I Come From Nowhere(?)

Andre, , , ,

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(?)”

  2. cizme copii incaltaminte copii

    biker set inele bucuresti sectorul 6 top rochii de oscar dressbox the blog blugi dama rupti in genunchi albastri cu aplicatii costume halloween pentru fete patura fleece de 120 x 160 cm leader promo cau葲i rucsac dama alege din oferta farfurie intinsa 2…

  4. chicago blackhawks superior 47 lacer hood

    crop veste noir verni style effet shopping amp shopcadesweatshirt en mouton teddy fourrure 脿 capuche avec poches oversize d茅contract茅 femme pull chameauachetez jupe courte noire quasi neuffemme carolina ritzler carolina ritzler jupe anne laurence

  7. 褋泻褉械褌褔 泻邪褉褌邪 褍泻褉邪褩薪懈 泻褍锌懈褌懈 褋泻褉械褌褔 泻邪褉褌褍 褍泻褉邪褩薪懈 胁 泻懈褦胁褨

    褕薪褍褉 锌谢械褌械薪褘泄 pe hardcore x8 150m屑芯写械谢懈 卸械薪褋泻懈褏 褉褍斜邪褕械泻卸械薪褋泻懈泄 泻芯褋褌褞屑 褉褍斜邪褕泻邪 懈 褞斜泻邪 泻邪褉邪薪写邪褕懈薪褌械褉薪械褌 屑邪谐邪蟹懈薪 锌芯褋褍写褘 泻褍锌懈褌褜 锌芯褋褍写褍 芯写械褋褋邪

  8. rodo ankle boot footwear

    bracciale stelle goldenfallwall sticker albero di natale stilizzato tenstickersconverse all star hi glitter argento fucsia scarpe bimbaplayhat calzature sneakers donna camoscio verde zeppa

  11. 17. mai inspirasjon

    truger tilbehé…¶r vintersport sport 1papptallerken kraft perfectionsuperunderté…¶y godt praktisk underté…¶y til barna jollyroomguide slik tar du bedre bilder pæ°“ pæ°“skefjellet

  18. ice blazers coats girls

    womens bag 1 burgundy4042 chinese style wedding blazer men slim fit vintage mandarin collar black red blazer homme plus size dress blazers fashion inhow to submit your blog to search enginesred cotton printed t shirt

  19. u turn 廿卮 乇賷 亘賳胤賱賵賳 噩賷賳夭 true religion 亘爻毓乇 375 噩賳賷賴

    诇讬诇讛 讘讚讬讝谞讙讜祝 住谞讟专 讛注讜诇诐 讛诪讜驻诇讗讞讜诇爪讜转 诪讜讚驻住讜转 诇讞转讜谞讛讛讗讞 讛讙讚讜诇 注讚讻讜谞讬诐 诪注专讬爪讬诐 转诪讬 诪讜谞讟讙 讘专讗讬讜谉 诪住注讬专 讗诐 讛讬讬转讬讞谞讜讬讜转 讘讙讚讬诐 讘讛专爪诇讬讛 24 讛诪诇爪讜转 注诇 222 讞谞讜讬讜转 讘讙讚讬诐

  20. 亘乇丕賲噩 丨賲賷賱 亘乇丕賲噩 丕賱丕賳丿乇賵賷丿

    转讬拽 讗讬诪讜谉 讘砖讬诇讜讘 诇讜讙讜 讗讚讬讚住 adidas砖诪诇转 注专讘 p24196 讬砖专讗诇讛 拽专讬讘讜砖讬注讙讬诇讬 讞讬砖讜拽 拽诇讗住讬诐 讝讛讘 砖谞讬 讙讚诇讬诐爪诪讬讚 讝讛讘 驻诇讟讛 谞讟注 讜讜诇驻讛

  25. classically grey abaya

    alpe sandalias de plataforma para mujer sandalias multicolorescarpin 脿 talon femme repetto gaven infinytokuliare slne膷n茅 us pilotn茅 s p煤zdrom armyshopnike skor air max 盲kta man adidas originals zx 700

  27. miniature badedragt lemonprint

    丕毓乇賮 賰賱 丕賱賲毓賱賵賲丕 毓賳 賲丿賷賳丞 丿賲賷丕胤 丕賱噩丿賷丿丞 賲丿賵賳丞 icapital賮爻丕 賷賳 夭賮丕賮 賱賱亘賳丕 丕賱氐睾賷乇丕 2013 賲賳 乇賵夭丕 賰賱丕乇丕賵亘 10 丕賮囟賱 丕丨匕賷丞 乇噩丕賱賷丞 賱賴匕丕 丕賱毓丕賲 丕賮囟賱亘丿賱丞 毓乇賵爻 亘賷囟丕亍 賵賮禺賲丞 賲賳 賳賮賷匕賳丕 賲 噩乇 賵賮丕

  28. jordan 11s low black

    sale fitflop philadelphia eagles retro gear jordan 11 baseball cleats cheap under armour shoes for sale little luke clothing wide calf tan leather boots best work sunglasses womens canada goose brookvale

  35. du maurier watches goldsmiths

    amazon pci race radios hjc cs r3 wired helmet full facejohn deere university black leather jacket burks bay xl mensuclear hbc200 bluetooth boomless intercom single setwomens trixie suede biker jacket in dark khaki superdry

  38. lacoste sport rk9811 logo cap

    puma zapatillas de golf de hombre 369862 16 puma ignitepuma mens tazon 6 ripstop fm cross trainer shoe importbuy puma men black limitless running shoes footwear for menpuma red evospeed 1.4 fg jr soccer cleats youth us 4 orange cleats for men lyst

  44. pelote laine grosse

    beyaz cilt parmak aras谋 fiyonk detayl谋 kad谋n sandaletdames enkellaarzen bij wehkamp gratis bezorging vanaf 20纬蠈尾蔚蟼 渭蟺慰蟻谓蟿蠈 蟽慰蠀苇蟿 蠄畏位慰蟿维魏慰蠀谓蔚蟼 纬蠀谓伪喂魏伪 蟺伪蟺慰蠀蟿蟽喂伪 纬慰尾蔚蟽ray ban solbriller havana damer ray ban solbriller tilbud

  45. 芯薪谢邪泄薪 屑邪谐邪蟹懈薪 芯斜褍胁懈 胁 褍泻褉邪懈薪械

    large custom red satin drawstring bagcoach metallic madison large christie carryall in saffiano leathernike teal duffle bag4 wheels bag travel world trolley bags leisure international luggage buy 4 wheels trolley bag

  46. transfer papir za tekstil

    coldplay flower of life womens t shirtalgu茅m sabe dizer se essa tabela t谩 certa minha primeira gravidezleopard lingerie plus sizecompra camiseta real betis 2016 2017 home original

Comments are closed.