谢褜薪褘泄 褑胁械褌芯褔薪褘泄 泻芯屑锌谢械泻褌 斜懈泻懈薪懈 push up 屑褟谐泻懈械 泻褍锌邪谢褜薪懈泻懈 泻褍锌邪谢褜薪懈泻 泻褍锌邪谢褜薪懈泻懈 锌谢褟卸薪邪褟 芯写械卸写邪974 芯斜褗褟胁谢械薪懈褟 泻褍锌懈褌褜 1 泻芯屑薪邪褌薪褍褞 泻胁邪褉褌懈褉褍 胁褌芯褉懈褔泻邪 胁 芯泻褉褍谐械 褋胁邪芯泻褍锌懈褌褜 褋屑邪褉褌褎芯薪 apple i…

Comments are closed.