Frank Zappa - Dog Breath Variations + Uncle Meat
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- Опубликовано: 4 окт 2024
- Frank Zappa / Ensemble Modern, Alte Oper, Frankfurt, Germany, 17 sept 1992
It was his last professional public appearance, as the cancer was spreading to such an extent that he was in too much pain to enjoy an event that he otherwise found "exhilarating". Recordings from the concerts appeared on The Yellow Shark, Zappa's last release during his lifetime.
I believe this is what Frank spent his whole life aiming for. I think he was extremely proud during this performance. As he should be.
Someone mentioned Stravinsky.
Yup.
The description said 'he was in too much pain to enjoy an event." I think in the few shots they showed of him off to the side, even though he didn't show it much, I'm sure he was enjoying it immensely. Maybe he was feeling a bit sad, knowing that his gift/contributions to all of us were close to an end. The beauty of artists like Frank is, their talents can live on through the recorded library.
@@jmont8943 His "GIFT" was to inspire and break down bullshit norms?
Where is the support for his Padawans?
Shit Or Good... there is no reason that they should be pushed aside.
Yes terrific genius. Zappa is the best.
No he was probably angry because the brass players were late and the pianist was too loud end the percussionists didn't play perfectly in time. Or something like that XD
Frank zappa has enhanced the quality of my life tremendously
me too
much to the detriment of anyone joining me on a road trip
Wow, I feel very much the same!
moi aussi
Mine, too.
Lovin' it. I saw this live. Met him afterwards. Siemens Empfang. Shook his hand. Told him that i love him. Once in a lifetime. Will never forget.
You should have told him you loved the water bubbles or some other example. I guess Frank didn't appreciate statements of love. How did he react?
@@NN-ul4oy i was shocked by myself, i didn't plan to say it, i was kind of embarrased. i just wanted to state that i love his music. he shook my hand, then his bodyguards arrived and told me to leave him alone, because he was very ill - in a gentle way. so i did, but i stood near him for a quarter of an hour, then he left his party in the Mozart-Saal. He was gifted the Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik, but didn't comment it with a word. He just left.
I was there, too 😀No handshake, though.
At least Zappa at the very end of his life got the recognition as a serious composer. As an American Composer. He really deserved it.
@@javimiami92 I'm sure you thought that retort sounded quite clever in your head. It should have stayed there.
I knew he was a serious composer when Freak Out came out. Lumpy Gravy sealed the deal.
Thank Gaud the Europeans took Zappa seriously and appreciated him in his lifetime
Not the americans...
lazy RRR Frank Zappa always was taken very serious, Chunga's Revenge was my first Zappa album, Zappa helped me a lot and still does !
I was lucky enough to be introduced to Overnite Sensation by a drummer friend as a teenager in the mid-70s. In London we knew he was class.
@St Alfonso That's an oversimplified overstatement. Zappa was very well-regarded by American college students.A lot of Americans recognized his genius from the beginning. I grew up on Zappa and I'm American and jazz and baseball.
Worked in the music world as a sound engineer for live shows and some studio work in north america, in rock, jazz, folk, and I rarely met a musician who wasn't thrilled everytime a new Zappa record would hit the market. I would say that 90% of them would not only buy the album, but also would be in awe at what they heard. He was a musicians, musician. I even remember one day singing Merry Go Round on a sound stage while testing the mics, and this folk singer ran up to me all excited because I knew that song....he had actually met Larry in L.A.. We spent the enire night after the show discussing Zappas music...., Beefheart and also Larry Fischer.
And a slew of jazz musicians, from Cannonball, to Jack De Johnette also loved his music.
The look on his face is so gut wrenching as a tear is almost noticeable. You can see he’s holding back emotion. Stirring 😎
... but probably from physical pain of his disease.
@@NN-ul4oy no...he was clearly deeply moved upon hearing his grand orchestral piece.
@@themagicminstrels476
He said in this interview he felt sick!
ruclips.net/video/GBfoTUG41i4/видео.html
I have to say I got a bit misty myself. Magnificent.
Brilliant. Anyone who doesn't appreciate the genius of Frank Zappa is missing out on a whole lot.
Zappa almost cried at the end. Once he said something like he was not a rock musician but a musician that used rock in his compositions. Yellow Shark is probably a kind of masterpiece he always wanted to make. It may represent the project of his life.
He also cries because he is in pain, a little later he will be just sat to watch with pride his music played as he had always wished.
@@lepetitoiseau I think a tear fell because he knew he finally got the recognition he deserved and he was not going to enjoy his success.
As long as we keep listening, FZ lives.
Still listening, May 28, 2023
The older I get, the more I appreciate Zappa. He was the George Carlin of music, the Stravinsky of rock, and the clown prince of classical. It's a shame that, like so many great artists, he was mostly unappreciated in his own lifetime, and now orchestras all over the world are performing his works.
dont mistake, many people like zappa from the beginning
A lot of people were nuts about Frank in the 60s and 70s though I don't think many of us thought he would be one of the foremost composers of the 20th century. Anyone who was into the "FM radio scene" back then knew who Frank was. And, all the big name groups that came out of that period damn well knew who he was. Also, a lot of very talented musicians play with him. Starting about the mid 70s, Frank started playing with some big time orchestra--the L.A. Philharmonic, the London Symphony, etc. He was never as popular as the Beatles or the Stones, but people knew who he was.
Unfortunately, our fast-paced world hardly has time to focus to its work. Otherwise he would already be a Stravinsky or Mozart of the modern age!
He wasn't a George Carlin, Stravinsky or whatsoever. He was Frank Zappa
I couldn't of put it better myself!
the final close up is just heartbreaking. i hope he's thinking "yeah - that's how i heard it in my head all those years ago..." - but, in reality (a place FZ knew only too well), he's probably thinking "they fucked up bars 34 and 58, gonna have to edit that when i get home...". the present day composer refuses to die, coz he's always got a little more work to do!
pipeandslippersman yes, the finale even could go higher. very very great interpretation, memoreable.
pipeandslippersman Your right ,seeing Frank sitting on that anvil case in excruciating pain ,pondering eternity, and fractional divisions there of while angelic voices sing to him ' is heartbreaking, because we can see he knows he will never perform again ,and he knows he will be dead soon ,I'm so glad I was able to attend the Zappas Universe concert for PBS right before he died ,it listen to Frank's music everyday of my life since 1970 ,now that I'm retired I listen at least 3 hours every morning before I start my day ,I'm just finishing up now from listening since 8 am .
In most cases probably but Frank actually said after the projects completion that it was his favorite working experience with an orchestra within his entire lifetime.
@@krycklund - Happy to read that!
Varese
I think that Zappa did most of his finest work in the '60's. I first heard "Uncle Meat" in 1970 and I still think it's the best album showcasing his brilliance as a composer and these two songs are on it. The key to "Uncle Meat" is the fact that Ian Underwood and Art Tripp joined The Mothers. I have not read or heard Zappa admit this but I'm sure that Ian (who has a PhD in composition) helped Frank with scoring and arranging those complex chamber works. Zappa didn't learn all this from just 2 semesters of Music Theory and going to the library, he had help. I met Bunk Gardiner 22 years ago and he pretty much confirmed that Ian was Zappa's righthand man. Art Tripp brought in vibes and marimba which was to go on to define the sound of many Zappa pieces plus Tripp was able to play all those complex percussion parts. Listening to Uncle Meat when I was 15 literally blew my mind open. I had no idea some weird looking guy with the bizarre mustache/goatee could get a band to play this type of seemingly extraterrestrial music, combined with Cal Schenkel's incredible cover art too. Zappa made me think outside the box and outside of boring mainstream society. It was the right thing for me at the right time and influenced me to this day. Just by chance I met Zappa in 1976 before a concert and I thanked him and asked if he would be doing anymore cool chamber orchestra work like on Uncle Meat and he just stared at me, not answering. Suddenly a few kids ran up and yelled "Hey Frank! You gonna rock out tonight?!?" Well, with the Ensemble Modern and this concert, I did get my answer after all.
Makes sense.
The end just breaks my heart.
When I first listened to this on the Yellow Shark CD, I was so moved by the applause... I felt I wasn't alone in loving it
Finally acceptance (as a serious composer) in his lifetime.
I want to reach in and hug him close to my heart and never let go.
We are all with him, now and forever, in that moment.
@@burmaspice6740 I am sure he still writes music, where ever he is..
Some complained about the difficulty...Frank said:"My rock band can play this..."
typical Zappa response he really was a complete genius we will never ever have another musician like him
whith only two weeks of rehearsals? I doubt
but this depends on the genia of his musicians - and a half of a year dayly rehearsals under the musical leadership of Ike Willis...
Easier to get a good tone on an electric guitar than on an oboe, obviously.
@@kylej.whitehead-music309 You aren't an electric guitarist are you? It's pretty clear you are not. Trust me, it is no different - electric guitar or oboe... or cello, tuba or synthesizer. Personal tone is a lifetime search and totally defines who you are as an artist. On any and all instruments it is a venture of blood, sweat and tears.
One of the greatest composers in the history of mankind.
That last shot of Frank sitting there could shatter my heart everytime i watch.
52 years since I first heard Zappa and 50 years since I first saw him. And now , not only does his body of work hold up, it towers above and is utterly exhilarating in a period of largely dead music.
Sounds like commercial music or music for a Disney film
It is just musical joy. Frank was way ahead of his time. Only he knew it. That is why his music is timeless and all performers love it to this day. I miss him, but his music lives on, and that was what he was happy about in his last years. These type of concerts must have given him so much pleasure, to know his legacy was admired by so many musicians world wide.
I bought "The YellowShark" upon its release, not long after Zappa's untimely death. I had loved "Hot Rats" when it came out in 1969, but not pursued his music further. I was young and got distracted by other music and was not sure about what he was doing after that great album. When he died I thought about Hot Rats and wondered what else I might have missed. Listening to Yellow Shark was a revelation. I backtracked though his releases, becoming a complete and utter Zappa fan in a very short period of time. For nearly thirty years his music has regularly punctuated my playlist, and I have had my listening enriched by the great man's remarkable output beyond measure. A towering figure, he deserves far greater recognition and appreciation. It is always interesting when I ask if someone is familiar with his music, and how often their eyes light up and a broad smile beams at me. It is a truism that there is no such thing as an "ex-Zappa fan". Once you discover his music, there is no turning back.
Hot Rats first, Yellow Shark second, and then all the rest of more than 60 albums in between, is that true??! Frank was around all the time. And Hot Rats was rather recognized in UK.
Good on ya mate.
@@NN-ul4oy Just to add detail. I was twelve in 1969, living in the UK, and just getting into rock music via my brother. We bought Hot Rats via mail order from Virgin, when they were an import company and before they became big. I loved it, but I was still very early in my exploration of good music. It's a shame really as I missed out on seeing him live.
An emotional Frank Zappa. You don't see that everyday. Great work!!
I cry every time I hear this brilliant rendition of his.
Heard this piece a thousand times by now. It still gives me goose bumps...
This performance has made me hear a Copeland element in Zappa’s music that I’ve never heard before.
Yes! and a little Paul Hindemith, as well.
Yes! and a little Paul Hindemith, as well.
I think Zappa said of Aaron Copeland that he had mixed opinions on him, because he wrote genuinely good music, but he made it seem like "American classical music" meant "there is a hoedown/cowboy-type rhythm and the violin and xylophone play the same line".
Now that you mention it…
Something of the American landscape in it, certainly. A sweeping kind of openness in the harmony. I think also there's a jazz influence, which gives it a distinctively American aspect. You don't hear the jazz influence so much in, e.g. Varese, Boulez, Webern, Penderecki, Messiaen, Xenakis, Lutaslawski, the other Euro-guys with whom Zappa stands in this tradition of music. The jazz influence is certainly there in Stravinsky though. Another piece from this concert that has that real USA vibe for me is "Get Whitey".
You can tell Frank loved Stravinsky's A Soldier's Tale.
In memory of, and in celebration of, Frank Zappa, who passed away 23 years ago. Here is a clip of his last public appearance. Truly one of a kind, and one of the best!
This ensemble was arguably the best group of musicians Frank ever worked with.
Not only were (and are) they first class musicians, but they didn't get paid to perform this music! At least, not by Frank.
THEY chose to work with him. And they paid for plane tickets to Los Angeles, accommodation, weeks of intense rehearsals,
and then these performances in Germany. I suppose they must've received a share of the ticket sales, but just the fact that they
weren't in it for fame and glory (or to get laid) says a lot about their dedication.
Next to fully computerized music, I can imagine that this was as close as Frank ever got to perfect performances of his music.
And although he was a massive cynic, I choose to believe that he was rather moved at the end of the video.
Oh they got laid
A rather well put comment. Both of you.
They were not in it FOR THE MONEY.
agreed
This was definetely his best classic orchestra to work with. At the end I think it was rather pain and anti pain drugs that gave Frank the look, sad.
That's some beautiful seconds at the end of Zappa … what a man!
Какое умники поставили дизлайки гениальному композитору?
Фрэнк Заппа - это вообще сам по себе жанр. Прекрасная музыка!!!
What's so crazy about this guy is that he never really got formal training, just started to write music after learning about it at age 14 or so. He wasn't really taught at an early age. He did it the hard way, by working so fucking hard at it. Then he wrote dots on paper for hours and hours he says, 16 hours. No one took him seriously. His book is required reading for any musician. Died at 52 from Cancer. I wonder what he would be doing now, massive concerts, massive. But he died. This little piece of composed music he wrote is awesome. He is not Alma D. But he was Zappa. And he would hate the comparison that I just did but, he was in another musical world we are not in. Amazing life story and his kids are doing just fine.
This work is astounding, moving…magnificent. Mr. Zappa was - IS - one of the great 20th Century American composers. ❤️
Astounding. I love Apostrophe but this... I have spent my life studying orchestration but there are moments here that would certainly have met approval from the likes of Stravinsky, Ravel, Prokofiev and Gershwin.... especially Stravinsky, I think.
Miss you Maestro
Franks music is so powerfully, uniquely original and identifiable. I will never stop being impressed with him.
Mr. Frank Zappa = The only source of amazement in modern music. Original and beautiful with no compromise.
That's quite a grand statement to make that only shows your ignorance in modern music. There are countless ways to compliment a beloved composers without shitting over all the others out there.
There are others - but Frank topped it all - Sometimes I don't want to listen to Zappa, so I get out my Brits prog albums: Gentle Giant, Yes, Genesis, Tull, Van Der Graaf, Camel, Pink Floyd. They give me the same pleasure. And when I'm tired of that, I listen to some Zappa albums.
Stef Vanstiphout have you heard soft machine and gong? I think you would enjoy. Same time period, and some of the most cerebral and intelligent music out of England.
@@graxjpg Just bought Bundles by Soft Machine and Radio Gnome, Angels Egg by Gong - Gazeuse by the other Gong band - enjoyed it. Happy The Man is another great band, also Henry Cow (both american bands).
Stef Vanstiphout I see you also enjoy Holdsworth ;) fantastic purchases, my friend. Angels egg is my personal favorite of the trilogy, but anything that those early lineups made is an incredible experience to listen to. The points of references that daevid embedded into his music really give it an otherworldly yet loving quality. Also Henry cow is great! I’ll have to check out happy the man, I’m excited when people who appreciate high concept music recommend things to me.
I've been there, at the first concert in Frankfurt where Frank Zappa was still able to conduct the ensemble himself.
Music is the best and Frank Zappa will always be the best!
Was never a Zappa fan at all, but his classical compositions are just amazing. So intricate through out. RIP
Hockey Nutt his hokey comedy rock is pretty damn intricate, too.
cool! he has orchestral-type stuff throughout his career, it makes me happy (as a zappa fan) that his music can be enjoyed by people who don't like his "rock band" music. I enjoy his compositional music the best! maybe check out these titles?
RDNZL
Orchestral Duke Of Prunes (not the original)
Naval Aviation In Art
Waka/Jawaka (the section after the improvisation in this song might interest you)
Lumpy Gravy (Capitol Version, his first orchestral work)
Music For Guitar and Low Budget Orchestra
Legend of the Golden Arches.
if you have any music to suggest to me, please do!
I'm so sorry for your loss brother
Grand Wazoo is awesome.
This isn't really classical. It's pop music orchestrated. 200 Motels, that's serious music. And listen to Music for Guitar and Low-Budget Orchestra if you haven't already.
I'm not surprised that Frank could do this stuff; he's blessed to have an autodidactic outlook on life and his hobbies. If one must be successful, it's the library, as many of the world's greatest minds absorbed their knowledge from other greats.
yep you win the best word
I have tears in my eyes.
He simply died too soon!! Amazing beautiful and genius musician. He’s certainly missed!!
A wonderful performance of my two favorite pieces from Yellow Shark (they never fail to move me). Seeing it performed live with Frank watching on is all the more touching. How I miss his unmitigated audacity, especially in music and politics, lo these last 24 years...
I knew him and saw him every time he played NYC.A great loss to the musical world.
Never heard ONE ‘song’ by Frank. Tried just before this One and couldn’t finish it. Had read he did some classical so came here! What a creeping delight!!!! Will keep looking for more talents Zappa !!!
Such a beautiful image of Frank at the end of the performance & a horrendous sharp cut edit instead of staying on his amazing facial expression which said so much.
can you imagine how much he had to KNOW about all these instruments, their playing technique, limitations, their applicability for a given spot in a given piece, AND the unusual key signatures. time signatures, styles, and finding the RIGHT individual... This is not standard operating procedure music, playing standard orchestra fare stuff. This required REAL EXPERTISE, IMHO... All this while suffering from advanced terminal cancer...
bckm54 it’s called composing
Every instrument in the cupboard will be used. Beautifully. Sigh. Genius.
You left us to early Frankie
Siempre veo la expresión de Frank al final de la pieza. Se emociona, le da pena saber que tendrá que abandonar éste plano, pero también le emociona lo hermoso de la interpretación de su pieza. Siempre me emociono con ésta pieza. Bueno, todo. Frank Zappa por siempre. Arf!
♥️
Arf alors!
Thank you Frank for all that you have taught me in my life musically. Your a wonderful artist. RIP FZ
I'm from Italy. I'm going to be 67 years old this April. This gentleman, Frank Zappa, in spite of his lyrics, has always been a gentleman with clean hands, joking with the sex but, above all, joking with the sad conformism of the common behavior. Yes , in my turn, Zappa has marked my life. Because his music. A genius. I don't know why but tonight I miss him. Mario
Perhaps the only piece of music ever scored for cor anglais and banjo. One of FZ's best pieces, beautifully played.
Yellow Shark arrangement is amazing. Great performance
I'm happy that Frank got a chance to hear his composition with this orchestra.
Bring me close to tears too .... Great - da capo 🤘👏💘🎼🍀🕊
I never get teary eyed from listening to music, but here...Frank's music...like...Wow!
Been a Zappa fan since the 70s knew he was a genius
Keep listening. Keep Frank's music alive.
How could you Not like this - just glorious
What a trip it must have been to play this music from so long ago in his career with a full orchestra. It’s wonderful. I love old Mothers compositions.
I love Zappa, his compositions often remind me of a renaissance time period, songs like Peaches En Regalia, The Black Page, Strictly Gentile & Dog Breath all sound like royalty, king & queen medieval music & I really love it!
FZ is a composer worthy of standing with the greatest in musical history ever.
The Yellow Shark is a rewarding listen.
The only musical instruments missing from the stage, are a Boeing 747 on a takeoff roll, and a soprano recorder. Frank was a genius, and like others with that gift, he left us way too soon.
Frank Zappa, along with George Gershwin, is the most original American composer of the 20th century.
More original than Harry Partch?
Conlon Nancarrow?
Charles Ives...
Breaks my heart seeing frank backstage at the end 😓 what a huge loss to the world. Love you mr Zappa 💔💔
Frank Zappa easily rivals for the top 10 composers in the second half of the 20th century.
Beautiful music and great band! The last scene ... one hopes he was pleased by the music and audience response, but he achieved it when his body was so painful that time was short. How could he enjoy it. Tragic scene. Thanks for the music and all the fun.
Sublime. Sublime. Thank you life for this incredible musician .
Gorgeous sublime genius. I’m so in love with this. I could cry. FZ. Xx
Brilliant! AlWAYS LOVED FRANK!
Preterite almost perfect. Excellent music, excellent words or poems if you prefer ... Superb! Thank you very much for sharing. Well there.
!!!!!!!!!!! Frank Zappa is OUR 20/21 century genius composer expressing both the beauty and madness of our time, and I feel honored to have lived my life during the time he was madly composing these marvelous musical masterpieces.
Wow, I was thinking as I watched this how enormously difficult it must have been to compose this and arrange it as well. Pure genius. And the end of the peace you can just see in his eyes the emotion. “ This has to be the one, this has to be the one with all the right notes in it, and this is a hard one to play” God bless Frank😎🙏♥️
Nice thought, but it was probably hard pain and hard anti pain drugs.
Frank was too cool to be touched by a well done performance even of his own music.
This is godly! This performance has brought me to tears in the sheer beauty of the playing and orchestrated notes.
Miles of transcript and countless hours to write....for just mere minutes of play. It's the nature of greatness. Salute!
Brillant!! This adds quality to my life!
"Superb", is my immediate response, A thing of joy is a beauty for ever truly. I miss him.
Mr Frank was one of the real deal.....balls to do it, and balls to pull it off.....wonder if music was his passion?....
Anyone who throws a banjo in first chair, I gotta hear this.......
what an extraordinary talent he was, such a terrible tragic loss to the music world . cancer needs to be cured. lost my uncle and my daughter its a horrible slow agonizing death.
Not at these prices, dearest!
Great! One of the most intresting, colourful, funny composer of the twentieth century....
I saw zappa every time he played in NYC...well not every time but I was 10 years old and my older sister took me to see Frank Zappa... as a kid just the name... classical music, some rock and other obscure stuff... this is very complicated music composed... and the last time I saw him in Texas the whole concert went through all of it, classical, rock, some punk... and other odd stuff thrown in...
It builds and resolves in its own way like frankly, unresolved, Frank would hate, until he resolved it. Like a loose tooth you play with the pain.
Still absolutely stunning. love it..
Amazing performance of this masterpiece.
I was there :-) One of the best days of my life, period.
Frank helped me learn how to think for myself. There were others, but Frank helped immensely. We are drowning in bullshit but Frank helped me breach the filthy waves and gasp a bit of air through the fume.
Zappa's true genius lay in taking ordinary people to musical places they didn't even know existed. As a teenage guitarist in the 60s, Zappa showed me what music was like when it went beyond 4 guys in a band belting out rock. And for me, that has meant an entire lifetime of new musical experiences. Thank you, Frank! And thank you, Dweezil and band members for keeping it going!
What the f... did I just watched?... Beyond words
ahh tears in my eyes, miss you Frank
Soon, someday he will be added to the list of one of the true great musical minds of the 20th century.
He is the list.
How I love the Frank Zappa's music!!!!!!
We need Frank now more than ever.
What a shame he left us before the advent of the Internet and Social Media.
That final shot of Zappa...he still looks as defiant as when he was younger.
I did not like all of his rock output, but his orchestral work was exquisite.
And the Jazz tunes? They were pretty amazing too. Im a sucker for any Zappa instrumental.
@Izno Iznogoud ruclips.net/video/n1XpkjV9gNY/видео.html
Zappa is my favorite modern composer. RIP.
I think this is the best symphony of Zappa. I'm more than impressed.
That was the most amazing thing eVER!!!!
fwiw I think this is the best version of this classic that I've heard yet. (But I wish the audio quality was better)
It's got Mr Potatohead eyebrows on!
The band seems to feel very comfortable with the asymmetric rhythms and sudden digressions, tone rows and purcussive outbursts. Its really more like music from a middle eastern tradition. It would be fascinating to hear Armenian or Turkish musicians interpreting it. In any event, it may be many generations or decades before we get the hang of playing it the way he would've wanted it to be heard. ❤
Bought the Yellow Shark on CD. Different from the DVD. Worth getting both.
I miss him so much
WOW . Excellent . Very , very belated RIP Frank . Keep on composing wherever you are . I'm certain you are with he who gives us the gift of life and talents .
Thank you Frank ✌