How had the audience responded?
Reasonably.

What sort of audience were they aiming for, since Zappa's compositions surely attacked most potential audiences – the We're only in it for the money principle?
Zappa didn't like that – it was interpreting the record in terms of the title. If they were really only in it for the money they'd be playing teenybopper music.

Were there intentional Beatles parodies on that record?
Yes, of course – but nobody seemed to have noticed the duel Sergeant Pepper and Stones drag cover reference on the sleeve.

Did Zappa see himself composing orchestral music in ten years?
He already was – it was simply being played by less than a full orchestra. "Electronic chamber music", he called it. He'd been composing woodwind trios for a while now. He was dismayed by the lack of interest on the part of modern "serious" composers in electronic instruments.

I vaguely mentioned Messiaen.
Yes, yes, but there's more to it than that: electric piano, electric flute, electric etc. "Serious" composers weren't aware of the electric experiments current in pop.

Had Stockhausen ever heard the Beatles?
He'd heard them, I told him and he didn't like them. Zappa wasn't surprised; neither was I, really. (read more)

Source: Javier Marcote