Metamusical discourse and metalepsis since Frank Zappa

Abstract

Contemporary and pop-rock musics recognize since the years 1950-60 the
autonomy of recorded musical compositions. This change in the status of the
musical work is reflected in a metamusical discourse, produced by the composer on
his work, in the composition itself, by an ironical, misplaced intrusion. We study
this discourse, and the process of metalepsis, as described in literary studies and
more specifically in the work of Gerard Genette, and compare its use in Frank
Zappa’s compositions, on the fringes of popular and contemporary musics. We
extend our research to other artists who made use of the same ironic, irreverent
process of metalepsis.