Frank Sinatra: The Reprise Years (38-Disc Box Set from UMG)

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Bob F, Dec 1, 2010.

  1. Bob F

    Bob F Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Massachusetts USA
    Sorry for the delayed response, Ian. I've been busy. ;)

    You're certainly correct that the shows were BROADCAST in monaural, but that doesn't mean they weren't RECORDED on multiple channels. Even as far back as 1957, Sinatra's TV vocals were being recorded separately from the orchestral track, and we're seeing the results of that today with occasional overdubbed remixes released as "alternate versions" by FSE. (E.g. "My Funny Valentine" on the SEDUCTION CD; there are a few others, as well.)

    Listening briefly through headphones, it doesn't sound to me like true stereo, though. It may just be rechanneled or widened in the mastering. When I have some time, I intend to rip the audio off this DVD, the recent Shout! Factory version, and the original Warner/Reprise Video issue, and do a proper comparison. I'll report back here with the results.
     
  2. Bob F

    Bob F Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Massachusetts USA
    Does anyone know the full name of the artist?

    (The cover credit on the album is simply "Weber")

    All-Alone-LP.jpg
     
    CBackley likes this.
  3. Tina_UK

    Tina_UK Forum Resident

    Location:
    England
    I'm sure someone knows :winkgrin:

    I did read somewhere that it was originally to be titled " Come Waltz With Me"

    It's a very haunting picture , that's for sure.
     
  4. Bob F

    Bob F Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Massachusetts USA
    You would think so, Tina, but I've never seen a first name mentioned in any Sinatra forum or reference. One might suspect the famous cubist artist, Max Weber, but he died in 1961, and I don't think it's his style of painting. (But I'm no art expert. ;))

    That's correct. The intended title song was written by Van Heusen and Cahn for this album of waltzes, but it was dropped and remained unissued until 1991.
     
  5. DJ WILBUR

    DJ WILBUR The Cappuccino Kid

    oh I don't mind personally others opinions and I pop in there now and again, it was great to spend some time in there yesterday, there is lots of great stuff to read and we all have bits we can contribute, so hang out in there as you have good thoughts i'm sure to contribute, the community is only as strong as all the members so to speak. Also typed words sometimes get misconstrued and then an answer back gets the message muddled more and meanings and emotions go out the window...its the web, sometimes we need a tough skin, like Frank always had in his work.

    I think its great there is finally a Reprise album box set...My guess is its the end of an era, these big box sets and I plan on getting one even with a few printed glitches. Still, I dont need it, but many albums are scrambled on the 20 cd set and thats frustrating and I don't have them all on vinyl and sometimes its just fun to spend time with an actual album and not 25 songs on a cd jambled together chronologically.

    I figure by now Bob's had the time to play them all, or a lot of them, and so far no major sonic blunders, so that's a good sign....:agree:

    it is astonishing that someone can stumble upon a 50 year old reel to reel tape and that sounds far better than anything ever released on cd....

    I also find it astonishing that a vinyl reissue from "an original analogue master" ends up sounding just like the digital master tape that norberg probably created and that his work is sitting on the shelf somewhere at the Capitol Tape vaults getting pulled clearly by someone who doesn't really have a clue to what a real 50 year old analogue master looks like....fascinating really, a shame the Sinatra forum isn't interested in discussing this sort of thing really. ground zero that is, lets face it. so contribute there, many in here do amazing detective work on this stuff, someone somewhere will figure it out and get the historical record correct someday...lets hope...:nauga:
     
    CBackley likes this.
  6. Ian Bradley

    Ian Bradley Forum Resident

    Ha - I know, Bob. You're a legend!

    Thanks for the response. I think the Sinatra/Crosby TV special is in true stereo - but then I think the orchestral arrangements were recorded separately and dubbed later - as with Funny Valentine and This Can't Be Love on recent CD compilations. How much later (perhaps even about fifty years), I don't know. Sinatra's voice seems mono on these CD tracks and sits quite oddly with the stereo surround - to me, anyway. I always imagined the Man and his Music recordings were done 'live' with the orchestral track and Frank's voice being recorded simultaneously - so thought perhaps these would be just mono - but, as you say, who knows what's in the vaults? But thanks for your thoughts so far and look forward to your analysis when time allows. Cheers!
     
  7. Bob F

    Bob F Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Massachusetts USA
    +1 :agree:
     
  8. DJ WILBUR

    DJ WILBUR The Cappuccino Kid

    by the way, when I sent my request to "Santa" for this box...i included the following in my email to him...:D....
     

    Attached Files:

  9. edgwareman

    edgwareman Forum Resident

    Location:
    London, UK
    Another one to be added to the list of errors. This one is a typo:

    The first track listed on the the back of the Trilogy cover is 'The Song is tou'.

    Oh, and another one I've just seen on Trilogy, Fratnk Sinatra with Billy May.
     
    CBackley likes this.
  10. rangerjohn

    rangerjohn Forum Resident

    Location:
    chicago, il
    Of course, you're right, Will. Its just that you and Bob are smart, generous guys who really care about Sinatra's music and should be treated as such by people who presumably feel the same. But, to be sure, yours are the appropriate sentiments for the holidays....
     
  11. DJ WILBUR

    DJ WILBUR The Cappuccino Kid

    ah everyone there is great and they have their hearts in the right place, and typed words in a forum can scramble meanings and messages, much like the typo's just posted....:laugh:...Fratnk
     
  12. DJ WILBUR

    DJ WILBUR The Cappuccino Kid

    nancy posted this at the SFF...

    What I have learned:

    Charlie checked the proofs that were sent to him in August and they did not have errors so he emailed UMG last night; below is their response.

     
  13. hodgo

    hodgo Tea Making Gort (Yorkshire Branch) Staff

    Location:
    East Yorkshire
    I'm with you there, sadly they've driven a lot of very nice folks away :shake:

    Will, as I think you said yourself on SFF at one point or words to the effect. "It's a site full of sycophants"

    It's also run by a lady and a group of moderators who seem to believe anyone who doesn't tow the party line "Has an Agenda", I was asked that very question myself "What is Your Agenda"........Pathetic
     
    CBackley likes this.
  14. Bob F

    Bob F Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Massachusetts USA
    Guys: I sympathize with your complaints, but this is not the place. Can we please keep this thread on topic?
     
    CBackley likes this.
  15. Bob F

    Bob F Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Massachusetts USA
    Cross-posted to the Sinatra Family Forum, so that Nancy may alert the powers-that-be.
     
  16. hodgo

    hodgo Tea Making Gort (Yorkshire Branch) Staff

    Location:
    East Yorkshire
    Sorry Bob you're right.

    I hope to get this box one day, maybe I'll find it reduced or 2nd hand somewhere along the line.
     
  17. paulmock

    paulmock Forum Resident

    Location:
    Hollywood, CA
    Ah, the joys of "outsourcing!!!!"
     
  18. rangerjohn

    rangerjohn Forum Resident

    Location:
    chicago, il
    Sorry, Bob....
     
    CBackley likes this.
  19. Bob F

    Bob F Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Massachusetts USA
    Graham and John: No problem. I've had my own such frustrations, so I understand the urge to vent.
    'Nuff said. :)
     
    CBackley likes this.
  20. rangerjohn

    rangerjohn Forum Resident

    Location:
    chicago, il
    Ok, Bob, as far as you can tell, do the seven new UMG titles feature new masterings or do they employ those form 1991?
     
  21. Bob F

    Bob F Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Massachusetts USA
    Already answered above, John: [post=6029247]Audio Analysis (Preliminary)[/post]...

    Note: Not necessarily 1991. FRANCIS A. & EDWARD K. is the 1998 EOTC remaster.
     
  22. rangerjohn

    rangerjohn Forum Resident

    Location:
    chicago, il
    Ok, thanks, Bob. I wasn't sure if you were certain in the preliminary. So the new UMG titles (Sinatra-Ellington was a 1998, as you indicate) are identical to the suitcase masterings? Sorry if these are obvious questions....
     
  23. Bob F

    Bob F Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Massachusetts USA
    I haven't compared against the suitcase. They are identical to the latest Reprise CD of each title. Whether those are exactly the same as the suitcase tracks in every case, I couldn't say without much more analysis.

    Just to clarify once more: I've loaded each disc into my computer and tested it with Exact Audio Copy. If the track timings (to the millisecond) and checksums match the earlier discs in my database, I know they're EXACTLY the same with 99.96% certainty. The only "new" disc that was at all different was ALL ALONE, and that was because the bonus track "Come Waltz with Me" was removed.
     
  24. Bob F

    Bob F Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Massachusetts USA
    Box set tip

    Here's a tip for those purchasing this box set: The disc wallets and hard-cover book are meant to be inserted with their spines facing UP, i.e. toward the open top of the box.

    I don't know if they all ship this way, but mine came with these inserted sideways, i.e. with the spines facing the front, so that the titles were obscured and impossible to read. (The wallet sleeves are square, so they can be inserted in any orientation.) I didn't realize this was wrong, until I studied this REALLY BIG publicity photo:
    [​IMG]
    BTW, that photo is a pre-production mockup. The box doesn't really look like that. It is much more elongated; the book is much thicker; and the bottoms of the sleeves are not uniformly white (they show the colors of their covers).
     
  25. Bob F

    Bob F Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Massachusetts USA
    Following are a few realistic photos, which I posted at the SFF...
     

Share This Page

molar-endocrine