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The Yellow Shark

BBC SO Total Immersion: Frank Zappa

,Milton Court
A big yellow circle with Sharks circling in it. Out of the circle come blue, yellow and pink sun rays.

Guildhall’s Ubu Ensemble pay homage to Frank Zappa’s iconic last album The Yellow Shark, harvested from his appearance at the 1992 Frankfurt Festival.

Following a diagnosis of terminal cancer, in 1991 Zappa agreed to appear as a featured composer at the Frankfurt Festival the next year. What started as a cautious collaboration turned into an inspired one when Zappa started working with the German contemporary music orchestra, Ensemble Modern.  The concerts that followed have gone down in history, thanks in part to The Yellow Shark. The album contains live recordings from the festival in which Zappa’s tongue-in cheek command to his audience to ‘get serious’ rubs shoulders with now-classic Zappa scores including the unmistakable melody of 'G-Spot Tornado'.

This performance focuses on works that rhapsodize on Zappa’s intense, disciplined interest in classical counterpoint. Music by the composer’s beloved Edgard Varèse, Igor Stravinsky and Anton Webern provide essential context.

Tagged with: Classical music BBC Symphony Orchestra BBC SO Total Immersion: Frank Zappa More...

This performance will finish at approximately 4.30pm

 

To purchase a Day Pass, choose your seat for each of the priced events and ensure you pick 'Total Immersion Day Pass' as the ticket type. Once a seat from each event has been added to your basket, it will add up to the Day Pass ticket price. Entry to the 6.30pm talk is guaranteed for day pass holders. Subject to availability.

Programme

  • Frank Zappa   The Perfect Stranger
  • Anton Webern   Concerto for Nine Instruments
  • Igor Stravinsky   Pribaoutki
  • Edgard Varèse   Intégrales
  • Frank Zappa   A selection from The Yellow Shark:
  •   'The Dog Breath Variations / Uncle Meat'
  •   'The Girl in the Magnesium Dress'
  •   'Get Whitey'
  •   'Be-Bop Tango'
  •   'Outrage at Valdez'
  •   'G-Spot Tornado'

Performers

  • Ubu Ensemble  
  • Simon Wills   conductor

BBC SO Total Immersion Day

Digital Programme

Milton Court

Location
Milton Court Concert Hall is located within the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and is approximately a 5 minute walk from the Barbican entrance on Silk Street.  

Address
Milton Court
Silk St, London
EC2Y 9BH

Nearby public transport
We are within walking distance from a number of London Underground stations, the closest being Barbican, Old Street, St Paul’s and Moorgate. The nearest train stations are Liverpool Street and Farringdon. Bus Route 153 runs directly past the Barbican along Chiswell Street

Car and bicycle parking
We have free bicycle spaces and paid car parking spaces available