- Audio CD (2 Oct 2006)
- Number of Discs: 1
- Format: Original recording remastered
- Label: Rykodisc
- ASIN: B0000009SX
- Other Editions: Audio CD | Audio Cassette
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 85,069 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
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Product details |
Track Listings
| 1. Strictly Genteel |
| 2. Pedro's Dowry |
| 3. Naval Aviation In Art |
| 4. Duke Of Prunes |
| 5. Bogus Pomp |
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Don't be put off by the terrible cover art for this album (it was released by Warners without Zappa's permission or control), there are some great tunes here. It's a little on the short side (34 minutes) but the density and intensity of the music make up for that. "Strictly Genteel" is a new version of the tune from the end of 200 Motels, and it sounds beautiful. "Pedro's Dowry" is a pointillistic modern classical piece, as is "Naval Aviation in Art". "Duke of Prunes" is an orchestral version of the tune from Absolutely Free, and it includes a great feedback guitar solo from Zappa. The highlight is the 13 minute "Bogus Pomp" which contains music from several older Zappa pieces rolled into one big fanfare. Also worth mentioning is the unusual instrumentation on a few of these tracks. As well as the orchestra, we have (electric) guitar, bass and drums on a few tracks, a harmonica, and what sounds like a violin through a wah-wah pedal. Has to be heard to be believed!
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
13 reviews
22 of 22 people found the following review helpful
One of FZ's finest albums.
11 Dec 1998
Format:Audio CD
"Orchestral Favorites" presents Frank Zappa's "classical" experiments at it's apex. The arrangements, orchestrations and performances are tight and played with the humor so closely associated with FZ's "rock bands". Great care was taken in the actual recording and mixing of this music and the listener is treated to wide array of timbres and specific left and right pannings. There is never a dull moment. The choice of material is excellent and thoroughly "Zappa" in approach. One of the most striking things about this CD is Zappa's genius for juxtaposition of musical styles, and of course many parodies abound. Strauss waltzes, Rite Of Spring rhythms, Boleros, 12 tone excerpts, Webernesque String Arrangements, Varese-Electronique, Broadway, Scarey Movie Music etc...It's non stop fun. The CD also contains FZ playing some wicked idiosyncratic guitar (hints of "Zoot Allures") on the tastefully orchestrated "Duke Of Prunes". A thrilling performance.
Now some critics have been hard on Zappa because of his penchant for writing complex dissonant melodies. But in many cases if you listen a few times you will hear that they have a memorable flavor to them - you just have to expand your listening palette and memory. In this CD we are treated to some of Frank's most charming and playful melodies. Check out the sweet, expressive tune played by the harmonica on "Strictly Genteel", or the sneaky melody played by the trombone and violin in the hilarious "Pedro's Dowery". The existential wedges in "Naval Aviation In Art" are chilling,not to mention so many robust, dynamic moments in "Bogus Pomp".
Zappa was a master of form. Even in complex pieces such as these the form is clear and believe it or not, it's still pop! This makes for a totally enjoyable album that should be in everyone's collection. It will open up your mind to check out all the other great 20th century work Frank drew from as well as his own musical universe.
Wonderful stuff with a sense of humor from an artist who lived to create art.
-Reviewed by J. Tabacco
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
For Zappa completists only (which isn't a bad thing)...
18 Aug 2007
Format:Audio CD
This is a decent album, but it's not among my Zappa favorites (no pun intended). All 5 songs/pieces here are on other albums, and those versions are better than they are here. As you Zappa afficiandos know, this was originally part of the 4 LP Lather album, so it wasn't meant to be Frank's first "official" orchestral album. Having said that, Strictly Genteel is better on the 200 Motels soundtrack (but the version here is better than the out of tune mishmash on the London Symphony Orchestra album), Naval Aviation in Art? is better on The Perfect Stranger album, I like the longer versions of Bogus Pomp and Pedro's Dowry on the LSO album, and Duke of Prunes sounds better in its rock version on Absolutely Free. It's an interesting album, well arranged and played, but there are much better renditions of these songs. I am a bit of a Zappa completist, so I do have this, but I don't play it very often.
9 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Don't blame Frank for this
5 April 2002
Format:Audio CD
This album is one of three Warner Brothers releases that Frank didn't have much involvement in (thus, the horrid cover art). The other two are Sleep Dirt and Studio Tan.
These three, along with other material from In New York, were originally intended for release as a four-album boxed set called Lather. When WB refused to release them as a boxed set, Frank provided them with the three albums all at once to complete his contract. WB was required to release any material within 6 weeks, whether as a boxed set or individually. Not wanting to release all this material so close together, Warner balked, and re-arranged the material, and released them over the course of 9 months. This prompted a long-running lawsuit that was never resolved to the artist's satisfaction.
If you really want the material present on Orchestral Favorites presented in the context of the original play sequence, buy the Lather 3-CD set, which was eventually remastered and released by Ryco in 1996. Nonetheless, if you're the kind of person who appreciates Zappa only for his humor and rock/guitar material, you will undoubtedly be disappointed by these selections, in or out of context. If your musical tastes are broader, I agree with other reviewers that The Yellow Shark and The Grand Wazoo are better representations of the true symphonic genius of FZ.
These three, along with other material from In New York, were originally intended for release as a four-album boxed set called Lather. When WB refused to release them as a boxed set, Frank provided them with the three albums all at once to complete his contract. WB was required to release any material within 6 weeks, whether as a boxed set or individually. Not wanting to release all this material so close together, Warner balked, and re-arranged the material, and released them over the course of 9 months. This prompted a long-running lawsuit that was never resolved to the artist's satisfaction.
If you really want the material present on Orchestral Favorites presented in the context of the original play sequence, buy the Lather 3-CD set, which was eventually remastered and released by Ryco in 1996. Nonetheless, if you're the kind of person who appreciates Zappa only for his humor and rock/guitar material, you will undoubtedly be disappointed by these selections, in or out of context. If your musical tastes are broader, I agree with other reviewers that The Yellow Shark and The Grand Wazoo are better representations of the true symphonic genius of FZ.
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