RECORD OF THE YEAR AWARDS--1976: STEREO REVIEW'S critics and editors select the industry's top artistic achievements.
… in recognition of significant contributions to the arts of music and recording during the 1976 publishing year
THE balloting for these tenth annual STEREO REVIEW awards for the out standing records of the past year brought forth an unusually large number and variety of nominations. If there was any style of music slighted it was not apparent. Granted, most records received only one or two votes, but it was a powerful reminder of just how many fine records came on the market last year that the voting was spread so thin. The interested reader and record buyer, after examining this year's winners and honorable mentions, really ought to go back to the twelve issues that spawned them and see just how many other records received un stinting (and well-deserved) praise.
The balloting was done in the usual fashion. Those eligible to vote were the critics and editors of STEREO REVIEW; those records eligible to be voted for were any reviewed by us during the calendar year of 1976, or even, if the review section had unaccountably passed them by, other records actually released during that time. Critics were free to vote for anything that pleased them, within or without their own areas of special interest. But, of course, a critic tends to hear more music that is in his specialty than out of it; the votes, to a degree, reflected that. The standards were and are those of genuine musical and technical excellence, of real contributions to the arts, not of commercial success.
If the voting was biased in any way, it was (other things being relatively equal) in favor of the newer and younger artists over those already well established and widely appreciated. Of the twelve winners this year, only two, Montserrat Caballe and Joni Mitchell, have received such awards before, while at least four of the winning records were debut discs.
The honorable mentions show a little backing and filling, but there is an ample number of previously un-touted names there too.
Despite the range of the voting in both number and type of record, the decisions on the winners were clear-cut. Exactly how it came about that so many critics and editors, perhaps despite their own preferences in music, happened to have heard Toots and the Maytals or Montser rat Cabal le's new recording of zarzuela arias, for example, and were impressed enough to cast a ballot for one or both of them remains a mystery even around here. Yet, something like it happens each year; the standout records draw attention to themselves like magnets, and some how they get heard and remembered and voted for.
It is the belief that something like that happens in the marketplace too that keeps good records coming out. It may prove to be unfounded in some cases, but there are enough instances of something of real quality achieving commercial success to inspire us to keep the faith. Faith moves mountains; it also makes records.
-James Goodfriend, Music Editor
SELECTED BY THE EDITORIAL STAFF AND CRITICS FOR THE READERS OF STEREO REVIEW
Honorable Mentions
BACH Sonatas and Partitas for Unaccompanied Violin (Nathan Milsten, violin). DEUTSCHE GRAMIMOPHON 2709 047.
CHOPIN: Piano Music (Emanuel Ax, piano.). RCA ARL1-1569.
DR. BUZZARD'S ORIGINAL SAVANNAH BAND. RCA APL1-1504.
GOTTSCHALK: Piano Works (Ivan Davis, piano). LONDON CS 6943.
EMMYLOU HARRIS: Elite Hotel. REPRISE MS 2236.
HAYDN: Sonatas Nos. 31, 32, 34 (Gilbert Kalish, piano). NONESUCH H-7.1318.
IANIS IAN: Aftertones. COLUMBIA PC 33919.
KEITH JARRETT: Koln Concert. 2 ECM 1064/65.
THE L.A. 4. CONCORD JAZZ CJ 18.
PEGGY LEE: Mirrors. A & M SP-4547.
GORDON LIGHTFOOT: Summertime Dream. REPRISE 2246.
MENDELSSOHN: Songs (Peter Schreier, tenor; Walter Olbertz, piano). DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 2530 556.
MESSIAEN: Quartet for the End of Time (Tashi). RCA ARL1-1567 MOZART: Arias (Margaret Price, soprano; James Lockhardt, cond.). RCA AGL1-1532.
MARIA MULDAUR: Sweet Harmony. REPRISE 2235.
NIELSEN: Saul and David (Jascha Horenstein, cond.). UNICORN RHS 343/5.
ROLLING STONES: Black and Blue. ROLLING STONE COC 79104.
LINDA RONSTADT: Hasten Down the Wind. ASYLUM 7E-1072.
DAVID SANCIOUS: Transformation (The Speed of Love). EPIC PE 33339.
SCHUBERT: Quintet in C Major, Op. 163 (Alberni Quartet; Thomas Igloi, cello). CRD 1018.
SCHUBERT: String Quartets Nu:. 9, in G Minor, and No. 13, in A Minor (Alban Berg Quartet). TELEFUNKEN 6.41882.
BEVERLY SILLS: Music of Victor Herbert (Beverly Sills, soprano; Andre Kostelanetz, cond.). ANGEL 9-0-3716C.
PAUL SIMON: SIP/ Crazy Aft-r All These Years. COLUMBIA PC 13540.
PATTI SMITH: Horses. ARIST, 4066.
STRAVINSKY: Firebird (Piers Boulez, cond.). COLUMBIA M-33508.
VERDI: II Corsaro (Lambertc Gardelli, conc.). PHILIPS 6700 098.
Certificate of Merit awarded to Arthur Fiedler for his outstanding contributions to the quality of American musical life
------
Also see:
PIANIST GARRICK OHLSSON: "In this profession you seem to travel too much or not enough" by GLADYS SAXON
FIEDLER OF BOSTON: A profile of the builder of America's musical bridges, by IRVING KOLODIN
Source: Stereo Review (USA magazine)