Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Zappa, Frank
Label: Rykodisc Records
Released: 1979
Length: 33:57
Rating: 5/5
“Orchestral Favorites” is an orchestral instrumental album where the classical side of the legendary composer and all-round artist Frank Zappa finally came through loud and clear for the first time in his career. It’s his third album working with an orchestra, after “Lumpy Gravy” (1968) and “200 Motels” (1971). After countless rock and jazz projects, it was only a matter of time before the boundlessly gifted and just as witty maestro went back to his first love and started writing classical music for orchestra.
One of the most fascinating chapters of Frank’s career was his love for writing classical works and his gradual rise as a master of avant-garde forms of classical music, under the unmistakable influence of the legendary composer Edgar Varese, who had always been one of his key musical influences. Frank’s fascination with Varese, which went all the way back to his childhood, rarely found such striking and witty expression on any of his albums as it does on “Orchestral Favorites”, a record that belongs in the collection of every longtime Zappa devotee, and of every fan of 20th-century classical music too.
To pull off these structurally monstrous yet wonderfully entertaining orchestral arrangements and rhythmic leaps, he had plenty of backup: the Abnuceals Emuukha Electric Orchestra, whom he last worked with on the ancient “Lumpy Gravy”, plus his two faithful rhythmic sidekicks, Terry Bozzio on drums and Dave Parlatto on bass. Most of the compositions were written between 1967 and 1972, but he wove plenty of new ideas into their structures and thoroughly reworked the arrangements. Attentive listeners will quickly figure out that most of the pieces were originally conceived for the ambitious “Läther” (1996) project, which was never realized in Frank’s lifetime, even though these versions differ somewhat from the ones that surfaced when that thrilling and never fully understood project finally came out. At the same time, it’s hard to believe today that this album was Frank’s last obligation to Warner Records, or rather Discreet Records, which went under soon after, while the maestro in the meantime founded his own label, Zappa Records (later Barking Pumpkin Records) — something the cover art also speaks to, even though he didn’t personally approve it, though supposedly he liked it.
A trip through this wonderful and utterly unpredictable instrumental album is a leap into a veritable Zappaesque stew of pure avant-garde classicism. For this one-of-a-kind orchestral journey, the maestro used a rhythmically razor-sharp grater and ground up an extremely juicy mash of assorted sonic minerals, the kind only he could serve up. Classic Zappa burlesque moments abound too, with some arrangements and melodies deliberately structured so that at times you feel like you’re listening to the soundtrack of some witty cartoon, where animals with human traits (say, cats and mice) chase each other around and bash each other with giant hammers and anvils, while pigs in neckties applaud and take bets in the background of towering skyscrapers in a hideously industrialized landscape. In short, you’ll have a very hard time finding orchestral music as witty as this anywhere outside the maestro’s own body of work.
“Orchestral Favorites” opens in a thoroughly epic way with “Strictly Genteel”, which was originally the finale of “200 Motels”. Overall it’s one of his most overlooked pieces, and one he only rarely played live. It made a rare appearance in the repertoire of Frank’s last tour, in 1988. This version follows the original from eight years earlier fairly faithfully, except that the main theme is enriched with colorful orchestral arrangements. A mighty woodwind section builds pompous symphonic flourishes, while the extremely lively rhythms get extra seasoning from the witty use of harmonica. The burlesque ambient magic is just as strong as on the original. Some music critics have flexed their muscles plenty of times with the claim that Frank’s composing was without exception built on writing complex and dissonant melodies. But if they had listened even a little to most of the pieces on this album, they’d have had to bite their tongues more than once. Anyone who listens closely will pick up a heap of exceptionally pleasant melodies, including some of the most beautiful of Frank’s whole career.
One of the few exceptions lacking melodic cohesion is the avant-garde “Pedro’s Dowry”, which for me is the weakest piece on the album, though that’s far from saying you should skip it, since it’s got a whole bag full of rhythmic shenanigans and gags using all sorts of effects. That means Frank and the gang go on a clattering spree with avant-garde, constantly shifting percussion inserts, while farcical trombone and violin motifs flow along in the background. Longtime fans of Frank’s work will also notice the extensive use of the xylophone, his favorite percussion instrument. This peculiar avant-garde orgy flows unexpectedly yet seamlessly into the extremely short “Naval Aviation in Art?”, which features a chilling violin melody and dissonant orchestral bits in the background.
“Duke of Prunes” is a reworked version of the evergreen track from the legendary album “Absolutely Free” (1967). Here the maestro even managed to improve on it, capturing the best of the original version and weaving in a series of his trademark “galactic” guitar phrases. The orchestra pulls its weight too, once again delivering on every front, and so does the rhythmic madness of the fantastic Bozzio-Parlatto duo. Through numerous witty, clever rhythmic meanders and epic woodwind arrangements, the composition keeps coming back to its central melody, which lodges itself in your ears with ease.
The album closes with another “200 Motels” classic, the perfect classical-avant-garde stew “Bogus Pomp”, which, at more than thirteen minutes, is the longest and most complex piece on the whole album, but also the most thrilling and fun. Dissonant sound effects push their way through dramatic layers of orchestral arrangements, while the whole thing is held together by the incredible rhythmic flexibility between Bozzio and Parlatto. At times individual arrangements sound completely scattered and dissonant, only to take shape in the next moment, entirely spontaneously, into polished and beautiful melodies. And the eerie moments turn into pure comedy far too often. Even though this piece will shine even brighter when Frank plays it with the London Symphony Orchestra, this version is also very good and deserves a flat-out ten.
“Orchestral Favorites” is yet another one-of-a-kind work of art proving that Zappa was an exceptional master of musical form throughout his entire career, regardless of genre. Even within his most strikingly complex pieces, his musical forms were clearly and precisely laid out and infectious, if not downright funny. With the orchestra put to excellent use, the individual arrangements on the album are played with a remarkable humor, very close to what you’d usually find on Frank’s “rock” albums with vocals. “Orchestral Favorites” is stuffed with gorgeous orchestral compositions that buckle under the weight of that unmistakable Zappa humor, the kind only a brilliant composer who lived to keep making art non-stop could conjure up. I especially recommend this often overlooked masterpiece to all fans of Frank’s classical excursions, as well as to lovers of his early incarnations from the sixties.
Lineup
Frank Zappa – guitar
Terry Bozzio – drums
Dave Parlato – bass
Mike Lang – keyboards
Emil Richards – percussion
Pamela Goldsmith – violin
John Wittenberg – violin
Bobby Dubow – violin
Jerry Kessler – cello
Bruce Fowler – trombone
Earle Drumler – oboe
Mike Altschul – flute, trumpet
Malcolm McNabb – trumpet
David Duke – French horn
Dana Hughes – bass trombone
Ray Reed – flute
David Shostak – flute
Tommy Morgan – harmonica
Marty Perellis (?)
Don Van Vliet – dance
Production
Frank Zappa
Track list
1. Strictly Genteel
2. Pedro’s Dowry
3. Naval Aviation in Art?
4. Duke of Prunes
5. Bogus Pomp
