Frank Sinatra Conducts

Here is a mirror image of that photo with Sinatra wearing a yellow vest. I’m not sure that’s from a Tone Poems session, though. It’s reported elsewhere as from a session for A Swingin’ Affair!, and the lead sheet Frank is holding appears to contain lyrics.



The unreversed photo may be found at MPTV along with another from the same session:

 

Great catch, Paul! I hadn’t noticed Andre Previn next to Frank, but that probably dates this photo as from February 28, 1956 (second Tone Poems session at Capitol Tower), when Previn’s “Red” was recorded.

 

This 1956 record could have had a much better result (perhaps) if it had been recorded in stereo, but with the ideal microphone system.

 

Are ya kiddin'????!!!! The mono sound is beautiful on that record. Wouldn't want it any other way

 

What a beautiful photo! Thanks sooooo much!!!

 

Aside from the fact that they were still "fiddling" around with the sounds of the brand new recording studio (Remember the classic photo taken when Mr. S asked Eleanor Slatkin what she thought of the sound of a take??????!!!!!! ) I think the monaural shines thru rather nicely.

 

I couldn’t help but notice that one of the TONE POEM session photos was used as the basis for the WHERE ARE YOU cover.

 

TONE POEMS is classical music. And I prefer listening to any classical music in mono. IMHO the stereo sound takes all the warmth away and then classical music to me sounds as cold and sterile as a hospital hall.

I only could really open up to classical music when I discovered the mono sound of Rubinstein, Heifetz and Monteux. That's when I got hooked.

 

It does...I forget off-hand which session dates had a little better sound vs the others, but tracks like "White" and "Silver", for instance, are beautifully engineered...the jazz section of "Silver" is one of my very favorite sounding recordings of all. That sound is so well designed and evocative, including how masterfully John Palladino used the Capitol echo chambers for it.

Eleanor's comment of how it sounds like s***, and the look on Frank's face at the same time, is great, but is obviously more reflective of how it all sounded to them in the room vs how John was able to fix it for the recording.

 

Could this be the photo, @paulmock ?

 

See: Sinatra / Capitol Sound Quality and General Discussion: "Where Are You?" (1957 album)*

 

INDEED! He asked her what she thought of the playback and the camera caught her responding "I think it sounds like s#%t!!!!!" Obviously, they were quite close and Mr. S respected her opinions highly.

 

I respect your opinion, but I'm not joking. They should have recorded the album in stereo yes, and if they remade it today, they should record it in direct-to-disc mode.

 

"The Man I Love" was recorded only in mono?

 

Correct.

See: Peggy Lee On Record (1941-1995), for much discussion.
Also: Frank Sinatra "COME FLY WITH ME": Stereo & mono questions (and other neat stuff)..

 

Thank you, Bob F. But the truth needs to be told: The quality of this album is so great in mono that it might not even need to be recorded in stereo, given the "binaural" aspect of recordings at the time.

 

Photos are documents. Photos are biographical records. They tell us as much as any writing can, sometimes more. The photos of Sinatra conducting tell us so much about him. I'm not referring to the fact that he changed his shirt, but not his vest. I refer to his emotional expression. I mean the expression on his face and his physicality. The man is immersed in the craft he loves and feeling every moment of it.

 

HOWEVER, The expression on Riddle's face tells a whole 'nuther story!!!!!!

 

You have a point.
Who's the man with the camera & lenses standing behind Sinatra?

 

Unknown to me...

 

If his name can be ascertained perhaps more photos can be found ...

 

Could today's technology make it possible to remaster that preciousness that is "Tone Poems" whose sound quality approximates the album "Pictures At An Exhibition", a classic music record released by Mercury in 1953? For me, it's one of the classic music records whose mono mix is superb in sound quality.

 

Nelson Riddle, the most serious man in the world that I did not have the opportunity to meet in life.

 

Why? He's just looking on at the charts. Can't see anything negative in his expression. To me he looks concentrated.
Most likely he was more concerned about how his compositions would work out than Sinatra's skills as a conductor.
Remember, Friedwald writes in his book, that when Sinatra was not satisfied with Nelson's conducting at a recording session, he conducted the orchestra himself.

 

There needs to be some kind of interface between the educated listeners and the Sinatra production & releasing entity. A way top talk Pignone, Friedwald etc directly. Ask whatever questions need to be asked and get the answers. Tell them what's missing and needed at our end and ask if they can facilitate.

I wonder if the Steve Hoffman Forum could set something up. Opinions?