3.13.24

A short and sweet one tonight.

I’ve felt lousy all day, and I suspect an early bedtime is approaching.

In 2001, banjo Jedi Bela Fleck released Perpetual Motion, an album of classical music that is stunning and breathtaking. It includes pieces originally written by Bach, Chopin, Debussy and more. The truly incredible part of this is that all the arrangements from Fleck and frequent collaborator Edgar Myer are for instruments the pieces were never intended to be played on.

The whole album is worth repeated close listenings. It’s a fantastic gateway album for anyone who might have an ear for bluegrass but little interest in classical.

Two-Part Invention No. 13 (BWV 784) is my favorite piece on the album. I couldn’t begin to tell you why. I’m not a classical music person. I don’t seek it out, but I enjoy it when I hear it. I’m one of those people who used Perpetual Motion as a gateway.

But I know what I like when I hear it, and I like this piece a lot. I hope you do to.