Perpetual Motion
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Free Music Notes for Perpetual Motion
Free Music Review: Outstanding
Hit: 5 Stars
This meeting of bluegrass & classical spawned its own little sub-genre a few years back, with excellent entries from Bela, Edgar Meyer, & Mark O'Connor, in various combinations with each other & such other fine musicians as Chris Thile, Mike Marshall, Sam Bush, Joshua Bell, Yo Yo Ma & others.
To my ear, this is as fine an entry into this category as any. The music is varied and rich in its diversity. The playing, of course, is flawless. The opening piece, Scarlatti's Keyboard Sonata in C Major, sets things in motion wonderfully. The Debussy features Bell & cellist Gary Hoffman. Chopin's Mazurka in F Sharp Minor, is deftly handled by Bell & Fleck. I love Chris Thile, & his contributions, particularly on Bach's Three-Part Invention (Sinfonia) No. 10 with Edgar Meyer, is short but tasty. One of my personal favorites was Evelyn Glennie on the Brahms piece, which is lively. Who would have thought vibes & banjo go together so well? (I also am ashamed to confess that I had been ignorant of Ms Glennie's work b/f this disk came out).
I do acknowledge what some reviewers say that sometimes the disk does sound like it was recorded in a deep, dark well. Perhaps, as some have speculated, they felt they needed to do some of that for technical reasons which I can't appreciate. Regardless, this minor quibble doesn't detract, or take away even 1/2 a star.
Honestly, I would put this ahead of either Uncommon Ritual or Music for Two, in part b/c of the diversity that comes with playing with lots of different musicians, and right up there with Short Trip Home at the top of this subgenre.
Free Music Review: Another magical crossover!
Hit: 5 Stars
In times when we see many classical musicians crossing over into popular music it is refreshing to see someone like Bela Fleck moving from pop to classical. There is a delightful group of folks flitting like fireflies from one genre to another, pulling and tugging us along as they explore musical diversity. Fleck is one of them. I first heard Fleck in Anchorage about four or five years ago and loved the funky,energetic sound of the Flecktones. Listening to his performances on various CDs I've come to appreciate both his playing and his compositions--and have especially enjoyed being introduced to the musical inventiveness of not only Fleck, but also others such as Mike Marshall, Sam Bush, Edgar Meyer, Jerry Douglas, Darol Anger, Mark O'Connor, Yo Yo Ma, and Joshua Bell. Like Fleck they refuse to be categorized, whizzing off in new directions defying my efforts to categorize their artisty.
This is an enchanting CD that will hopefully introduce Fleck fans to the joys of classical music. The earliest music is perhaps the best on this CD, particularly the Bach. The banjo and the mandolin raced at blinding speeds, but stayed true to the clean, spare intelligence of the compositions. Each instrument provided unique color and texture and some surprises as they interpreted these mostly familiar short pieces. A few pieces were not as well served by this unusual chamber group, but they were still enjoyable.
All in all a pleasant collection.
Free Music Review: Stunning!
Hit: 5 Stars
I am an absolute classical music purists. I am often upset by hearing Bach played on piano, since he never composed for the instrument, so that should tell you how narrow-minded I am about classical music. My attention was drawn to this album when I heard the Bach cello suite on NPR one day. It is a late Bach piece, and in my opinion the single piece that does the cello more justice than any other. It is simply a splendid piece. When the announcer introduced Bela Fleck, of all people to be playing it, I was skeptical to say the least, but I opened my ears and listened. Within seconds of the downbeat, I foundmyself in some of the most amazing playing on an instrument for which I have rarely had any respect. Not only does he play every note as it is written, and play them all well, but it sounds good! Amazingly good! I think the banjo actually works really well with lots of baroque music. That interpretation was truly something special.I do not yet own the CD, but will in the not to distant future, so I cannot speak for the rest of it, but I will say that I am again skeptical about how the banjo will mix with romantic music. I don't think the instrument has the ability to express music in the way a piano or other stringed instrument can, which is one reason Bach works well because there is little room for "interpretation." I am quite curious, though, to hear how it sounds!
Free Music Review: Who'd believe it? Classical BANJO????
Hit: 5 Stars
To be honest, I bought this CD to please a friend of mine who insisted that I listen to it. My gut feeling was that it was going to be a classical "Annoying Music" CD. (I love the "Annoying Music" CDs -- but classical "annoying music" can be absolutely grating!)Now, imagine my surprise when I heard absolutely impeccable performances of Scarlatti, Chopin, Bach and Beethoven -- played on a BANJO!
Even more, imagine my surprise when I realized I had driven five exits past my turnoff while listening to this CD for the first time on my way home!
Some of the really outstanding moments on this CD are the Scarlatti Sonata in C Major (K159), Debussy's "Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum", Chopin's "Etude in C-Sharp Minor" (which is a finger-breaker on the piano -- I cannot imagine it being played on a banjo, but he does it, and it works!), and Paganini's "Perpetuo Moto".
The clarity of the playing -- both solo and ensemble -- is nothing short of astounding. Fleck makes the banjo sound like anything BUT a banjo -- the Scarlatti sounds like it's being played on a lute; the Tchaikovskii sounds like it's being played on mandolin -- and it's all uncannily musical!
This CD is probably the biggest shocker I've heard in six years. I can't say this strongly enough: BUY THIS CD!
Free Music Review: Exciting application of the banjo
Hit: 5 Stars
The experiment does indeed work. In some pieces, the banjo is the main instrument and in others it provides the backup. Sometimes it is replacing a piano (or more accurately, harpsichord, which Bella's tone emulates very well)... others, it is replacing a guitar... There were some minor variations to the pieces which even most classical music afficionados won't notice, or at least won't be offended by. But across the board the performances are excellent -- actually incredible. And not just the banjo performances. The violin pieces and classical guitar performances are notable standouts.
The most exciting thing one notices is the uniqeness of the tone the banjo brings to these arrangements. It is reminiscent of a long lost instrument of ancient days, being played for kings, noblemen and priveleged clergy.
Track 8, Bach's "Three-Part Invention No. 10", brings a smile as you listen to the guitar and banjo chase each other through a classical equivalent of dueling banjos. And track 20, a "bluegrass" version of the Paganini title track (Moto Perpetuo), is fun for a single listen, with the banjo staying mostly classical as the accompanying guitar mixes in bluegrass backup and fills. But this CD isn't about being "cute"... tracks 1 through 19 are solid, and I will listen to them many times.