[12]:40 He graduated from Antelope Valley High School in 1958, and later acknowledged two of his music teachers on the sleeve of the 1966 album Freak Out! [30]:38–43 As Zappa put it, "[W]e're satirists, and we are out to satirize everything. [129] The same year, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him at No. Wir spielen alle ein Instrument. Zappa and a female friend recorded a faked erotic episode. Zappa took the opportunity to radically restructure the contents, adding newly recorded, improvised dialogue. He had full control over the arrangements and musical decisions and did most overdubs. [2] He also called it a "conceptual continuity", meaning that any project or album was part of a larger project. The current distributor of Zappa's recorded output is Universal Music Enterprises. Zappa died from prostate cancer on December 4, 1993, 17 days before his 53rd birthday at his home with his wife and children by his side. According to Zappa, the music was mostly written in motel rooms while on tour with the Mothers of Invention. He was also the third-longest-reigning ruler in the history of Europe, after Louis XIV of France and Johann II of Liechtenstein. [1]:315–16, 323–24; 329–30 He favored capitalism, entrepreneurship, and independent business, stating that musicians could make more from owning their own businesses than from collecting royalties. By 1956, the Zappa family had moved to Lancaster, a small aerospace and farming town in the Antelope Valley of the Mojave Desert close to Edwards Air Force Base; he would later refer to Sun Village (a town close to Lancaster) in the 1973 track "Village of the Sun". [44] Other albums from the period are Over-Nite Sensation (1973), which contained several future concert favorites, such as "Dinah-Moe Humm" and "Montana", and the albums Roxy & Elsewhere (1974) and One Size Fits All (1975) which feature ever-changing versions of a band still called the Mothers, and are notable for the tight renditions of highly difficult jazz fusion songs in such pieces as "Inca Roads", "Echidna's Arf (Of You)" and "Be-Bop Tango (Of the Old Jazzmen's Church)". Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, "The Cleveland Orchestra, America's Finest, Restarts Recording", "The world's greatest orchestras | gramophone.co.uk", "The Cleveland Orchestra and Music Director Franz Welser-Möst extend acclaimed partnership to 2027", "The Cleveland Orchestra to give world premiere performances of, "The Cleveland Orchestra announces 101st Season for 2018–2019", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cleveland_Orchestra&oldid=1000700223, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 16 January 2021, at 07:58. "[110] A replica was offered to the city of Baltimore in 2008, and on September 19, 2010 — the twenty-fifth anniversary of Zappa's testimony to the U.S. Senate — a ceremony dedicating the replica was held, and the bust was unveiled at a library in the city. [18], In 1933, Sokoloff was replaced as the Orchestra’s music director by Polish conductor Artur Rodzinski, who had previously served as music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. performed by the Columbus Symphony and ProMusica Chamber Orchestra of Columbus. Franz Kafka var søn af Hermann og Julie Kafka og voksede op i Prag i en tysktalende, jødisk middelklassefamilie; efternavnet var lånt fra tjekkisk kavka (= allike). Their "Memories of El Monte" was recorded by the Penguins, although only Cleve Duncan of the original group was featured. [30]:74 He was backed by jazz, blues and R&B session players including violinist Don "Sugarcane" Harris, drummers John Guerin and Paul Humphrey, multi-instrumentalist and previous member of the Mothers of Invention Ian Underwood, and multi-instrumentalist Shuggie Otis on bass, along with a guest appearance by Captain Beefheart (providing vocals to the only non-instrumental track, "Willie the Pimp"). The track (as it appears on the album) was created to act as the backing track for a much more complex work, but MGM refused to approve the additional recording time Zappa needed to complete it, so (much to his chagrin) it was issued in this unfinished form.[32]. [nb 2], Frank, the eldest of four children, was raised in an Italian-American household where Italian was often spoken by his grandparents. [34]:62–69 As a result, Zappa and his wife Gail, along with the Mothers of Invention, moved to New York. He continued this eclectic and experimental approach whether the fundamental format was rock, jazz, or classical. "Kay" Sherman from 1960 to 1963. [8] In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him at number 71 on its list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time",[9] and in 2011 at number 22 on its list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time". Notes References. [12]:55 Excerpts from the soundtrack can be heard on the posthumous album The Lost Episodes (1996). After losing $50,000 (equivalent to $316,000 in 2019) worth of equipment and a week's break, the Mothers played at the Rainbow Theatre, London, with rented gear. Some of it was later featured in the movie 200 Motels. These were juxtaposed with premiere Synclavier pieces. Note: This section discusses material that was once considered canon but whose canonicity may now be questionable.The Emperor is the collective reincarnation of all the shamans of Neolithic humanity's various peoples, the first human psykers. [199][200], In 2002, a bronze bust was installed in German city Bad Doberan, location of the Zappanale since 1990, an annual music festival celebrating Zappa. Läther encapsulated all the aspects of Zappa's musical styles—rock tunes, orchestral works, complex instrumentals, and Zappa's own trademark distortion-drenched guitar solos. [12]:103 Wilson had earned acclaim as the producer for Bob Dylan and Simon & Garfunkel, and was notable as one of the few African-Americans working as a major label pop music producer at this time. [1]:40 [24] Throughout his career, he took a keen interest in the visual presentation of his work, designing some of his album covers and directing his own films and videos. [12]:282, Zappa later expanded on his television appearances in a non-musical role. [17] Also that year, Lillian Baldwin created what became known as the “Cleveland Plan,” which was an initiative designed to build upon the Orchestra’s earlier children’s concerts and create a program that taught classical music to young people before they entered Severance Hall for a live performance. This initiated a lifelong collaboration in which Schenkel designed covers for numerous Zappa and Mothers albums.[19]:88. Sissi has fun with the princes and the children, The Empress and Helena Von Grossberg feel exhausted by the country life The Brauner trial is coming. This proved successful and Herb Cohen extended the booking, which eventually lasted half a year. [nb 5] The cover art was provided by Cal Schenkel whom Zappa met in New York. [133], Since his death, several musicians have been considered by critics as filling the artistic niche left behind by Zappa, in view of their prolific output, eclecticism and other qualities, including Devin Townsend,[134][135][136][137] Mike Patton[138][139][140] and Omar Rodríguez-López. Franz Liszt (October 22, 1811 – some other time...ish), was a Hungarian pianist and composer who rose to become the most famous lesbian prior to Margaret Thatcher.Like Rachmaninoff, he wrote music for the piano that is considered unplayable.Unlike Rachmaninoff, however, he could actually play everything that he wrote. [12]:123 Although Wilson was able to provide Zappa and the Mothers with an extraordinary degree of artistic freedom for the time, the recording did not go entirely as planned. [12]:225–26 Zappa began touring again in late 1972. The grave is unmarked. [nb 8] Certain aspects of these re-issues were criticized by some fans as being unfaithful to the original recordings. [21] He was also influenced by Egyptian composer Halim El-Dabh. Baurat Franz Schwechten 1906.jpg 416 × 561; 137 KB Berlin Industriegebaeude Beuth Strasse Schwechten.jpg 3,429 × 2,208; 1,011 KB Berlin Puhl und Wagner Ansicht DBZ … Zappa's interest in the guitar grew, and in 1957 he was given his first instrument. It was the first release on his own Barking Pumpkin Records,[30]:161 and it contains songs taken from a 1979 tour, one studio track and material from the 1980 tours. [12]:48 In 1959, he attended Chaffey College but left after one semester, and maintained thereafter a disdain for formal education, taking his children out of school at age 15 and refusing to pay for their college.[12]:345. Zappa further pointed out that this committee was being used as a distraction from that bill being passed, which would lead only to the benefit of a select few in the music industry. [34] A second European tour took place in 1965, and two years later the ensemble became the first American orchestra to be invited to three premiere festivals, in Salzburg, Lucerne, and Edinburgh, in the same summer. [12]:234 Predating his later fight against censorship, he remarked: "What do you make of a society that is so primitive that it clings to the belief that certain words in its language are so powerful that they could corrupt you the moment you hear them? 4, You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. Lovsky was born Cäcilie Josephine Lvovsky on February 21, 1897; her father was a minor Czech classical composer. [49] Before his departure, however, Maazel helped to introduce the Orchestra’s landmark Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Concerts in January 1980, which remain an annual tradition to this day. Remaining recordings with the band from this period were collected on Weasels Ripped My Flesh and Burnt Weeny Sandwich (both released in 1970). [19]:26, An article in the local press describing Zappa as "the Movie King of Cucamonga" prompted the local police to suspect that he was making pornographic films. 86 chart hit "Don't Eat The Yellow Snow". In 1971, biographer David Walley noted that "The whole structure of his music is unified, not neatly divided by dates or time sequences and it is all building into a composite". [23]:116 1969 was also the year Zappa, fed up with MGM Records' interference, left them for Warner Bros. Records' Reprise subsidiary where Zappa/Mothers recordings would bear the Bizarre Records imprint. In 1975, he lost a lawsuit against the Royal Albert Hall for breach of contract. In the late 1980s some of these recordings were collected for the 12-CD set, "Politically, I consider myself to be a (don't laugh) 'Practical Conservative'. 10, commanded at that point by his father, Friedrich Guderian. [14]:120 Many band members were bitter about Zappa's decision, and some took it as a sign of Zappa's concern for perfection at the expense of human feeling. [30]:131 Zappa managed to get an agreement with Phonogram Inc., and test pressings were made targeted at a Halloween 1977 release, but Warner Bros. prevented the release by claiming rights over the material. [196], In 1994, lobbying efforts initiated by psychiatrist John Scialli led the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center to name an asteroid in Zappa's honor: 3834 Zappafrank. On December 11, 1939, The Cleveland Orchestra celebrated the anniversary of its founding by releasing its first recording on the Columbia label. See, For example, new drum and bass parts were used on the 1960s albums, Frank Zappa Last Performance (Prague 1991), For a comprehensive list of the appearance of parts of "old" compositions or quotes from others' music in Zappa's catalogue, see. [160] Jimi Hendrix[161] and heavy rock and metal acts like Black Sabbath,[162] Simon Phillips,[163] Mike Portnoy,[164] Warren DeMartini,[165] Steve Vai,[166] Strapping Young Lad,[167] System of a Down,[168] and Clawfinger[169] have acknowledged Zappa as inspiration. [12]:82–83 Zappa started performing in local bars as a guitarist with a power trio, the Muthers, to support himself. He and Herb Cohen formed the Bizarre Records and Straight Records labels, distributed by Warner Bros. Records, as ventures to aid the funding of projects and to increase creative control. [12]:261 Zappa responded by appearing on the Pasadena, California radio station KROQ, allowing them to broadcast Läther and encouraging listeners to make their own tape recordings. He often cited the financial strain as the main reason,[1]:107 but also commented on the band members' lack of sufficient effort. [21] In 1935, the Orchestra presented the United States’ premiere of Dmitri Shostakovich’s controversial Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District at Severance Hall[22] and, later in the season, took the production to New York’s Metropolitan Opera. 45 on the Billboard charts,[50] and "Jewish Princess", which received attention when a Jewish group, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), attempted to prevent the song from receiving radio airplay due to its alleged anti-Semitic lyrics. [12]:147 Guest performers and audience participation became a regular part of the Garrick Theater shows. I, contained orchestral Zappa compositions conducted by Kent Nagano and performed by the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO). "[28] The remaining albums released by Warner Bros. Records without Zappa's consent were Studio Tan in 1978 and Sleep Dirt and Orchestral Favorites in 1979, which contained complex suites of instrumentally-based tunes recorded between 1973 and 1976, and whose release was overlooked in the midst of the legal problems. He joined the NSDAP in 1938. [12]:267[nb 7], Although Zappa eventually gained the rights to all his material created under the MGM and Warner Bros. contracts,[31]:49 the various lawsuits meant that for a period Zappa's only income came from touring, which he therefore did extensively in 1975–77 with relatively small, mainly rock-oriented, bands. This track was representative of the band's theatrical performances—which used songs to build sketches based on 200 Motels scenes, as well as new situations that often portrayed the band members' sexual encounters on the road. [42] But soon Maazel was lifted by an endorsement from Philadelphia Orchestra conductor Eugene Ormandy[43] and the promise of a new collaboration with Decca Records on Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, which proved to be the spark Maazel needed to jumpstart his Cleveland Orchestra career. He remains a major influence on musicians and composers. R&B singles were early purchases for Zappa, starting a large collection he kept for the rest of his life. [46][47], Zappa in New York featured a song about sex criminal Michael H. Kenyon, "The Illinois Enema Bandit", which featured Don Pardo providing the opening narrative in the song. It was Zappa's last professional public appearance as the cancer was spreading to such an extent that he was in too much pain to enjoy an event that he otherwise found "exhilarating". [12]:115 The sound was raw, but the arrangements were sophisticated. 1, You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. A family tree takes you back generations—the world's largest collection of online family history records makes it easy to trace your lineage. In addition to a vast catalog of recordings created with the ensemble's music directors, the orchestra has made many recordings with guest conductors Vladimir Ashkenazy, Oliver Knussen, Kurt Sanderling, Yoel Levi, Riccardo Chailly, George Benjamin, Roberto Carnevale, Riccardo Muti, Michael Tilson Thomas, and Louis Lane (the orchestra's longtime Associate Conductor). It mixes complex instrumentals such as "The Black Page" and humorous songs like "Titties and Beer". "[132], The street of Partinico where his father lived at number 13, Via Zammatà, has been renamed to Via Frank Zappa. In 1980, Zappa cut his ties with record distributor Phonogram after the label refused to release his song "I Don't Wanna Get Drafted". His honors include his 1995 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the 1997 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. [1]:88 His dissatisfaction became a recurring theme throughout his career; he often felt that the quality of performance of his material delivered by orchestras was not commensurate with the money he spent on orchestral concerts and recordings. Zappa had a controversial critical standing during his lifetime. His work is characterized by nonconformity, free-form improvisation, sound experiments, musical virtuosity, and satire of American culture. There Goes Your Tenure" address,[67] and had two of his orchestra pieces, "Dupree's Paradise" and "Naval Aviation in Art?" [1]:172–73 According to Zappa, "With the Synclavier, any group of imaginary instruments can be invited to play the most difficult passages ... with one-millisecond accuracy—every time". [12]:323[68], For the remainder of his career, much of Zappa's work was influenced by his use of the Synclavier, an early digital synthesizer, as a compositional and performance tool. There, it was written that "Frank Zappa was rock and roll's sharpest musical mind and most astute social critic. [12]:90–91, In 1965, Ray Collins asked Zappa to take over as guitarist in local R&B band the Soul Giants, following a fight between Collins and the group's original guitarist. Verve insisted that the band officially rename themselves the Mothers of Invention as Mother was short for motherfucker—a term that, apart from its profane meanings, can denote a skilled musician. Kings William I, Franz Josef and Umberto I, on the occasion of the signing of the Triple Alliance, Treaty between the German Empire, Austria-Hungary and the Kingdom of Italy, 1882. [12]:372, Zappa's relationship with long-time manager Herb Cohen ended in 1976. [30]:101 Musically, the albums were akin to Hot Rats, in that they featured extended instrumental tracks with extended soloing. [130], In 2011, he was ranked at No. Zappa then formed and toured with smaller groups that variously included Ian Underwood (reeds, keyboards), Ruth Underwood (vibes, marimba), Sal Marquez (trumpet, vocals), Napoleon Murphy Brock (sax, flute and vocals), Bruce Fowler (trombone), Tom Fowler (bass), Chester Thompson (drums), Ralph Humphrey (drums), George Duke (keyboards, vocals), and Jean-Luc Ponty (violin). He is considered one of the most innovative and stylistically diverse rock musicians of his era.[4][5]. [30]:114–122 Zappa released Bongo Fury (1975), which featured a live recording at the Armadillo World Headquarters in Austin from a tour the same year that reunited him with Captain Beefheart for a brief period. World War I (WWI or WW1), also called the First World War, began on July 28, 1914 and lasted until November 11, 1918.The war was a global war that lasted exactly 4 years, 3 months and 14 days. [55] He also staged a large production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute at Blossom Music Center in 1985, which was lauded as “the Ohio musical event of the summer” by The Columbus Dispatch. [12]:315 Some reviews noted that the recordings were the best representation of Zappa's orchestral work so far. He was the most prolific composer of his age, and he bridged genres—rock, jazz, classical, avant-garde and even novelty music—with masterful ease". [30]:94 The score relied extensively on orchestral music, and Zappa's dissatisfaction with the classical music world intensified when a concert, scheduled at the Royal Albert Hall after filming, was canceled because a representative of the venue found some of the lyrics obscene. With Captain Beefheart, Zappa recorded some songs under the name of the Soots. [1]:43 Aided by his income from film composing, Zappa took over the studio from Paul Buff, who was now working with Art Laboe at Original Sound. [1]:329 Describing his philosophical views, Zappa stated, "I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. This established a work pattern that endured for most of his life. [16] On February 5, 1931, the Orchestra performed its inaugural concert at Severance Hall. After the attack Zappa needed to use a wheelchair for an extended period, making touring impossible for over half a year. [12]:85 In March 1965, Zappa was approached by a vice squad undercover officer, and accepted an offer of $100 (equivalent to $811 in 2019) to produce a suggestive audio tape for an alleged stag party. He held the view that the Garden of Eden story shows that the essence of Christianity is to oppose gaining knowledge. [23]:3 On commenting on Zappa's music, politics and philosophy, Barry Miles noted in 2004 that they cannot be separated: "It was all one; all part of his 'conceptual continuity'. [60] "Dumb All Over" is a tirade on religion, as is "Heavenly Bank Account", wherein Zappa rails against TV evangelists such as Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson for their purported influence on the U.S. administration as well as their use of religion as a means of raising money. After he met Kathryn J. [9] Second, the Women’s Committee of The Cleveland Orchestra was founded, a group which focused largely on internal affairs,[10] including organization and branding; the Women’s Committee was also the driving force behind the creation of the Orchestra’s education-oriented Key Concerts series decades later. [19]:13 The band was racially diverse and included Euclid James "Motorhead" Sherwood who later became a member of the Mothers of Invention. A second record of these sessions, London Symphony Orchestra, Vol. [15], Zappa joined his first band at Mission Bay High School in San Diego as the drummer. Kandy Stroud, a spokeswoman for the PMRC, announced that Senator Gore (who co-founded the committee) was a co-sponsor of that legislation. [26]:35–36 Using a bow borrowed from the band's bass player, as well as drum sticks, he proceeded to pluck, bang, and bow the spokes of the bike, producing strange, comical sounds from his newfound instrument. In September 1992, the concerts went ahead as scheduled but Zappa could only appear at two in Frankfurt due to illness. Franz Joseph Hermann Michael Maria von Papen, Erbsälzer zu Werl and Neuwerk (born October 29, 1879 in Werl; † May 2, 1969 in Obersasbach) was a German politician (1921 to 1932 center, then non-party, 1938 NSDAP) and diplomat who at the end of the Weimar Republic made a decisive contribution to bringing Adolf Hitler and the NSDAP to power. [12]:348 He even considered running for president of the United States as an independent. "[87] His idiosyncratic style developed gradually and was mature by the early 1980s, by which time his live performances featured lengthy improvised solos during many songs. [46] The Orchestra also played a series of concerts in Japan. [12]:8–9, Zappa was often sick as a child, suffering from asthma, earaches and sinus problems. "[124], Conductor Kent Nagano remarked in the same issue that "Frank is a genius. [109] On September 19, 1985, Zappa testified before the United States Senate Commerce, Technology, and Transportation committee, attacking the Parents Music Resource Center or PMRC, a music organization co-founded by Tipper Gore, wife of then-senator Al Gore. For a comprehensive comparison of vinyl of CD releases, see, Among his many musical satires are the 1967 songs "Flower Punk" (which parodies the song ", In the process, he built up a vast archive of live recordings. [56] In addition, Dohnányi oversaw the hiring of Indonesian conductor Jahja Ling, who would lead the newly-established Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra. History Founding and early history (1918–1945) The Cleveland Orchestra was founded in 1918 by music-aficionado Adella Prentiss Hughes, businessman John L. Severance, Father John Powers, music critic Archie Bell, and Russian-American violinist and conductor Nikolai Sokoloff, who would become the Orchestra’s first music director. He felt disgust towards organized religion (Christianity in particular) because he believed that it promoted ignorance and anti-intellectualism. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Franzese is the son of reputed Colombo crime family Underboss John Franzese. Zappa had respect for what the Monkees were doing, and offered Micky Dolenz a position in the Mothers. The performances included an impromptu musical collaboration with cast member John Belushi during the instrumental piece "The Purple Lagoon". [23] However, Leinsdorf’s tenure with The Cleveland Orchestra was brief: He was drafted into the United States Armed Forces shortly after his appointment, which diminished his artistic control. Franz Joseph I (* August 18, 1830 in Schönbrunn Palace, since 1892 in Vienna; † November 21, 1916 there), also Archduke Franz Joseph Karl of Austria from the House of Habsburg-Lothringen, was from December 2, 1848 until his Death of the Emperor of Austria.With a reign of nearly 68 years, he surpassed every other ruler of his dynasty. [14], By the end of the 1920s, the Musical Arts Association began planning for a permanent concert hall for the Orchestra. (1966), which, after Bob Dylan's Blonde on Blonde, was the second rock double album ever released. Upon return to the stage in September 1972, Zappa was still wearing a leg brace, had a noticeable limp and could not stand for very long while on stage. [19]:183 Tensions between Zappa and several cast and crew members arose before and during shooting. He is in a relationship with singer Helene Fischer. [64], In 1983, two different projects were released, beginning with The Man from Utopia, a rock-oriented work. 10 on the Billboard pop album charts[43] helped by the No. [191] Biologist Ferdinando Boero named a Californian jellyfish Phialella zappai (1987), noting that he had "pleasure in naming this species after the modern music composer". [12]:262 Zappa's song "I'm the Slime" was performed with a voice-over by SNL booth announcer Don Pardo, who also introduced "Peaches En Regalia" on the same airing. "[51] The album's commercial success was attributable in part to "Bobby Brown". [1]:94, Zappa uniquely contributed to the avant-garde, anti-establishment music scene of the 1960s, sampling radio tape recordings and incorporating his own philosophical ideals to music and freedom of expression in his pieces. [1]:29 Zappa's deep interest in modern classical music began[16] when he read a LOOK magazine article about the Sam Goody record store chain that lauded its ability to sell an LP as obscure as The Complete Works of Edgard Varèse, Volume One. The first appearance was on an episode of their TV series, "The Monkees Blow Their Minds", where Zappa, dressed up as Mike Nesmith, interviews Nesmith who is dressed up as Zappa. On the classical music scene, Tomas Ulrich,[170] Meridian Arts Ensemble,[171] Ensemble Ambrosius[172] and the Fireworks Ensemble[173] regularly perform Zappa's compositions and quote his influence. Due to its explicit lyrics about a young man's encounter with a "dyke by the name of Freddie", the song did not get airplay in the U.S., but it topped the charts in several European countries where English is not the primary language. Non-danceable beats: getting to grips with rhythmical unpredictability in Project/Object", "Frank Zappa> Charts & Awards> Billboard Albums", "Frank Zappa> Charts & Awards> Billboard Singles", Frank Zappa Plays the Music of Frank Zappa: A Memorial Tribute, "Frank Zappa – I Don't Wanna Get Drafted! The movie's tagline was "A movie about people who do stuff that is not normal". Most of the fighting was in Europe, but soldiers from many other countries took part, and it changed the colonial empires of the European powers. [41] Many critics were initially unimpressed with Maazel’s musical interpretations, which they believed were too emotionally charged to follow Szell’s razor-crisp style. [59], Zappa was married to Kathryn J. His sojourn in the commercial world was brief, but gave him valuable insights into its workings. I'm not sure if the general public knows that. 1975 wurde er von der TU Berlin in Psychologie zum Dr. phil. [23]:116 Their first records were vocally oriented, but Zappa wrote more instrumental jazz and classical oriented music for the band's concerts, which confused audiences. In a 1983 issue of Guitar World, Jon Swenson declared: "the fact of the matter is that [Zappa] is one of the greatest guitarists we have and is sorely unappreciated as such. As Geoffrey Himes noted in 1993 after the artist's death, Zappa was hailed as a genius by conductor Kent Nagano and nominated by Czechoslovakian President Václav Havel to the country's cultural ambassadorship, but he was in his lifetime rejected twice for admission into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and been found by critics to lack emotional depth. In October 2020 The New York Times called it "America's finest [orchestra], still," and in 2012 Gramophone Magazine ranked the Cleveland Orchestra number 7 on its list of the world's greatest orchestras. [19]:351 The triple LP Joe's Garage featured lead singer Ike Willis as the voice of the character "Joe" in a rock opera about the danger of political systems,[30]:140 the suppression of freedom of speech and music—inspired in part by the Islamic revolution that had made music illegal within its jurisdiction at the time[12]:277—and about the "strange relationship Americans have with sex and sexual frankness". The critics find the humor's smug iconoclasm a symptom of the essential emptiness of Zappa's intellectual exercises. [62] On January 8, 2000, Dohnányi led a gala concert celebrating the re-opening of Severance Hall that was broadcast live on local television by Cleveland’s WVIZ. Recordings from this tour also appear on the 2006 album Trance-Fusion.