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Frank Zappa and His Conception of Civilization Phaze Iii University of Kentucky UKnowledge Theses and Dissertations--Music Music 2018 FRANK ZAPPA AND HIS CONCEPTION OF CIVILIZATION PHAZE III Jeffrey Daniel Jones University of Kentucky, [email protected] Digital Object Identifier: https://doi.org/10.13023/ETD.2018.031 Right click to open a feedback form in a new tab to let us know how this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Jones, Jeffrey Daniel, "FRANK ZAPPA AND HIS CONCEPTION OF CIVILIZATION PHAZE III" (2018). Theses and Dissertations--Music. 108. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/music_etds/108 This Doctoral Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Music at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations--Music by an authorized administrator of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact [email protected]. STUDENT AGREEMENT: I represent that my thesis or dissertation and abstract are my original work. Proper attribution has been given to all outside sources. I understand that I am solely responsible for obtaining any needed copyright permissions. I have obtained needed written permission statement(s) from the owner(s) of each third-party copyrighted matter to be included in my work, allowing electronic distribution (if such use is not permitted by the fair use doctrine) which will be submitted to UKnowledge as Additional File. I hereby grant to The University of Kentucky and its agents the irrevocable, non-exclusive, and royalty-free license to archive and make accessible my work in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I agree that the document mentioned above may be made available immediately for worldwide access unless an embargo applies. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of my work. I understand that I am free to register the copyright to my work. REVIEW, APPROVAL AND ACCEPTANCE The document mentioned above has been reviewed and accepted by the student’s advisor, on behalf of the advisory committee, and by the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS), on behalf of the program; we verify that this is the final, approved version of the student’s thesis including all changes required by the advisory committee. The undersigned agree to abide by the statements above. Jeffrey Daniel Jones, Student Dr. Ron Pen, Major Professor Dr. Michael R. Baker, Director of Graduate Studies FRANK ZAPPA AND HIS CONCEPTION OF CIVILIZATION PHAZE III ________________________________________________________________________ DISSERTATION ________________________________________________________________________ A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the College of Fine Arts at the University of Kentucky by Jeffrey Daniel Jones Lexington, Kentucky Director: Dr. Ron Pen, Professor of Musicology Lexington, Kentucky 2017 Copyright © Jeffrey Daniel Jones 2017 ABSTRACT OF DISSERTATION FRANK ZAPPA AND HIS CONCEPTION OF CIVILIZATION PHAZE III When Frank Zappa died in 1993, he left Civilization Phaze III as a last testament to both his musical and thematic purpose. The work received a handful of reviews in the popular music press, and has subsequently been ignored by both the popular press and, with few exceptions, academia. Many are the composers whose careers have been thought describe a mid-period mastery, followed by later decline. This presumption seems to have fallen upon Frank Zappa, apparently due to his retirement from the concert stage, and final years writing music on the Synclavier. This thesis seeks to demonstrate that Zappa's compositional abilities were in no way diminished at the end of his life, but had instead reached a peak level of mastery in composition of his last work. This thesis shall provide an analysis and musical/extra-musical description of this piece, with the intention of situating it in relation to Zappa's compositional legacy, and to establish Civilization Phaze III as the crowning compositional achievement of his career. KEYWORDS: Composition, Frank Zappa, Civilization, Synclavier, Entertainer, Modernism Jeffrey Daniel Jones December 1, 2017 Date Title Page FRANK ZAPPA AND HIS CONCEPTION OF CIVILIZATION PHAZE III by Jeffrey Daniel Jones Ron Pen Director of Dissertation Michael R. Baker Director of Graduate Studies December 1, 2017 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS While this thesis is my own work, and I bear all responsibility for its content, many people have generously helped me along the way. My gratitude goes to the members of my committee, Drs. Lance Brunner, Donna Kwon, and Doreen Maloney, whose thoughtful readings and patience as I struggled to improve my thesis have made invaluable contributions to its final form. I especially extend my gratitude to committee member Dr. Kevin Holm-Hudson, whose assistance in the editing of the thesis was both insightful and encouraging, and whose verification of the accuracy of my musical transcriptions has boosted my confidence in their accuracy. I am also grateful for the assistance of the staff of the Lucille Little Library, who has provided me with my second home during the ten years of my career as a graduate student. I wish to extend a special thanks to Daniel Naas for his unfailing support for all of my undertakings at the library, some of which took him far beyond the bounds of his official duties. Lastly, I wholeheartedly thank Dr. Ron Pen for his unfailing support and assistance in the production of this thesis, as well as his instruction and musicological leadership over the years of my attendance at University of Kentucky. Dr. Pen was my very first instructor at the University of Kentucky, and at the end of my time there, he has given so generously of his time and attention to the completion of my thesis. From beginning to end of my time at UK, Dr. Pen has been a sage, a source of musicological wisdom, and a personal friend. My time under his tutelage and beside him as a compatriot has enormously improved my understanding of the world of music and of my own place within it. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................. iii LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................... vi Chapter One: Introduction to Frank Zappa and Civilization Phaze III ............................... 1 Background ..................................................................................................................... 1 Civilization Phaze III ...................................................................................................... 8 Thesis ............................................................................................................................ 15 Methodology ................................................................................................................. 17 Review of the Literature ............................................................................................... 19 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 33 Chapter Two: Zappa’s Growth as a Composer ................................................................. 37 Lumpy Gravy ................................................................................................................. 42 200 Motels ..................................................................................................................... 49 Chapter Three: Zappa’s Work on Civilization .................................................................. 56 Humor ........................................................................................................................... 60 Fast tempi ...................................................................................................................... 69 The Dialogic Tracks ...................................................................................................... 74 Dance in Civilization .................................................................................................... 77 N-Lite ............................................................................................................................ 81 Zappa’s Difficulty in Completing Civilization ............................................................. 86 Composer or Entertainer? ............................................................................................. 88 Chapter Four: The Movements of Civilization ................................................................. 92 Act I .............................................................................................................................. 97 Put a Motor in Yourself ............................................................................................ 97 iv They Made Me Eat It .............................................................................................. 100 Reagan at Bitburg ................................................................................................... 101 Navanax .................................................................................................................. 104 Xmas Values ........................................................................................................... 107 Amnerika ................................................................................................................
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