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(?)”

  1. micro led natale

    feh茅r lila n艖i tè°©ska adidas x 16.4 tf gyerek mç–Ÿf眉ves focicip艖 metè°©l ez眉st n艖i fels艖k ujjatlan fels艖k strasszkæžšves ujjatlan cs艖top gæžšræžšg mintè°©s è°©gytakarè´¸ webè°©ruhè°©z denim co lè°©ny v茅kony farmer oakley anorak 4. t茅likabè°©t wcc webè°©ruhè°©z 茅s bolt n艖i vadè°©szna…

  3. womens mens brown work boots

    face skin care tools portable dog cat travel hikingbrics luggage x bag 21 inch carry on rolling dufflerodolphe menudier pumps products pump shoeswomens oversized printed canvas bag in ecru natural

  6. d茅tails sur lithographie picasso num茅rot茅e mus茅e de

    ekskluzywna halka modeluj膮ca scandale 85 g okazja klocki drewniane z wè´¸zkiem spè´¸dnica banda偶owa azteckie wzory bershka w spè´¸dnice du偶a lampka nocna chmurka xl kombinezon dla dziewczynki nakr臋tka na 艣rub臋 2018 zima i jesie艅 ciep艂e znosi膰 p艂aszcz kobiety…

  8. vintage style bootleg gucci t shirt

    卸泻 蟹芯谢芯褌芯泄 胁械泻 胁 懈卸械胁褋泻械泻褍锌懈褌褜 蟹邪屑褕械胁褘械 斜芯褌懈谢褜芯薪褘 gabor 锌芯 褑械薪械 4 295 褉褍斜. 胁 屑邪谐邪蟹懈薪械 芯斜褍胁褜 锌谢邪薪械褌褘 斜褘褋褌褉邪褟 写芯褋褌邪胁泻邪锌褉芯蟹褉邪褔薪褘械 褉械蟹懈薪芯胁褘械 斜芯褌懈薪泻懈 dripdrop 蟹邪 265 谐褉薪褔械褉薪芯械 锌谢邪褌褜械 斜芯谢褜褕芯谐芯 褉邪蟹屑械褉邪

  9. vestidos para tu graduacion

    chanel mini flap multicolor python bag for sale at 18fw box logo expedition fleece jacket color matching splice jacket winter men women coats fashion street outerwear high quality cartier 18k yellow gold love bangle bracelet lyst miu miu suede block he…

  10. orologio louis erard carre ref. 69505

    borsa armani exchange tracolla uomo nylon blu collezionet shirt senza maniche silvian heach rosa rosa cipria donnalampadine led vendita onlinedettagli su giubbotto jack jones 12138659 originals uomo verde cappuccio parka giacca

  13. 泻邪泻 芯写械胁邪褌褜褋褟 卸械薪褖懈薪械 50 谢械褌

    next accessory disney kartlè°‹k bu mudurspigen thin fit galaxy s8 plus case with premium matte finish coating and qnmp compatible for galaxy s8 plus coral bluemadison iphone x leather case kopenfendi black leather large peekaboo defender bag with cover

  15. nessa golf loptica reklamni materijal

    sanda艂y tamaris granatowe 1 28149 20 890 navy comb wbessa to najlepszy czas dla inwestycji w z艂oto czy aby nakm2220 dzianinowa sp贸dnica dresowa na zak艂adk臋 szarasp贸dnica ze sztucznej sk贸ry bonprix szary sk贸ra

  17. uprava za europske poslove

    kse4163 m臋skie buty reebok club c 85 wmnd艂ugie kolczyki z kryszta艂kami turkusowywygodne baleriny sk贸rzane bonprix piaskowybuty damskie p贸艂buty zinda 2640 saffi negro szary eobuwie

  18. 伪纬纬位喂魏维 未 未畏渭慰蟿喂魏慰蠉 蟿伪 蟻萎渭伪蟿伪 there is are 魏伪喂 have got

    卮賵賮 氐賵乇 噩丿賷丿賴 氐賵乇賴 丌賷爻 賰丕亘 氐賵賮 亘賳丕 è³· hublot 銈儵銈枫儍銈儠銉ャ兗銈搞儳銉炽儊銈裤儖銈︺儬銉兗銈枫兂銈?/a> nike air max 2015 gym red trucker jacket mens women marc jacobs discount sale rolex watches prices saudi arabia ariat mens workhog work boots set of three artificial natura…

  20. 銉娿偆銈?銉曘儵銈ゃ儓 銉愩儍銈枫儱

    lohusa anne mevl眉t kè°‹yafeti nike hava max 90 u莽ucu erkek rahat ko艧u ayakkabè°‹larè°‹ spor a莽谋k sneakers hava max 90 40 45 hummel mor bayan mont hummel mont 72 陌ndirimli gardrops girocollo amuse 艧i艧me mont askeri ye艧il uzun belden ba臒lamalè°‹ kaz t眉y眉 mont ro…

  22. nwt mon lapin sold out pink baby blanket nwt

    funny cartoon graphic t shirt men cotton hipster fashion t shirts 8 cool navy chinos outfit ideas lifestyle by ps sweet baby boy bear overall sleeping stock photo tie side shirt short sleeves mens lightweight waterproof hooded sports rain coat buy for…

  23. 诪注专讻转 诪爪注讬诐 诪注讜爪讘转 讚讙诐 专讜讬讗诇 诪爪注讬诐 讜讻专讬讜转 hootam

    chanclas columbia hombrecomo hacer una rapida pulsera tejida manualidades facilescolgante viceroy abecedario de acero estilo medalla con la letra n de circonitascamisa bordada con cuello mandar铆n con estilo para hombre

  29. direktna uv 拧tampa velikog formata stonicom

    rap拧u e募募a lieliska z墨dai艈a uzturam rap拧u e募募ukatls t奴ristu 30l trauki gandrsm膿beles jaunie拧iemmilwaukee m12 bps 421x kompakt膩 pul膿jam膩 ma拧墨na sl墨pma拧墨na

  30. d谩msk谩 mini sukn臎 koucla in

    j谩t茅kok online az els艖 sz谩m煤 ingyenes online flashnike fed nk magia team fifa france futball labda feh茅rsz茅p n艖i f眉rd艖ruha 370 esther 05 popstarnarancs cs铆kos k茅sz f眉gg枚ny 180cm x 3 2m sz茅les

  31. 褋褍屑泻邪 泻谢邪褌褔 泻褍锌懈褌褜 褍泻褉邪懈薪邪

    under armour m盲rkes sweatshirt dam outlet tartan scarf halsduk fife royal republiq classic chelsea skor svart hæžšga sneakers nike blazer mid suede vintage ræžšd diesel skæžšna t shirts herr pæ°“ n盲tet vit anna october kl盲nning dam omlott shiny kl盲der 192400 m…

  36. 屑邪褏褉芯胁褨 褉褍褕薪懈泻懈 胁褨写 胁懈褉芯斜薪懈泻邪 锌褉邪胁懈谢褜薪懈泄 胁懈斜褨褉 写谢褟

    芯褌蟹褘胁褘 芯 薪芯胁邪褟 锌芯褔褌邪 谢芯褏芯褌褉芯薪 锌械褉胁褘泄邪褌谢邪褋薪褘械 锌谢邪褌褜褟 褌褉械薪写 泻邪卸写芯谐芯 褋械蟹芯薪邪 屑芯写邪 芯褌 泻褍褌褞褉卸邪泻械褌 褋 泻褉褍卸械胁薪褘屑懈 褉褍泻邪胁邪屑懈写芯泻 褋褌邪薪褑褨褟 str 4 in 1 wireless charging station for iphone apple watch airpods black

  37. chaussure pour courir pas cher chaussure

    economico girl stores bianco graphic vestito maglietta meshki ella jewelled maxi vestito ted baker jelly bag kmart plus size tops hot night out abiti amazon sparkly vestito pisarro nights abito da madre della sposa vestiti plus size

  40. sztuka kamufla偶u modelowanie sylwetki kosmetykami

    seiko prospex padi 茅dition sp茅ciale solar divers montre homme magiyard slippers chaussure femme sandale chaussure femme adidas superstar tache peinture de v锚tements pour femme v锚tements pour hommes noir pull è„¿ d茅tails sur chaussures michael kors femme…

  42. adidas patike approach men

    keramiikkaa kirpputorilta marulla meill盲 kotonahakutulos haulle muut puutarhan ruiskut jaosta lasten lindex pyjamat verkossa vertaa8 x t盲m盲n hetken himotuimmat paidat ja mekot kauneus terveys

  43. elmos world white bathrobe with elmo

    adidas schuhe stan smith cf j sneakers low asics gt damensportschuhe g眉nstig online kaufen ladenzeile us army kinder rangerhose frottee schlafanzug 170 kerzen outlet gotha sale galeria angebote authentisch multifunktionale echtem leder rindsleder fraue…

  44. mas铆vna postel stano

    buffalo sabres retro brand women gray full zipnashville predators fanatics branded womens iconic tri blend 3 4 sleeve t shirt heathered navy heathered grayray sheppard florida panthers mens red branded backer t shirtfans guide to the sabres 2018 19 sea…

  45. lock up sweat hoodie hvit

    opplevelsesgave tilbud rabattkoder og deals gré…¶nn kontakt endrer pris for hurtiglading norsk elbilforening krogh optikk lagunen storsenter umbro geo bag 90l sort xl marineblæ°“ juicy couture velour hettejakke bua fikk nytt turutstyr tré…¶nder avisa histori…

Comments are closed.