Personnel includes: Bela Fleck (banjo); Joshua Bell (violin); Gary Hoffman (cello); Evelyn Glennie (marimba); Edgar Meyer (piano, bass); John Williams (guitar); Bryan Sutton (steel string guitar); Chris Thile (mandolin).
Engineers include: Robert Battaglia, Richard Battaglia, Steve Orchard.
Recorded at Avatar, Peacock Gardens, Nashville, Tennessee; Lyndhurst Hall, Air Studios, London, England; Avatar Studios, New York, New York. Includes liner notes by Bela Fleck.
PERPETUAL MOTION won the 2002 Grammy Award For Best Classical Crossover Album. "Doctor Gardus Ad Parnassum" won the 2002 Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement.
When thinking of classical music of the 18th and 19th centuries, one instrument that rarely jumps to mind is the banjo, and that is putting it mildly. With PERPETUAL MOTION, a collection of unique arrangements of pieces by the likes of Bach, Beethoven and Chopin, Bela Fleck may have changed that perception permanently. Though "chops man" or "shredder" might have been the more common description of the chief Flecktone in the past, here he has handily earned the more traditional musical accolades "maestro" and "virtuoso." Egged on by fellow crossover musician and good friend, bassist Edgar Meyer, Mr. Fleck put in much time listening to a great deal of pieces, chose what he liked and set to work on creating renditions. Except for key changes to fit his instrument's range, these versions are remarkably faithful. To his credit he gives generous space to his accompanists, a stellar cast of instrumentalists including violinist Joshua Bell, percussionist Evelyn Glennie and guitarist John Williams. Only on the final track does Mr. Fleck let his bluegrass roots sneak into the picture in a rousing take on Nicolo Paganini's MOTO PERPETUO.
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