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Change reference number 8: the Italian translation has an error. Indeed "piccione" is translated in pidgeon (note the singular)
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{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021|cs1-dates=y}}
{{Infobox album
{{Infobox album
| name = The Yellow Shark
| name = The Yellow Shark
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| cover = Frank Zappa, Yellow Shark.jpg
| cover = Frank Zappa, Yellow Shark.jpg
| alt =
| alt =
| released = November 2, 1993
| released = 2 November 1993
| recorded = Live on September 17–28, 1992 <br /> at Alte Oper, [[Frankfurt]], Philharmonie, [[Berlin]] and Konzerthaus, [[Vienna]]
| recorded = 17–28 September 1992
| venue = [[Alte Oper]] ([[Frankfurt]]) <br> [[Berliner Philharmonie]] ([[Berlin]]) <br> [[Konzerthaus, Vienna]] ([[Vienna]])
| venue =
| studio =
| studio =
| genre = [[20th-century classical music|20th century classical]]
| genre = [[20th-century classical music|20th century classical]]
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| next_year = 1994
| next_year = 1994
}}
}}
{{Album ratings
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = [[Allmusic]]
| rev1 = [[Allmusic]]
| rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="Couture_2011"/>
⚫
| rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.allmusic.com/album/r199900 |title=Zappa: The Yellow Shark - Frank Zappa &#124; AllMusic |first=F. |last=Couture |work=allmusic.com |year=2011 |accessdate=22 July 2011}}</ref>

}}
}}
'''''The Yellow Shark''''' is an album of orchestral music by American musician [[Frank Zappa]]. Released in November 1993, it was the last Zappa album to appear in his lifetime, almost exactly a month before he died of the [[cancer]] from which he had suffered for several years. It features live recordings from the [[Ensemble Modern]]'s 1992 performances of Zappa's compositions. In the album's notes, Zappa describes ''The Yellow Shark'' as one of the most fulfilling projects of his career, and as the best representation of his orchestral works.
'''''The Yellow Shark''''' is an album of orchestral music by American musician [[Frank Zappa]]. Released in November 1993, it was the last album Zappa released in his lifetime, almost exactly a month before he died of the [[cancer]] from which he had suffered for several years. It features live recordings from the [[Ensemble Modern]]'s 1992 performances of Zappa's compositions. In the album's notes, Zappa describes ''The Yellow Shark'' as one of the most fulfilling projects of his career, and as the best representation of his orchestral works.


Singer [[Tom Waits]] has listed it as one of his favourite albums, commenting: "The ensemble is awe-inspiring. It is a rich pageant of texture in colour. It's the clarity of his perfect madness, and mastery. Frank governs with [[Elmore James]] on his left and [[Igor Stravinsky|Stravinsky]] on his right. Frank reigns and rules with the strangest tools."<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2005/mar/20/popandrock1 | location=London | work=The Guardian | title=It's perfect madness | first=Tom | last=Waits | date=March 22, 2005}}</ref>
Singer [[Tom Waits]] has listed it as one of his favourite albums, commenting: "The ensemble is awe-inspiring. It is a rich pageant of texture in colour. It's the clarity of his perfect madness, and mastery. Frank governs with [[Elmore James]] on his left and [[Igor Stravinsky|Stravinsky]] on his right. Frank reigns and rules with the strangest tools."<ref name="Waits_2005"/>


==History==
==History==
⚫
In 1991, Zappa was chosen to be one of four featured composers at the Frankfurt Festival in 1992 (the others were [[John Cage]], [[Karlheinz Stockhausen]] and [[Alexander Knaifel]]).<ref name="Menn_1992"/> Zappa was approached by the German chamber ensemble, [[Ensemble Modern]], which was interested in playing his music for the event. Although ill, Zappa invited them to Los Angeles for rehearsals of new compositions and new arrangements of older material.<ref name="Miles_2004"/> In addition to being satisfied with the ensemble's performances of his music, Zappa also got along with the musicians, and the concerts in Germany and Austria were set up for the fall.<ref name="Miles_2004"/> The Canadian choreographer [[Édouard Lock]], the Canadian dancer [[Louise Lecavalier]], and his company [[La La La Human Steps]] were part of the show.<ref name="Howe-Beck"/><ref name="Dance"/> In September 1992, the concerts went ahead as scheduled, but Zappa could only appear at two in Frankfurt due to illness. At the first concert, he conducted the opening "Overture", and the final "[[G-Spot Tornado]]" as well as the theatrical "Food Gathering in Post-Industrial America, 1992" and "Welcome to the United States" (the remainder of the program was conducted by the ensemble's regular conductor [[Peter Rundel]]). The first concert was aired live by German pay TV channel [[Sky Deutschland|Premiere]], presented by the station's "Special" host Christian Eckert. Zappa received a 20-minute ovation.<ref name="Miles_2004"/> It would become his 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".<ref name="Miles_2004"/> Recordings from the concerts appeared on ''The Yellow Shark'', Zappa's last release during his lifetime.

In 1991, Zappa was chosen to be one of four featured composers at the Frankfurt Festival in 1992 (the others were [[John Cage]], [[Karlheinz Stockhausen]] and [[Alexander Knaifel]]).<ref>{{Cite book| editor-last = Menn| editor-first = Don | contribution = Andreas Mölich-Zebhauser&nbsp;— Preparing the Ensemble Modern for the Frankfurt Festival| title = Zappa! Guitar Player Presents| year = 1992| pages = 12–13| place = San Francisco, CA| publisher=Miller Freeman| issn = 1063-4533| postscript = <!-- Bot inserted parameter. Either remove it; or change its value to "." for the cite to end in a ".", as necessary. -->{{inconsistent citations}}}}</ref> Zappa was approached by the German chamber ensemble, [[Ensemble Modern]], which was interested in playing his music for the event. Although ill, Zappa invited them to Los Angeles for rehearsals of new compositions and new arrangements of older material.<ref name="milesEM">Miles, 2004, ''Frank Zappa'', p. 369.</ref> In addition to being satisfied with the ensemble's performances of his music, Zappa also got along with the musicians, and the concerts in Germany and Austria were set up for the fall.<ref name="milesEM"/> The Canadian choreographer [[Édouard Lock]], the Canadian dancer [[Louise Lecavalier]], and his company [[La La La Human Steps]] were part of the show.<ref>{{cite web|last=Howe-Beck|first=Linde|title=Édouard Lock|url=http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/edouard-lock|publisher=[[The Canadian Encyclopedia]]|accessdate=2012-07-17|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120802003731/http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/edouard-lock|dead-url=no|archivedate=2012-08-02}}
⚫
</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Frank Zappa - The Yellow Shark Dance|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmKK6RLGp1k|publisher=[[youtube.com]]|accessdate=2012-07-17}}
⚫
</ref> In September 1992, the concerts went ahead as scheduled, but Zappa could only appear at two in Frankfurt due to illness. At the first concert, he conducted the opening "Overture", and the final "[[G-Spot Tornado]]" as well as the theatrical "Food Gathering in Post-Industrial America, 1992" and "Welcome to the United States" (the remainder of the program was conducted by the ensemble's regular conductor [[Peter Rundel]]). The first concert was aired live by German pay TV channel [[Sky Deutschland|Premiere]], presented by the station's "Special" host Christian Eckert. Zappa received a 20-minute ovation.<ref name="MilesEM">Miles, 2004, ''Frank Zappa'', p. 371.</ref> It would become his 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".<ref name="MilesEM"/> Recordings from the concerts appeared on ''The Yellow Shark'', Zappa's last release during his lifetime.


The posthumous album ''[[Everything Is Healing Nicely]]'', released in 1999, contains recordings from around the same time, made in preparation for the performances documented on ''The Yellow Shark''.
The posthumous album ''[[Everything Is Healing Nicely]]'', released in 1999, contains recordings from around the same time, made in preparation for the performances documented on ''The Yellow Shark''.
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| title11 = Pentagon Afternoon
| title11 = Pentagon Afternoon
| length11 = 2:28
| length11 = 2:28
| title12 = Questi Cazzi Di Piccione<ref group="nb" name="NB_Pigeons"/>
⚫
| title12 = Questi Cazzi Di Piccione"<ref>Zappa intended the song title to mean "These fucking pigeons," a concept conveyed in Italian by using a slang term for penis. But his title is incorrectly translated, given that "Questi Cazzi di Piccione" actually translates as "These pigeon penises". "These fucking pigeons" is correctly translated in Italian as "Questi Cazzo Di Piccioni."</ref>
| length12 = 3:03
| length12 = 3:03
| title13 = Times Beach III
| title13 = Times Beach III
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* Peter Rundel – conductor, [[violin]]
* Peter Rundel – conductor, [[violin]]
* Dietmar Wiesner – [[flute]]
* Dietmar Wiesner – [[flute]]
* Catherine Milliken – [[oboe]], [[english horn]], [[bass oboe]],<ref>bass oboe uncredited, but visible on ARTE TV broadcast ("Get Whitey" segment)</ref> [[didjeridu]]
* Catherine Milliken – [[oboe]], [[english horn]], [[bass oboe]],<ref group="nb" name="NB_Credit"/> [[didjeridu]]
* Roland Diry – [[clarinet]]
* Roland Diry – [[clarinet]]
* [[Wolfgang Stryi]] – [[bass clarinet]], [[tenor saxophone]], [[contrabass clarinet]]
* [[Wolfgang Stryi]] – [[bass clarinet]], [[tenor saxophone]], [[contrabass clarinet]]
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|1993
|1993
|Top Classical Crossover
|Top Classical Crossover
|align="center"|2<ref name="AM"/>
⚫
|align="center"|2<ref>{{cite web |url={{Allmusic|class=album|id=r199900|pure_url=yes}} |title=Charts and Awards for ''The Yellow Shark'' |accessdate=2008-08-22 |publisher=[[Allmusic]]}}</ref>
|}
|}


== See also ==
==See also==
* [[Frank Zappa]]
* [[Frank Zappa]]
* [[Ensemble Modern]]
* [[Ensemble Modern]]

⚫
==References==
{{refbegin}}
⚫
* {{cite book| title = Frank Zappa| first = Barry| last = Miles| publisher=Atlantic Books| location = London| year = 2004|isbn = 1-84354-092-4}}
{{refend}}


==Notes==
==Notes==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist|group="nb"|refs=
⚫
<ref group="nb" name="NB_Pigeons">Zappa intended the song title to mean "These fucking pigeons", a concept conveyed in Italian by using a slang term for penis. But his title is incorrectly translated, given that "Questi Cazzi di Piccione" actually translates as "These pigeon penises". "These fucking pigeons" is correctly translated in Italian as "Questi Cazzo Di Piccioni".</ref>
<ref group="nb" name="NB_Credit">Bass oboe uncredited, but visible on ARTE TV broadcast ("Get Whitey" segment).</ref>
}}

⚫
==References==
{{reflist|refs=
⚫
<ref name="Couture_2011">{{cite web |title=Zappa: The Yellow Shark - Frank Zappa &#124; AllMusic |first=F. |last=Couture |work=allmusic.com |date=2011 |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/r199900 |access-date=2011-07-22}}</ref>
<ref name="Waits_2005">{{cite news |title=It's perfect madness |author-first=Tom |author-last=Waits |author-link=Tom Waits |location=London, UK |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=2005-03-22 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2005/mar/20/popandrock1}}</ref>
<ref name="Menn_1992">{{cite book |editor-last=Menn |editor-first=Don |contribution=Andreas Mölich-Zebhauser&nbsp;— Preparing the Ensemble Modern for the Frankfurt Festival |title=Zappa! Guitar Player Presents |date=1992 |pages=12–13 |place=San Francisco, California, USA |publisher=[[Miller Freeman]] |issn=1063-4533}}</ref>
⚫
<ref name="Miles_2004">{{cite book |title=Frank Zappa |author-first=Barry |author-last=Miles |publisher=Atlantic Books |location=London, UK |date=2004 |isbn=1-84354-092-4 |pages=369, 371}}</ref>
<ref name="Howe-Beck">{{cite web |last=Howe-Beck |first=Linde |title=Édouard Lock |url=http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/edouard-lock |publisher=[[The Canadian Encyclopedia]] |access-date=2012-07-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120802003731/http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/edouard-lock |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-08-02}}</ref>
⚫
<ref name="Dance">{{cite web |title=Frank Zappa - The Yellow Shark Dance |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmKK6RLGp1k |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/CmKK6RLGp1k| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|publisher=[[youtube.com]] |access-date=2012-07-17}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
⚫
<ref name="AM">{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r199900|pure_url=yes}} |title=Charts and Awards for ''The Yellow Shark'' |access-date=2008-08-22 |publisher=[[Allmusic]]}}</ref>
}}


==External links==
==External links==
* [http://globalia.net/donlope/fz/lyrics/The_Yellow_Shark.html The Yellow Shark]
* [http://globalia.net/donlope/fz/lyrics/The_Yellow_Shark.html The Yellow Shark]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzgQZcA4FD0 The Yellow Shark press conference] with Frank Zappa and Ensemble Modern in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, 1992-07-21 [45:23]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7h3v282Tqs The Yellow Shark rehearsals], Alte Oper, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, 1992-09-16 [30:21]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3th1v4YYArA The Yellow Shark premiere concert], Alte Oper, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, 1992-09-17 [1:30:05]


{{Frank Zappa albums}}
{{Frank Zappa albums}}
{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Yellow Shark}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yellow Shark}}

Latest revision as of 07:40, 12 October 2024

The Yellow Shark
Live album by
Frank Zappa and Ensemble Modern
Released2 November 1993
Recorded17–28 September 1992
VenueAlte Oper (Frankfurt)
Berliner Philharmonie (Berlin)
Konzerthaus, Vienna (Vienna)
Genre20th century classical
Length72:02
LabelBarking Pumpkin
ProducerFrank Zappa
Frank Zappa and Ensemble Modern chronology
Ahead of Their Time
(1993) 		The Yellow Shark
(1993) 		Civilization Phaze III
(1994)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]

The Yellow Shark is an album of orchestral music by American musician Frank Zappa. Released in November 1993, it was the last album Zappa released in his lifetime, almost exactly a month before he died of the cancer from which he had suffered for several years. It features live recordings from the Ensemble Modern's 1992 performances of Zappa's compositions. In the album's notes, Zappa describes The Yellow Shark as one of the most fulfilling projects of his career, and as the best representation of his orchestral works.

Singer Tom Waits has listed it as one of his favourite albums, commenting: "The ensemble is awe-inspiring. It is a rich pageant of texture in colour. It's the clarity of his perfect madness, and mastery. Frank governs with Elmore James on his left and Stravinsky on his right. Frank reigns and rules with the strangest tools."[2]

History

[edit]

In 1991, Zappa was chosen to be one of four featured composers at the Frankfurt Festival in 1992 (the others were John Cage, Karlheinz Stockhausen and Alexander Knaifel).[3] Zappa was approached by the German chamber ensemble, Ensemble Modern, which was interested in playing his music for the event. Although ill, Zappa invited them to Los Angeles for rehearsals of new compositions and new arrangements of older material.[4] In addition to being satisfied with the ensemble's performances of his music, Zappa also got along with the musicians, and the concerts in Germany and Austria were set up for the fall.[4] The Canadian choreographer Édouard Lock, the Canadian dancer Louise Lecavalier, and his company La La La Human Steps were part of the show.[5][6] In September 1992, the concerts went ahead as scheduled, but Zappa could only appear at two in Frankfurt due to illness. At the first concert, he conducted the opening "Overture", and the final "G-Spot Tornado" as well as the theatrical "Food Gathering in Post-Industrial America, 1992" and "Welcome to the United States" (the remainder of the program was conducted by the ensemble's regular conductor Peter Rundel). The first concert was aired live by German pay TV channel Premiere, presented by the station's "Special" host Christian Eckert. Zappa received a 20-minute ovation.[4] It would become his 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".[4] Recordings from the concerts appeared on The Yellow Shark, Zappa's last release during his lifetime.

The posthumous album Everything Is Healing Nicely, released in 1999, contains recordings from around the same time, made in preparation for the performances documented on The Yellow Shark.

Track listing

[edit]
No.TitleLength
1."Intro"1:43
2."Dog Breath Variations"2:07
3."Uncle Meat"3:24
4."Outrage at Valdez"3:27
5."Times Beach II"7:31
6."III Revised"1:45
7."The Girl in the Magnesium Dress"4:33
8."Be-Bop Tango"3:43
9."Ruth Is Sleeping"5:56
10."None of the Above"2:17
11."Pentagon Afternoon"2:28
12."Questi Cazzi Di Piccione[nb 1]"3:03
13."Times Beach III"4:26
14."Food Gathering in Post-Industrial America, 1992"2:52
15."Welcome to the United States"6:39
16."Pound for a Brown"2:12
17."Exercise #4"1:37
18."Get Whitey"7:00
19."G-Spot Tornado"5:17

Personnel

[edit]

Musicians

Technical staff

  • Todd Yvega – synclavier assistance
  • Spencer Chrislu – engineer, mixing
  • Harry Andronis – engineer
  • Brian Johnson – art direction, design
  • Hans Jörg Michel – photography
  • Henning Lobner – photography
  • Dave Dondorf – engineer, coordination
  • Jesse Di Franco – art direction, design
  • Mark Beam – Yellow Shark Sculpture
  • Ali N. Askin – arranger
  • Fritz Brinckmann – photography
  • Rip Rense – liner notes booklet

Charts

[edit]
Billboard (United States)
Year Chart Position
1993 Top Classical Crossover 2[7]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Zappa intended the song title to mean "These fucking pigeons", a concept conveyed in Italian by using a slang term for penis. But his title is incorrectly translated, given that "Questi Cazzi di Piccione" actually translates as "These pigeon penises". "These fucking pigeons" is correctly translated in Italian as "Questi Cazzo Di Piccioni".
  2. ^ Bass oboe uncredited, but visible on ARTE TV broadcast ("Get Whitey" segment).

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Couture, F. (2011). "Zappa: The Yellow Shark - Frank Zappa | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2011-07-22.
  2. ^ Waits, Tom (2005-03-22). "It's perfect madness". The Guardian. London, UK.
  3. ^ Menn, Don, ed. (1992). "Andreas Mölich-Zebhauser — Preparing the Ensemble Modern for the Frankfurt Festival". Zappa! Guitar Player Presents. San Francisco, California, USA: Miller Freeman. pp. 12–13. ISSN 1063-4533.
  4. ^ a b c d Miles, Barry (2004). Frank Zappa. London, UK: Atlantic Books. pp. 369, 371. ISBN 1-84354-092-4.
  5. ^ Howe-Beck, Linde. "Édouard Lock". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 2012-08-02. Retrieved 2012-07-17.
  6. ^ "Frank Zappa - The Yellow Shark Dance". youtube.com. Archived from the original on 2021-12-12. Retrieved 2012-07-17.
  7. ^ "Charts and Awards for The Yellow Shark". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
[edit]
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