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- January 4, 1982MUSICBEST OF '81
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- CLASSICAL. Bach: Goldberg Variations (Archiv), Harpsichordist
- Trevor Pinnock captures all the stately grandeur and dashing
- spirits of Bach's masterpiece.
-
- Beethoven: The Nine symphonies (EMI. 8 LPs). The 1981 winner
- of the Beethoven sweepstakes, with London's Philharmonic
- Orchestra conducted by Kurt Sanderling.
-
- Elgar: Symphony No. 2 (Classics for Pleasure). The noble
- E-flat symphony gets a refined reading from Vernon Handley and
- the London Philharmonic.
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- Jancek: Sinfonietta, Taras Bulba (London). The Sinfonietta is
- exhilaratingly played by Sir charles Mackerras and the Vienna
- Philharmonic.
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- Mahler: Symphony No. 9 (Deutsche Grammophon. 2 LPs).
- (L'Oiseau-Lyre, 3 LPs). Felicitous music by the Strauss family
- in sleek readings by Karajan and the Berliners.
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- Wagner: The Ring (Philips, 16 LPs). Conductor Pierre Boulez
- dominates this incisive live performance at Bayreuth.
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- Well: The Unknown Kurt Weill (Nonesuch). Treasures from The
- Threepenny Opera composer, sung by Teresa Stratas.
-
- POP, The Balsters (Slash). Hard fun and easy lyricism from five
- Los Angeles rockers.
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- Gary U.S. Bonds: Dedication (EMI America). Reborn rhythm and
- blues by a soul-solid singer.
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- The Clash: Sandinista! (Epic). Shots below the belt of the
- body politic by a band that never misses.
-
- Joe Ely: Musta Notta Gotta Lotta (Southcoast/MCA). Joe Ely
- knows where to find the rockabilly roots along those
- back-country roads.
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- Garland Jeffreys: Escape Artist (Epic). Streamlined street
- anthems from a man who keeps the faith.
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- Rickie Lee Jones: Pirates (Warner Bros.). Tales of lovers,
- losers and wanderers, delivered with a bopster's inflection and
- the siding sensuality of a carhop.
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- The "King" Kong Compilation (Mango). The neatest reggae package
- since The Harder They Come.
-
- The Million Dollar Quartet (Sun). In December 1956, Elvis
- Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash did a
- little casual singing in a Memphis studio. Perkins is hardly
- discernible; Cash can't really be heard; but Elvis and Jerry Lee
- go toe to toe on a little R & B and a lot of gospel. It's like
- going to chapel inside a Seeburg.
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- Frank Sinatra: She Shot Me Down (Reprise). Love songs after
- a long life. Nobody does it better. For that matter, nobody
- does it as well.
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- X: Wild Gift (Slash). Garage-band rock with no quarter given.
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