Happy Birthday Frank
December 21, 2020 6:45 AM   Subscribe

Inventionis Mater is an Italian duo who interpret the music of Frank Zappa on classical musical instruments.

They have a YouTube channel. Andrea Pennati's performance of Watermelon in Easter Hay on Spanish guitar is particularly moving. They're planning a live broadcast for tonight, the occasion of Frank's 80th birthday.
posted by Cardinal Fang (8 comments total) 25 users marked this as a favorite
 
Given that Zappa interpreted music on a bike, it seems only fair.
posted by NoxAeternum at 7:22 AM on December 21, 2020 [1 favorite]


I actually appear in a high school year book as 'Frank Zappa' (I was not a fan of year books). I did not know until just now that I also share birthday with Frank! The linked music is a splendid little present, thanks very much.
posted by not_that_epiphanius at 7:54 AM on December 21, 2020 [1 favorite]


Yeah, Zappa reinvented, this is the best! The Renaissance/Baroque period instrument band Ambrosius Ensemble has recorded Zappa, and of course, Ensemble Modern famously did one of the greatest Zappa concerts of all time. This, to me, begs for side-by-side listening to versions of G-Spot Tornado: 1) Inventionis Mater; 2) Ambrosius Ensemble; 3) Ensemble Modern.

(My own fave is the Ambrosius version, it's a little slower so you can better hear pitch detail in Zappa's melodic gestures--and the details are always interesting in his music--but I also love that they used a Baroque cello in the role of rhythm section, including striking backbeats on the body of the instrument, because there is no drumset equivalent from 400 years back. Though I love the choice of bass clarinet w/guitar in the Inventionis Mater version, super clever and effective. He needs to use more air when he plays that bass clar, though, he's starving it.)
posted by LooseFilter at 7:57 AM on December 21, 2020 [2 favorites]


Also, can I add that love seeing Zappa slowly become a repertoire composer all over the world. Other musicians are finally getting it in larger numbers.
posted by LooseFilter at 7:58 AM on December 21, 2020 [5 favorites]




So timely. I had just read the little New Yorker article on the making of the recent Zappa documentary last night, which I then watched. There was a brief clip of the Yellow Shark concert in Frankfurt that was very compelling. So it was perfect to have the links appear this morning to listen to the whole thing. I also learned Zappa and my daughter share a birthday.
posted by Mei's lost sandal at 10:32 AM on December 21, 2020 [1 favorite]


Lest we forget, the time Frank Zappa and Mike Nesmith switched places.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 11:24 AM on December 21, 2020 [4 favorites]


CBC Radio Doc about the legacy.

I'm not quite a fan of his music, but he is oddly compelling...
posted by ovvl at 5:45 PM on December 21, 2020 [1 favorite]


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