I was at the first night in Royce Hall. Amazing show. At one point, Zappa had the orchestra improvise as he conducted. He gave quick instructions to each section, like play in 5/7 time or "in the style of Berlioz" or "when I point at you, do ..." and then they were off. A couple minutes in, he stopped conducting and just stood there smiling with his arms crossed, soaking up the cacophony. I was sitting on the aisle in about the 8th or 10th row, and at one point he jumped off the stage and march back to the sound board - walked right by me, like a foot away. He was pretty short. He's listed at 6 feet on the 'net, but I think that's wrong.
@@jcf1963 Those are called irrational time signatures, they are mostly a new-music concept that use divisions of the meter that are not powers of two. Very interesting but mostly a theoretical concept, very rarely would you actually need one. Adam Neely has a video where such a case did come about, and he needed to use a measure 4 twentieth notes (Or, ironically, a bar of 4/20). It's a very good video, I recommend it!
..... un'arrangiamento orchestrale di "Rollo" strepitoso, con ficcata in mezzo un'improvisazione di composizione istantanena per chitarra e poi un finale incredibile, sempre in perfetta linea alla sua coerenza concettuale musicale..... Zappa, non solo un grande compositore, ma anche un'inventore di musica nuova! Hoddettotutto.
chissà quante ore di rehersal per suonare queto capolavoro in queto modo. tu dici che in un punto hanno improvvisato? la vedo dura sai, perchè qua senza seguire perfettamente uno spartito è molto facile perdersi.. c'è da impazzire o da mettersi a ridere con musica a questi livelli di Follia! però io un assolo di batteria in un brano orchestrale non l'avevo ancora sentito !
@@emkay9508 i agree! Sometimes there are too many ‘johnny come latelys” regarding frank and his “guitar prowess”. It’s getting to be an old line for some people. Kinda like all these “reaction” videos, they’re getting old too.
This "underrated" stuff is getting tired. Has no meaning in this context or probably in any other. Maybe you mean not as popular or as famous as you would like him to be?
I was totally unaware of these performances! This is outstanding! I know how difficult it was to construct larger ensembles to play Frank's orchestral compositions competently during these time periods and this sounds really wonderful. I can't imagine how it must have felt to have been there for this! It certainly sounds like the audience appreciated it! I know this entire event was recorded, as Frank captured everything! Sure would be superb to get a copy of these gems! Frank literally changed me musically and woke me up socially. I truly miss him and I'm glad his talented son is carrying the torch forward!
The musicians were mostly first-call LA sessionmen, organized by Kenny Shroyer (trombone). They might have been the finest readers on Earth in those days. Classical musicians can read very well, but get time to practice their parts and rehearse; whereas sessionmen get one run-through at most, so they have to always be at the absolute top of their reading game.
I'll always be happy I saw Frank Zappa play a few shows over the years which were the best music events I've ever witnessed. Our friend Dennis was high school friends with Scott Thunes, saw many Halloween rehearsals and shows, interviewed Frank at his home and published a Zappa fanzine for a while. I know he experienced being next to a genius and talked with one in his prime. I met a wonderful German couple who host the Zappanalle ; they became friends with Frank's band members. What a thrill for them! Big ripples.Thanks Frank!
I lived in Colorado and unfortunately saw the show at "the Denver Echoplex Ballroom." Could barely pick out a note. The space had been built to auction cattle. Smelled like it too. Didn't reach civilization till my 40s.
This is the xylophone part from St Alfonzo's Pancake Breakfast. Mixed with solo licks that you can pick out of other songs he did at different times. He made remixes before it was a thing.
A bunch of orchestral material recorded live and in the studio made it to the Lather album and other derivatives. It's mind-blowing music, yet I have not heard FZ ever talk about these projects in any interviews.Pieces like this one, Pedro's Dowry, Duke pf Prunes, Music for Guitar & Low Budget Orchestra, etc. These were some of the best performances of FZ music, IMO. Yet all I know about Lather is that Frank fought with WB and played it on the radio.
I was at one of the Royce Hall shows, though I don't know which one. Seems to me it was in the afternoon? Or at least I remember walking across the UCLA campus during the middle of the day. I remember that the music was fantastic. Frank's "conducting" seemed to be a little haphazard - he'd wave the stick for a while and then stop at random. The orchestra seemed to be well-rehearsed enough to continue on solidly on their own. Maybe Frank was just setting the tempos. I didn't realize that the shows had been recorded! Thanks for sharing this.
I would love this whole concert and the one from the previous day uploaded!! nowhere online seems to be offering it to download and zappateers aint compatible with my computer
Compare this to the SNL band arrangement a couple of years later ( v=68rPcKU0JII ), the much faster arrangement for the SNL band which, they say, they only had a few days to learn.
Back in Ye Olden Days I was a member of United Mutations of America. The folder that came with the membership stuff had dossiers on all the then-current members of the band. Frank's gave his height as 6'0".
I was at the first night in Royce Hall. Amazing show. At one point, Zappa had the orchestra improvise as he conducted. He gave quick instructions to each section, like play in 5/7 time or "in the style of Berlioz" or "when I point at you, do ..." and then they were off. A couple minutes in, he stopped conducting and just stood there smiling with his arms crossed, soaking up the cacophony. I was sitting on the aisle in about the 8th or 10th row, and at one point he jumped off the stage and march back to the sound board - walked right by me, like a foot away. He was pretty short. He's listed at 6 feet on the 'net, but I think that's wrong.
Cool. What else did he play?
5/7 What kind of irrational time signature is that. A 7th note?
@@tixximmi1 Well Big Swifty has some 11/12 bars, 12th notes being the notes in a 12th-note triplet (quaver triplet).
I have been a bass teacher since 1994. I've never heard of a 7th note.
@@jcf1963 Those are called irrational time signatures, they are mostly a new-music concept that use divisions of the meter that are not powers of two. Very interesting but mostly a theoretical concept, very rarely would you actually need one. Adam Neely has a video where such a case did come about, and he needed to use a measure 4 twentieth notes (Or, ironically, a bar of 4/20). It's a very good video, I recommend it!
..... un'arrangiamento orchestrale di "Rollo" strepitoso, con ficcata in mezzo un'improvisazione di composizione istantanena per chitarra e poi un finale incredibile, sempre in perfetta linea alla sua coerenza concettuale musicale.....
Zappa, non solo un grande compositore, ma anche un'inventore di musica nuova!
Hoddettotutto.
chissà quante ore di rehersal per suonare queto capolavoro in queto modo. tu dici che in un punto hanno improvvisato? la vedo dura sai, perchè qua senza seguire perfettamente uno spartito è molto facile perdersi.. c'è da impazzire o da mettersi a ridere con musica a questi livelli di Follia! però io un assolo di batteria in un brano orchestrale non l'avevo ancora sentito !
That guitar lick against the big F♯ chord at the end... The perfect sign-off.
Very underrated guitarist... i love his solos...
Where have you been?! Under-rated ? Frank fucking Zappa!? You're trippin.
@@emkay9508 i agree! Sometimes there are too many ‘johnny come latelys” regarding frank and his “guitar prowess”. It’s getting to be an old line for some people. Kinda like all these “reaction” videos, they’re getting old too.
This "underrated" stuff is getting tired. Has no meaning in this context or probably in any other. Maybe you mean not as popular or as famous as you would like him to be?
"underrated" only to those with no ears
I was totally unaware of these performances! This is outstanding! I know how difficult it was to construct larger ensembles to play Frank's orchestral compositions competently during these time periods and this sounds really wonderful. I can't imagine how it must have felt to have been there for this! It certainly sounds like the audience appreciated it! I know this entire event was recorded, as Frank captured everything! Sure would be superb to get a copy of these gems! Frank literally changed me musically and woke me up socially. I truly miss him and I'm glad his talented son is carrying the torch forward!
The musicians were mostly first-call LA sessionmen, organized by Kenny Shroyer (trombone). They might have been the finest readers on Earth in those days. Classical musicians can read very well, but get time to practice their parts and rehearse; whereas sessionmen get one run-through at most, so they have to always be at the absolute top of their reading game.
I'll always be happy I saw Frank Zappa play a few shows over the years which were the best music events I've ever witnessed. Our friend Dennis was high school friends with Scott Thunes, saw many Halloween rehearsals and shows, interviewed Frank at his home and published a Zappa fanzine for a while. I know he experienced being next to a genius and talked with one in his prime. I met a wonderful German couple who host the Zappanalle ; they became friends with Frank's band members. What a thrill for them! Big ripples.Thanks Frank!
I lived in Colorado and unfortunately saw the show at "the Denver Echoplex Ballroom." Could barely pick out a note. The space had been built to auction cattle. Smelled like it too. Didn't reach civilization till my 40s.
frank zappa is a legend
So unbelievably beautiful!
great music! the best. thank you. bravo!
nanook is rubbing it and alfi is loving it.........
I dunno, it doesn't seem like Rollo without Ruth.
Was Ruth not part of this orchestra? She was part of the Wazoo, and those groups were largely the same musicians.
Stuart Morrow Ruth left the mothers in early 1975
Now I want some damn pancakes.
St. Alfonso's?
Love Zappa!
This is the xylophone part from St Alfonzo's Pancake Breakfast. Mixed with solo licks that you can pick out of other songs he did at different times. He made remixes before it was a thing.
A bunch of orchestral material recorded live and in the studio made it to the Lather album and other derivatives. It's mind-blowing music, yet I have not heard FZ ever talk about these projects in any interviews.Pieces like this one, Pedro's Dowry, Duke pf Prunes, Music for Guitar & Low Budget Orchestra, etc. These were some of the best performances of FZ music, IMO. Yet all I know about Lather is that Frank fought with WB and played it on the radio.
I was at one of the Royce Hall shows, though I don't know which one. Seems to me it was in the afternoon? Or at least I remember walking across the UCLA campus during the middle of the day. I remember that the music was fantastic. Frank's "conducting" seemed to be a little haphazard - he'd wave the stick for a while and then stop at random. The orchestra seemed to be well-rehearsed enough to continue on solidly on their own. Maybe Frank was just setting the tempos. I didn't realize that the shows had been recorded! Thanks for sharing this.
spettacolare
they're the finest in the town regardless.
♡♡♡♡♡ !!!!!
I would love this whole concert and the one from the previous day uploaded!! nowhere online seems to be offering it to download and zappateers aint compatible with my computer
This tune should be on ORCHESTRAL FAVORITES (1979) (or LATHER (1977/1996)).
I did not know Frank was a heavy equipment operator!
FZ, the Best!!
increible Zappa !!!
wooow
😎
Compare this to the SNL band arrangement a couple of years later ( v=68rPcKU0JII ), the much faster arrangement for the SNL band which, they say, they only had a few days to learn.
This version has a great, jammy guitar solo, even if it is buried under the keyboards at times!
unson unique music is the best
I love Frank Zappa but there’s something a bit cumbersome about this. It sounds like they’re all concentrating on reading the music.
too much players here.. . there is only space for sheet, and a awesome guitarsolo and drum solo too
Light & fluffy white or light & fluffy brown?
We'll raise a fortune by Tonite! They're the Finest in the Town, after all!
@chaspagano I wish.
5/7 is not a real time signature. Also Frank Zappa was at least 6' tall, I think 6'2".
Back in Ye Olden Days I was a member of United Mutations of America. The folder that came with the membership stuff had dossiers on all the then-current members of the band. Frank's gave his height as 6'0".
6 feet it is then. Did you send away for the Absolutely Free libretto?
zffz