Best FZ Covers: Orchestra Percussion


A beautiful arrangement by Orchestra Percussion, the actual concert was in Meyzieu, France, november 2009 – I especially love the extreme slow tempo. Like this? You might also want to see RDNZL, Let’s Make The Water Turn Black, We Are Not Alone, or Peaches!

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12 Responses to Best FZ Covers: Orchestra Percussion

  1. urbangraffito says:

    Wonderful choice, Balint! I dig the near hypnotic quality of this particular cover, climaxing the composition in a sort of violent juxtaposition to the original using the orchestral snare drum. Damn interesting arrangement of a Zappa classic!

  2. Hugh says:

    That song always gets me emotionally, but I didn’t expect it here as well.
    Excellent find, Balint.

  3. Harry Barris says:

    These classical musicians sure have a “straight” (rigid) way of approaching rhythm. The original, elastic feel of the FZ ‘rock’ version (in 9/4) has been reduced to a plodding, unwavering 4/4 beat.

    I do want to have percussive intercourse with the conductor though.

  4. Balint says:

    Harry – no, this version above is not in 4/4. This is 4/4 + 5/4, as it should be.

  5. Radioboy says:

    [quote comment=”12177″]Harry – no, this version above is not in 4/4. This is 4/4 + 5/4, as it should be.[/quote]
    4/4 + 5/4 is something different than 9/4. Music is not mathematics.

  6. Balint says:

    Well, it is surely not mere 4/4 – as it was written in the previous post. 😉

    BTW: I happen to have the score right in front of me (The FZ Guitar Book, transcribed by Steve Vai), and it IS definitely 4/4 PLUS 5/4. 😉

  7. AL Stone says:

    Apart from the fact that the basic riff could not fit into 4/4, there’s a section at around 2 minutes where you can see the conductor clearly beat a bar of four followed by a bar of five.

  8. Stewart says:

    The above is definitely in 9/4, or 4/4 + 5/4. For all audio intents and purposes they are exactly the same thing. Just a question of where that invisible bar line is…

  9. urbangraffito says:

    Actually, music is very much about mathematics – about timing, and pitch and resonance. It’s how these time signatures are added together, along with these various other elements that determine a work’s overall value.

  10. jonnybutter says:

    I liked their version of RDNZL, although I assume is the reason the melody is never harmonized, esp. in the recap, is that it’s a student version. Would’ve sounded nice harmonized with all those mallets.

  11. Harry Barris says:

    Yup, the spaces between the notes are just as important as the notes themselves when it comes to the ‘overall rhythmic structure’; and i happen to dislike the ‘feel’ of 95% of the classical musicians i’ve heard.

    Western classical training = rigid, inflexible rhythmic feel? Seems to be. Even the genius of Ruth Underwood could only improvise in 4/4.

  12. kneller says:

    herrlich!

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