N. Senada
Encyclopedia
N. Senada was a Bavaria
n composer
and music theorist
who formulated the "Theory of Obscurity" and the "Theory of Phonetic Organization". There is a debate as to whether or not he existed, or was simply an invention of The Residents
. Supposedly born in 1907 and dying in 1993 at the age of 86, Senada was one of The Residents' earliest collaborators, having arrived in San Mateo, California
, with Philip Lithman
. It is frequently speculated that, if real, N. Senada may have been famous avant-garde composer and instrument-designer Harry Partch
, the influence of whose work may be heard in Residents compositions such as "Six Things To A Cycle"; his passing is also referenced in the song "Death In Barstow".
Another rumor speculates that N. Senada may have been Captain Beefheart
because in the late 60s Beefheart and his "Magic Band" lived in a residence on Ensenada Drive in Woodland Hills, CA while recording Trout Mask Replica
and Safe as Milk
; Beefheart influence can also be heard in early Residents works. The Residents also sent an early demo tape to Warner Brothers executive Hal Halverstadt who had signed Beefheart.
' lore, in 1937, N. Senada premiered his masterpiece, "Pollex Christi
", which means either Big Toe of Christ or Big Thumb of Christ. This work mainly consisted of borrowed pieces from other composers, namely Beethoven
's Symphony No. 5 and Carl Orff
's Carmina Burana
, among others. He also left large holes in the work so that the performers could insert music of their choosing, thus "becoming composers themselves". Senada justified his work with "house" analogies claiming that he didn't make the "bricks" but "cemented them together"; he wasn't the "architect", just the "builder".
Senada allegedly collaborated with The Residents on their pre-Santa Dog
work, and then disappeared. He resurfaced in the mid-1970s, returning from an Arctic expedition and bearing a sealed bottle of pure Arctic air; this served as inspiration for the Eskimo
project.
The Residents performed "Pollex Christi" as a tribute to Senada on what would have been his 90th birthday. The holes in the piece were filled with a variety of works, such as the television theme from Star Trek
. The recording was distributed in two editions of 400 before being deleted.
.
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
n composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and music theorist
Music theory
Music theory is the study of how music works. It examines the language and notation of music. It seeks to identify patterns and structures in composers' techniques across or within genres, styles, or historical periods...
who formulated the "Theory of Obscurity" and the "Theory of Phonetic Organization". There is a debate as to whether or not he existed, or was simply an invention of The Residents
The Residents
The Residents is an American art collective best known for avant-garde music and multimedia works. The first official release under the name of The Residents was in 1972, and the group has since released over sixty albums, numerous music videos and short films, three CD-ROM projects and ten DVDs....
. Supposedly born in 1907 and dying in 1993 at the age of 86, Senada was one of The Residents' earliest collaborators, having arrived in San Mateo, California
San Mateo, California
San Mateo is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area. With a population of approximately 100,000 , it is one of the larger suburbs on the San Francisco Peninsula, located between Burlingame to the north, Foster City to the east, Belmont to the south,...
, with Philip Lithman
Snakefinger
Philip Charles Lithman , who performed under the stage name Snakefinger, was an English musician, singer and songwriter. A multi-instrumentalist, he was best known for his guitar and violin work and his collaborations with The Residents.-History:Lithman was born in Tooting, South London, and came...
. It is frequently speculated that, if real, N. Senada may have been famous avant-garde composer and instrument-designer Harry Partch
Harry Partch
Harry Partch was an American composer and instrument creator. He was one of the first twentieth-century composers to work extensively and systematically with microtonal scales, writing much of his music for custom-made instruments that he built himself, tuned in 11-limit just intonation.-Early...
, the influence of whose work may be heard in Residents compositions such as "Six Things To A Cycle"; his passing is also referenced in the song "Death In Barstow".
Another rumor speculates that N. Senada may have been Captain Beefheart
Captain Beefheart
Don Van Vliet January 15, 1941 December 17, 2010) was an American musician, singer-songwriter and artist best known by the stage name Captain Beefheart. His musical work was conducted with a rotating ensemble of musicians called The Magic Band, active between 1965 and 1982, with whom he recorded 12...
because in the late 60s Beefheart and his "Magic Band" lived in a residence on Ensenada Drive in Woodland Hills, CA while recording Trout Mask Replica
Trout Mask Replica
Trout Mask Replica is the third album by Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band, released in June 1969. Produced by Beefheart's friend and former schoolmate Frank Zappa, it was originally released as a double album on Zappa's Straight Records label...
and Safe as Milk
Safe as Milk (album)
Safe as Milk is the début album by Captain Beefheart & his Magic Band, originally released in 1967. It is a heavily blues-influenced work, but also hints at many of the features—such as surreal lyrics and odd time signatures—that would later become trademarks of Beefheart's music.The album is also...
; Beefheart influence can also be heard in early Residents works. The Residents also sent an early demo tape to Warner Brothers executive Hal Halverstadt who had signed Beefheart.
Music
According to The ResidentsThe Residents
The Residents is an American art collective best known for avant-garde music and multimedia works. The first official release under the name of The Residents was in 1972, and the group has since released over sixty albums, numerous music videos and short films, three CD-ROM projects and ten DVDs....
' lore, in 1937, N. Senada premiered his masterpiece, "Pollex Christi
Pollex Christi
Pollex Christi was the first of Ralph America's limited edition CDs by the Residents. The piece was purportedly composed by the friend and collaborator from their early years, N. Senada, and in some ways plays on classical themes the same way their 1975 album, Third Reich and Roll, did with '60s...
", which means either Big Toe of Christ or Big Thumb of Christ. This work mainly consisted of borrowed pieces from other composers, namely Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
's Symphony No. 5 and Carl Orff
Carl Orff
Carl Orff was a 20th-century German composer, best known for his cantata Carmina Burana . In addition to his career as a composer, Orff developed an influential method of music education for children.-Early life:...
's Carmina Burana
Carmina Burana (Orff)
Carmina Burana is a scenic cantata composed by Carl Orff in 1935 and 1936. It is based on 24 of the poems found in the medieval collection Carmina Burana...
, among others. He also left large holes in the work so that the performers could insert music of their choosing, thus "becoming composers themselves". Senada justified his work with "house" analogies claiming that he didn't make the "bricks" but "cemented them together"; he wasn't the "architect", just the "builder".
Senada allegedly collaborated with The Residents on their pre-Santa Dog
Santa Dog
Santa Dog was the first official release from The Residents and Ralph Records. It was a double single released in December, 1972.The single was packaged to look like a Christmas card from an insurance agency and was mailed to various recipients, including Frank Zappa and Richard Nixon. The...
work, and then disappeared. He resurfaced in the mid-1970s, returning from an Arctic expedition and bearing a sealed bottle of pure Arctic air; this served as inspiration for the Eskimo
Eskimo (album)
Eskimo is an album by The Residents that was originally supposed to follow 1977's Fingerprince. However, due to many delays and arguments with management, it was not released until 1979...
project.
The Residents performed "Pollex Christi" as a tribute to Senada on what would have been his 90th birthday. The holes in the piece were filled with a variety of works, such as the television theme from Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
. The recording was distributed in two editions of 400 before being deleted.
"Theory of Obscurity"
Senada's "Theory of Obscurity" states that an artist can only produce pure art when the expectations and influences of the outside world are not taken into consideration. Senada and his theory are referred to almost exclusively in connection with avant garde musical group The ResidentsThe Residents
The Residents is an American art collective best known for avant-garde music and multimedia works. The first official release under the name of The Residents was in 1972, and the group has since released over sixty albums, numerous music videos and short films, three CD-ROM projects and ten DVDs....
.
"Theory of Phonetic Organization"
Senada's "Theory of Phonetic Organization" states, "the musician should put the sounds first, building the music up from [them] rather than developing the music, then working down to the sounds that make it up."External links
- "Twin Peaks Meets SimCity", WIRED article on The Residents, page on the "Theory of Obscurity"
- "More Than What The Ear Hears Coming From The Eye",