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(?)”

  3. 写懈褌褟褔褨 胁懈褕懈胁邪薪泻懈. 褌芯胁邪褉褘 懈 褍褋谢褍谐懈 泻芯屑锌邪薪懈懈 褑褨泻邪胁懈泄

    褍泻褉邪褩薪械褑褜 褉芯屑邪薪 薪邪蟹胁邪胁 锌械褉械胁邪谐懈 褉芯斜芯褌懈 屑芯写械谢褨 褍薪邪泄斜邪卸邪薪褨褕褨 薪邪斜褨褉 写懈褌褟褔褨 泻褍褏薪褨 泻褍锌懈褌懈 胁 褨薪褌械褉薪械褌 屑邪谐邪蟹懈薪褨褋褌懈谢褜薪械 卸褨薪芯褔械 胁蟹褍褌褌褟 褨薪褌械褉薪械褌 屑邪谐邪蟹懈薪 锌褉芯锌芯薪褍褦褋褍屑泻懈 写谢褟 薪芯褍褌斜褍泻褨胁 锌芯谢芯褌薪芯 褔芯谢芯胁褨泻懈 胁褨写泻褉懈褌懈泄 褉褞泻蟹邪泻 褋褍屑泻邪

  7. wo kann ich dirndl kaufen

    body l å¿™ lillastribetan 0804 stré…¶mpebæ°“ndlego duplo politistation fang tyven og red byen fra kriminalitetlegeté…¶jsbiler 5 12 æ°“r ké…¶b legeté…¶jsbiler til 5 12 æ°“r her

  8. learn instruct posts facebook

    china showgirl burlesquelittle red riding hood wolf costume halloween fancy dress storybook outfit in holidays costumes from novelty special use onmays baby boys captain infant costumes cap stinker pirate costume 4pcs setautumn winter fashion 2017 wome…

  9. lacoste spring summer 2019 q1 tenisè´¸wki lacoste marice

    robe courte tendance 2015 7 robes de mari茅e originales de c茅l茅brit茅s inspiration homme nike air vapormax noir et blanche manteau napapijri femme blanc chemise napapijri femme personnaliser chaussure adidas messi 15.4 tf blanc bleu robe de soir茅e longue…

  10. 屑褍卸褋泻芯械 蟹懈屑薪械械 锌邪谢褜褌芯 pierre carlos . 褔械褉薪芯械. 褌褍褉褑懈褟

    卸褨薪芯褔褨 斜芯褋芯薪褨卸泻懈 2019斜械谢芯褉褍褋褋泻邪褟 卸械薪褋泻邪褟 芯写械卸写邪 斜褉械薪写芯胁邪褟 芯写械卸写邪褉芯斜芯褌邪 胁 褍泻褉邪褩薪褨 褌邪 蟹邪 泻芯褉写芯薪芯屑 胁邪泻邪薪褋褨褩. 芯谐芯谢芯褕械薪薪褟 胁写芯谐谢褟写 蟹邪 斜褉芯胁邪屑懈 褨 胁褨褟屑懈 褨褌邪谢褨褟 泻褍锌懈褌懈 蟹邪 胁懈谐褨写薪芯褞 褑褨薪芯褞

  12. new womens boots gym trainers fitness sports running casual shoes sneakers black

    未喂伪魏慰蟽渭畏蟿喂魏伪 蟿慰喂蠂慰蠀 ilinoroyalty line 蟽蔚蟿 魏伪蟿蟽伪蟻蠈位蔚蟼 12 蟿蔚渭. rl 1231蠁慰蟻蔚渭伪 未喂伪蠁伪谓蔚喂伪fratelli petridi 谓蠀蠁喂魏维 nude 位慰蠀蟽蟿蟻喂谓喂 90 740 纬蠀谓 蠀蟺慰未畏渭伪

  16. 谐芯褉薪芯谢褘卸薪褘械 斜芯褌懈薪泻懈 salomon x pro 90 anthracite black acide green

    胁懈薪懈谢芯胁褘械 薪邪泻谢械泄泻懈 薪邪 褋褌械薪褘 写械胁芯褔泻邪薪芯褋泻懈 屑褍卸褋泻懈械 卸懈褌芯屑懈褉褋泻懈械泻褍锌懈褌褜 斜芯褌懈薪泻懈 屑褍卸褋泻懈械 cad薪械锌褉芯屑芯泻邪械屑褘械 泻褉芯褋褋芯胁泻懈 ecco cool 2.0 gore tex 芯褉懈谐懈薪邪谢 蟹邪 2200 谐褉薪

  20. 2 讞转讬讻讛 16 讙专诐 labret 砖驻转讬讬诐 讟讘注转 讻讬专讜专讙讬 谞讬专讜住讟讛 转讻砖讬讟讬

    vidaxl fioriera da giardino in wpc cm grigiascarpe huarache prezzodettagli su brandit giubbotto giacca parka uomo invernale militare m 65 classic olivemaglia del napoli per cani squadre di serie a

  21. 卸械薪褋泻懈械 褔邪褋褘 褋懈谢懈泻芯薪芯胁褘械 geneva luxury citron 谢懈屑芯薪薪褘械

    mens hooded coatcomfortable wedge pumpswomens red vinyl leggingstimber bike bell

  24. 锌谢邪褌褜械 褔械褉薪芯 斜械谢芯械 写谢懈薪褘 屑懈写懈 斜械蟹 褉褍泻邪胁芯胁

    屑褍卸褋泻邪褟 屑械写懈褑懈薪褋泻邪褟 写械褕械胁邪褟 芯锌褉邪胁邪 写谢褟 芯褔泻芯胁 dacchi泻褍锌懈褌褜 泻懈褌邪泄褋泻芯械 薪懈卸薪械械 斜械谢褜械 芯锌褌芯屑褑械锌懈 写谢褟 懈 锌芯谐褉褍蟹褔懈泻芯胁褔械褉薪邪褟 锌懈褉邪褌褋泻邪褟 褌褉械褍谐芯谢泻邪 褋 蟹芯谢芯褌芯泄 泻邪泄屑芯泄

  25. trafika3dva ponudba kuponi

    泻褍锌懈褌褜 卸褨薪芯褔褨 泻褉芯褋褨胁泻懈 puma thunder spectra black . 褌芯锌 褉械锌谢褨泻邪 邪邪邪 泻谢邪褋褍. 胁 懈薪褌械褉薪械褌 屑邪谐邪蟹懈薪械 urbanshop 泻褉芯褋褋芯胁泻懈asics gel rocket 9 600 写芯褋褌邪胁泻邪 褔械褉械蟹薪邪斜褨褉 写谢褟 写械锌褨谢褟褑褨褩 胁芯褋泻芯屑 锌芯胁薪懈泄褍 褋芯褑屑械褉械卸褨 蟹褟胁懈谢懈褋褟 褋胁褨褌谢懈薪懈 薪械泄屑芯胁褨褉薪芯谐芯 褋褏芯写褍 褋芯薪褑褟 胁

  27. shop all clothing style clothing

    chaquetas de outdoor de hombre forro sherpa compara 8nueva dise帽ador para hombre con capucha oto帽o e invierno moda mujer sudadera hip hop sudaderas con capucha de marca casual para hombresnueva bordado sudaderas mujeres jers茅is sudaderas se帽orajersey d…

  28. adidas alphabounce rosa prezzo

    chargeur iphone0 chaise ordinateur pas cher brosse toilette bleu chaussures confort femme jolies sweat è„¿ capuche michael michael kors coque iphone x iphone xs echarpe de portage laquelle choisir sweat femme de marque

  30. nike sportswear nike

    parka giacca giubbotto alta visibilita invernale da lavoro deltaplus runwayil sito ufficiale pi霉 completo adidas uomo samoa trainersbase borsa ovale 21×8 cm per borse piccole colore cuoiotatua toccando artista intensa pre macchina arte della pelle

  32. real fox fur vest

    baltimore orioles 1964 1965 cap products baltimoremens st. louis cardinals sport slider sandalsmens new york mets 85 carlos gomez authentic grey roadwomens philadelphia phillies 5th ocean by new era red long sleeve v neck slub t shirt

  34. sukienka bonprix blador贸偶owy

    torba za notebook lenovo simple toploader t1050 do啪enska jakna sa krznom moda 2017 moderne 啪ene magazin 2017pregled za korekcijske nao膷ale i mjerenje o膷nog tlaka za 80kngipetex pamu膷na posteljina maculato

  36. deurstrik geboorte jongen zoon

    schoen borstel applicator polijsten sneeuw schoenen zweden en nubuck boot in schoen borstel applicator polijsten sneeuw schoenenmode jeans zwangere vrouwen stretch zwangere vrouwen broek zwangere vrouwen leggings losse taille zwangerschap broek moeders…

  38. jacob cohen men luxury hand tailored jeans clothing

    谞注诇讬 讗讜诇住讟讗专 讙讘讜讛讜转 讘爪讘注 砖讞讜专 all starsandalias plataformas altas 2016 botas mujer botas y纬蠀谓伪喂魏蔚委伪 蟺伪蟺慰蠉蟿蟽喂伪 hogan 80 魏慰渭渭维蟿喂伪occhiali da vista come evitare montature pesanti sul viso

  39. only sportsgear

    for iphone 8 7 3d little bear pink ears pattern squeeze relief squishy dropproof protective back cover casematte clear case for samsung galaxy note 3 tpu bumper frame hard back casequiksilver samsung galaxy s4 case redemption discontinuedhoco carbon fi…

  40. kvalitetna izrada staklenih vrata

    r臋czniki z haftem i akcesoria do k膮pieli z dedykacj膮 dla nowo偶e艅c贸w na prezentmoro m臋skie joggery czerwonetorba pla偶owa monnari ze sk贸ry ekologicznejsamiboo bambusowa chustka czapka z daszkiem bia艂a 艣mietanka

  46. lanvin iridescent grained leather card holder

    蟿慰 伪蠁蔚谓蟿喂魏蠈 渭伪蟼 苇未蠅蟽蔚 未蠋蟻慰 蠂蟻喂蟽蟿慰蠀纬苇谓谓蠅谓 蔚位位畏谓慰蠁蟻苇谓蔚喂伪蟺慰蠀位慰尾蔚蟻 伪谓未蟻喂魏伪 伪谓未蟻喂魏苇蟼 渭蟺位慰蠉味蔚蟼 l尾喂尾位喂伪纬慰蟻伪 伪喂纬伪位蔚蠅 尾喂尾位喂慰蟺蠅位蔚委慰 伪喂纬维位蔚蠅 维纬喂慰蟼蟽蟿蟻蠅渭伪 纬蠀渭谓伪蟽蟿喂魏畏蟽 nrb mat amila 81722

  47. gucci nymphaea leather top handle bag pink

    薪邪褉褟写薪褘泄 泻邪褉写懈谐邪薪 谢邪褌褝 胁 懈薪褌械褉薪械褌 屑邪谐邪蟹懈薪械 锌褉械褋褌懈卸褋褌邪褉褘械 写械褌褋泻懈械 泻薪懈谐懈 屑芯薪懈褌芯褉懈薪谐 芯斜褗褟胁谢械薪懈泄泻褉芯褋褋芯胁泻懈 邪写懈写邪褋 adidas climacool black white泻褍锌懈褌褜 褏芯谢芯写懈谢褜薪懈泻懈 胁 屑.胁懈写械芯

  48. 诪讜转讙 讛讗讬驻讜专 诪拽住 驻拽讟讜专 讞讜讝专 诇讬砖专讗诇

    bota negra ugg australia cremallera mariceadidas 100 algodè´¸n mujer blusas y camisas suave y cè´¸modochicco cepillo de cerdas naturales y peinesudadera antony morato stampa gris 95 algodon

Comments are closed.