A Voice in Time: 1939-1952 Reviews

• EARLY PRISTINE SINATRA

  
  By A3BPCJ09SXYORA on 2007-10-30
  This is the early Sinatra without the seasoned voice. Enjoy the tenderness and innocence of this incredible baritone voice at the beginning of his career. Included in this collection are many previously unreleased radio airchecks and some previously unreleased alternate takes. Beautifully packaged, with a 116-page book that includes a forward written by Nancy Sinatra, Jr., and some very interesting rare photos of Frank. If you're a serious Sinatra fan, by all means, buy this beautiful set. It will give you a greater appreciation for Sinatra's early career before the marvelous Capitol and Reprise years. Sinatra was, is, and always will be "The Chairman Of The Board!!"
  
  

• Young Sinatra at his Vocal Best

  
  By A3SG8292D2Z83M on 2007-10-29
  A Voice in Time, represents Sinatra at his vocal best. The song selections are great. Also there are many rare radio airchecks, which make the collection worth while. Sinatra's early work is often overshadowed by his Capitol and Reprise recordings.The Sound quality on "A Voice in Time", is far Superior to the mega Complete Columbia Recordings from 1993. It's amazing how much the technology, has advanced in just 14 years. In my opinion this set is worth every penny. Enjoy Sinatra at the very begining of his career.
  
  

• If this doesn't win some awards...

  
  By A3S20JNUMADEZ1 on 2007-11-29
  ...then I don't know what will. So let me be the first to declare - "A Voice in Time" should win on several accounts.
  
  First, the packaging...it's exquisite. Among the very, very best I've ever seen - and never have I seen it in this price range. A+++. The dark and silver pin striping is very classy and beautiful...wonderfully understated and it sets a tone of elegance and class. Inside the two books are beautiful - one housing the four disks the other the reading material...perfect. Functional. Again...very, very classy, and very, very well made. No dated, plastic jewel cases or digipaks that fall apart - no, none of that, it's just delicious. Both are extremely hefty, and well-made, and knock-out, flat-out gorgeous. The silver and black motif is luxuriously carried through to these two pieces...very befitting of the old B&W feel of the music - very stylish and hints of the old deco design styles of the 1920s/30s/40s, but not "ultra-retro-y"...not at all. Just class. The printing and production of these books is well beyond the price range, filled with beautifully done photographs, high quality paper and prints...and wonderful materials to look at and read and enjoy. Amazing...and absolutely Grammy worthy.
  
  Second, the music....or I should say "program." I have to tell you, I have some early Sinatra and I love it, but I really wasn't interested in a four CD retrospective. Maybe a "Complete...yada, whatever" (after all aren't we all collectors now?) So I didn't think a set like this would be of any great interest to me or to "collectors." Sure...there's something to be said for owning EVERYTHING - alternates and all - but forget about everything. There's still something to be said for a story...a set designed to be a wonderful consistent listen. It's still about enjoying music, right?
  
  A stunning and brilliant and magical program of listening is what this is. Wonderfully laid out and presented. Perfectly chosen material that frames the music, the time, and the voice. It is refreshingly not limited to the "Complete, something-something sessions" or the recordings made with the "something orchestra." That fact allowed them to create nothing less than a perfect album, a perfect program of music - just the way Sinatra liked to do it. That's what blew me away (after the packaging of course) - this is such a remarkably well thought out set. It covers the best music that introduced the world to the Voice - and it's free to explore how and why it all happened. And that's the impact you feel. It ultimately creates a giant, amazing concept album, where the concept is how early Frank Sinatra landed on Earth and reinvented singing and threw pop music into high art. It presents the most authentic and POWERFUL portrayal of early Sinatra I've ever heard.
  
  Yes...the material is all aces, too. There's nothing to mull through. It's a knock-out, free-flowing mega-album. Somehow it manages to create a very living and deeply moving personal message, like all of Sinatra's best concept albums. As if he knew one day these recordings would be assembled here, at this time, and in this fashion...it does make you wonder. It deserves whatever awards they got.
  
  Third, the sound...it is nothing short of miraculous. The restoration is absolutely stunning. You will be speechless listening to it, I promise. It's not just icing on the cake either -- it goes much deeper than that. It manages to cohesively revive everything, by putting a brilliant, magical light on it all. You feel it, you damn-near see it. Every detail shimmers. You are movingly reminded that he was the greatest singer of all time who happened to be in possession of the greatest vocal instrument of all time. A living Stradivarius. The sound quality really lets you hear and appreciate that. How he holds and fades a perfect, velvety note into the sky is right there to fully appreciate - there's no mistaking his brilliance. Honestly, these pieces just don't "sound good" they sound utterly amazing.
  
  Well, lastly there's the subject matter. You get the sense that it really gets its due here. What better subject matter could you have? The greatest singer of all time, captured as he was changing the world, just as it all happened. Given the brilliant programming of the material and its sonic restoration - it's happening all over again.
  
  Not just another box set covering the familiar. Nor is it a "complete-anything" to feed our "I want it all" appetite. This set is a revelation to be cherished - on all accounts; sound quality, subject matter, programming, and packaging. And I believe it is very capable of winning awards on all those accounts mentioned. It's that good. And together, the sum of all those accounts, adds up to be one of the best sets I've ever owned. Fittingly it was released to commemorate the tenth anniversary of his passing. Fitting indeed...it's a very special program.
  
  
  

• Essential early music by "The Voice" but not comprehensive.

  
  By A6FIAB28IS79 on 2008-01-08
  Much of Sinatra's fan base these days consists of the boomers who are drawn to his late "Chairman of the Board" period, quite unaware of the sheer artistry and consummate musicianship of the man who preceded the swaggering persona of the "Rat Pack." But Sinatra was a classy hat trick, a spectacular three-act Shakespearean drama, each act composed of three scenes: First, there's the Columbia, Capitol, and Reprise Sinatras; next, there's the swinger, the torch singer, and the surprisingly "legit" descendent of Caruso who projected Hammerstein ("Ole Man River," "I Have Dreamed") into orbit; finally, there's the matinee idol who introduced "bobby soxer" and "swoon" into the American vernacular, followed by the reactionary who rescued the Great American Songbook, followed by the commanding Chairman with blue eyes capable of reaching higher than Michael Jordan into the uppermost rows of the same Chicago Stadium where both stars played.
  
  The present set nicely represents the smooth-voiced, "legato" Sinatra, who could remind you of Caruso and who was renowned as a singer ("The Voice") who "never seemed to take a breath." Moreover, it's the period when a collector can't go wrong bypassing the original albums in favor of a "collection," since the 78-rpm format ruled out anything resembling the "concept albums" of the Capitol period and later.
  
  At the same time, some of Sinatra's most personally ambitious material is missing from this collection--virtually "operatic" performances such as "If You Are But a Dream" and "Where Is My Bess" from the Gershwins' "Porgy and Bess." As either an alternative or supplement to this collection (and at a nice price) consider picking up: "Sinatra: The V-Discs" (a 2-disc overlooked but revelatory collection) and "Portrait of Sinatra" (a 2-disc collection covering his Columbia hits, admittedly duplicative of material on this "Voice in Time" package). Those two collections, while lacking some of the "visual smartness" of this latest repackaging, are, in my opinion, both a greater value and a fuller representation of this important period in the career of the "Entertainer of the Century."
  
  

• Early Sinatra

  
  By A1XSA2AYSQ83HD on 2007-11-09
  A grand collection of early Sinatra favorites which continue to be the Standard even today. His rich melodious voice brings full life to every song as if they were written with just him in mind to interpert the beautiful sentiment and richness with every number..A keepsake for they way they used to write this wonderful tunes..
  
  
• A Note On Sound Quality
  By A1DUAA3V2TWM1O on 2008-02-27
  I'd like to urge the hesitant buyer to spring for this set. I put the purchase off, feeling skeptical that a meaningful improvement in sound quality would have been achieved since the 12 disc Complete Columbia Recordings set.
  
  When I at last purchased the new set, I compared the sound to previous releases, and it's my opinion that this is the finest sound qulaity we've had yet, with Frank's Columbia material.
  
  To be brief, I'd describe the new remastering as more "listenable" under concentrated circumstances. Previous masterings now sound harsh and unnatural. Now that I have this package, I am delighted to have spent the money on it, and I'm anxious for more Columbia material to be re-issued. It's a pleasure to buy upgraded Sinatra, why did I ever hesitate?
  
  The hardcover book has some exciting layouts as far as graphics are concerned, but it doesn't take long to read. I'd have appriciated more in-depth commentary on the sound sources and recordings. It's all lovely to look at, though.
  
  The song selection is pleasing, but of course no two Sinatraphiles would have made identical choices. As always, the lively Mitch Miller tracks are still given the nose-up treatment as being of interest only to nitwits. Someday, perhaps the genius of these tracks will be recognised. "Mama Will Bark" is certainly not abomination it's said to be- and in any case should have been included on the set simply because it's so notorious- it's both discussed in the liner notes and there's a photograph of a theatre appearance featuring Sinatra & Dagmar. "Bim Bam Baby", another Sinatra staple, is not included. One can only hope that another complete Columbia set is in the future, with the glorious new sound quality standard.
  
  The set includes 11 tracks from radio or military-issue records, and two previously unreleased alternate takes. Very welcome and very wonderful. (It's high time a multi-disc set should be devoted to Frank's radio work- both spoken and musical. )
  
  In closing: For goodness sake! If you are reading these reviews, trying to decide if you should order this or not... order it. Yes, it's worth it.
  
  
• A YOUNG, CREATIVE VIBRANT SINATRA. THE REMASTERING OF THIS BOX SET IS TRULY AN INCREDIBLE LISTEN.............
  By A30CJW1RNUHMN6 on 2008-01-09
  A beautiful classy package with an art deco style to it, including a 116 page booklet with foward by Nancy Sinatra. This cd box set should win some awards for its entire package and sound quality, we'll just have to wait and see. I will say one thing about this latest Sinatra box set release, the remastering is incredible. The horns on each song are very clear and loud. I swear listening, I think it is another singer than Sinatra. A young Francis Albert Sinatra, ready to take on the world with endless possibilites. The radio introductions in between songs is really facinating. This cd set is truly big band pre and post war era Americana. A Voice In Time will make you appreciate Old Blue Eyes in a whole different creative light. I'm amazed at the span of time Sinatra covered in the 20th century, musically. Frank was very creative in these young years of his life. This music tells a story of a young hungry singer who got the most out of his young talent. This box set is worth every penny. I say even if you are not a Sinatra afficiacondo, you may want to give these priceless gems a listen, you may get something out of it. Technology has come along way in the last 20 years in remastering old analouge tapes, but Sony has broke the mold with the remastering of "A voice In Time". If you like this box set I recommend you listen to Complete Recordings 1939. This box set only has four of its 1939 tracks. Also Young Blue Eyes: Birth of a Crooner to experiece more of Franks early vibrant years. All and all A Voice in Time: 1939-1952 is an incredible listen. Wow!!!!!! amazing stuff from the Chairman Of The Board himself.
  
  
• Definitive Early Sinatra.
  By A1534MBU6VJXYN on 2008-02-25
  At first, I was a bit apprehensive about buying this collection. I initially thought to myself that I didn't need this collection, since I already had the previous 4 cd set "The Best Of The Columbia Years: 1943-1952" (which is excellent), and the rarities that were included weren't particularly appealing. However, being the completist I am, I decided to ask my mom to purchase it for me as a Christmas gift. And God Knows how glad I am that I got it.
  
  This by far the most the comprehensive collection of Frank's early years. Spanning from his early days with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey to his mid 1940s' Bobbysoxer days to his transition as a more serious artist at the beginning of the 1950s', there has never been a more accurate sampling of Frank's freshman efforts.
  
  Disc 1 contains his years as a Big Band Singer. It begins with quite possibly his most important recording, "All Or Nothing At All." Frank recorded this song four times over the course of nearly 40 years. This earliest rendition is not the best but by far the most interesting. To hear Frank at his most most vulnerable and youthful, and yet still knowledgable of all the tricks of his trade - his masterful, his forceful breath control - is a thrill to listen to, and proof of just how much a genius Sinatra was.
  
  The rest of the disc includes mostly tracks from the Dorsey era, including such classics "I'll Be Seeing You," "I'll Never Smile Again" and "Imagination." All these songs are featured in excellent sound quality and sound as if they were recorded just yesterday. To today's younger generation, they may come across as dated and boring, but for the older gneeration they bring back nostalgia and memories of a simpler time.
  
  Disc 2 chronicles Frank's years as teen idol. This disc is notable for including several notable but rare radio airchecks (including a duet with Lana Turner on "Dancing In The Dark") as well as classics such as "Oh! What It Seemed To Be," "The Brooklyn Bridge," "Saturday Night Is The Loneliest Night Of The Week" and "I've Got A Crush On You." On the radio tracks, it's hard not to eb annoyed by the screaming fangirls, but it adds atmosphere to the recordings and is reflective of the times.
  
  Disc 3 chronicles his first recordings of songs from The Great American Songbook. It's on this disc that it becomes apparent that even in the 1940s', Frank was more than a mere teen idol. He already was able to create definitive renditions of these songs, even if he was fairly new to the entertainment scene. The only place where you'll find better renditions of "These Foolish Things," "Embraceable You," and "As Time Goes By" is on later Frank recordings.
  
  Disc 4 is the most intriguing of the disc, The Sound Of Things To Come. This disc has Frank moving away from teenybopper material, pumping us his sound and making it more raw, and even reflecting a change in voice. The materail on this disc sets the stage for his glory years at Captiol and Reprise. The seeds of his genius have been planted, and now they just needed room to grow. Songs like "The Birth Of The Blues" and "I'm A Fool To Want You" represent just how much Frank grew in just 13 years.
  
  The sound quality on all these discs are excellent, and the accompanying booklet, clocking in at well over 100 pages, contains an excellent amount of info that will impress most Sinatra fanatics. "A Voice In Time" is an essential purchase for any Sinatra fan. Get it immediately.
  
  
• Sinatra at it's Best
  By A3BUXAP09ETIYY on 2008-01-07
  Anyone who is a Sinatra lover will love this CD collection.
  It was given as a gift and the recipient is thrilled with the selections and quality of the recording. A must have CD for "Old Blue Eyes" fans.
  
  
  
• COLUMBIA'S STUPIDITY MORE OBVIOUS THAN EVER!
  By A33809HAEV6KM2 on 2008-04-06
  Just having listened to the samples proves to me more than ever that towards the end of his Columbia years, Frank was already the more mature singer he would be at Capital. It's easy to ask 'How could Mitch Miller have been so dumb?' More to the point, how could the bosses at Columbia have been so dumb when they fired Manny Sachs his predecessor and hired Miller away from Mercury? It was because he had such success with Frankie Laine. It was a change in popular taste which had something to do with WWII and a loss of innocence, a sense of dislocation, whatever. Miller's trend-catching gimmicks worked for a while. But if Frank had been allowed to stay at Columbia and record whatever he wanted no matter how it sold, he likely would have come upon the idea of concept concert albums since Columbia pioneered the LP and Sinatra was getting strong reviews for his nightclub act. The question then arises, would he have had the opportunity to work with Nelson Riddle, Billy May and Gordon Jenkins who all worked at Capital?
  
  
• What the Fuss Was All About
  By A3JG8ZPXCO0FNZ on 2008-07-30
  I am a huge Sinatra fan. I have dozens of his CDs and LPs. I have read a number of books about him. To me, he is the greatest American male singer. (Ella Fitzgerald is the greatest American female singer.) I purposely overlooked his early career. To me, his career was his recordings on Capitol and Reprise. I had no interest in his early stuff. Big mistake, and this set of recordings on Columbia proves it. From the first disc, when he is the "boy singer" with the band, it is apparent that he was a force. That man could sing his rear end off! He shifted the attention from the band to himself. The rest of the CDs trace his career from band singer to "rock star" to his ascension to "Chairman of the Board".
  
  The recording quality is excellent. I found out about this set via a review in an audiophile magazine where sound quality is as important as content.
  
  If you want to hear a "portrait of an artist as young man", buy this.
  
  
• A Sinatra Treasure
  By A150DW6OMPEPK2 on 2008-08-03
  Some years ago I purchased "Frank Sinatra: The Capital Years." "Frank Sinatra: A Voice in Time (1939-1952)" is the perfect companion to The Capital Years. Covering his recordings on the Bluebird and Colombia labels, the listener hears a Sinatra quite different from the swinging Sinatra of the 50's. This is the balladeer par excellence. Many recordings include the arrangements of Alex Stordahl which fit in so well with Sinatra's smooth delivery.
  The Box Set is comprised of 4 discs entitled "The Big Band Years (1939-1942)," "Teen Idol (1943-1952)," "The Great American Songbook (1943-1947)" and "The Sound of Things to Come (1949-1952). Several of his recordings from from the 1940s feature his backup group, the Pied Pipers with Jo Stafford - a nice extra. The set also includes a book loaded with pictures and interesting tidbits on Sinatra's career and individual recordings included in the collection. For Sinatra fans, this is a must purchase.
  
  
• Remastering
  By ABFI20XZYAADA on 2008-03-12
  This set is the best Sinatra remastering jobs that I have heard. It is fantastic.
  The tune selection was obviously done with love by his family. The Dorsey disc was not only outstanding but had solos by Bunny Berigan,Ziggy Elman and Babe Russin to name a few.
  
  
• From an Old Blue Eyes fan...
  By A27Q29XZUWCHU1 on 2008-04-20
  The book and pictures brought back a lot of memories as I was one of those"bobby soxers" that cut school to go see him in San Francisco. I have listen to to CD's non stop since receiving them..
  
  
• Not to be missed - especially at this price
  By A37YA1WHRQ42BW on 2008-02-08
  Title above says it all. Excellent overview of Sinatra's early career with good sound, for the time, and excellent explanatory booklet. I am in the UK and buying this via the US amazon site saved me about 70% of the amazon UK price - including international postage.
  
  

• Nothing But The Best
• Classic Sinatra: His Greatest Performances 1953-1960
• The Capitol Years
• Frank Sinatra: The Family Album
• Sinatra: Vegas (Box Set, 4CD/1DVD)