Alfonso D'Artega
Encyclopedia
Alfonso D'Artega often known simply as D'Artega, was a songwriter, conductor, arranger and actor. His song "In the Blue of the Evening", co-written with Tom Adair
, was a number one hit for the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra
in 1943.
D'Artega was born in Silao
, Guanajuato
, Mexico
. His family emigrating to the U.S. in 1918. D'Artega studied music and composition at Strassberger's Conservatory in St. Louis, Missouri
with Boris Levenson
, who was a pupil of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
. He became a well-known conductor on stage and on air, and in 1946 initiated the Carnegie Hall
"Pops" concerts with members of the New York Philharmonic
. In 1947 he played the role of Tchaikovsky in the film Carnegie Hall, conducting the film score as well. He was guest conductor with, among others, the Buffalo Symphony Orchestra, the Miami Symphony Orchestra, the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra
and the NBC Symphony of the Air
.
D'Artega wrote over 50 songs. Perhaps his most widely recognized composition in the U.S. is "The NBC
Chimes Theme".
One of D’Artega’s earlier ventures was D’Artega’s All-Girl Orchestra, a twenty piece show band. The group was formed in New York City in 1942 and appeared in the Broadway play called “Hair Pin Harmony”. As a result of that success, the group was booked by the newly formed United Service Organization (USO) Camp Shows. The group travelled coast to coast playing at various military bases, ending in California where they were featured in the Paramount Studios picture “You Can’t Ration Love”.
The All-Girl Orchestra continued with the USO and travelled throughout the European and Pacific theaters during World War II
. The first tour started in Italy and followed the advance of Allied troops into Germany, France, and Czechoslovakia. The orchestra continued service with the USO traveling to China, Japan, and islands in the Pacific. D’Artega was not only the inspiration, but wrote, arranged, and conducted the group.
Tom Adair
Thomas "Tom" Montgomery Adair was an American songwriter, composer, and screenwriter.-Biography:Born in Newton, Kansas, worked at a power company and the Saturday Evening Post, writing numerous poems, while penning the songs in his spare time. In 1941, Adair met Matt Dennis in a club and the duo...
, was a number one hit for the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra
Tommy Dorsey
Thomas Francis "Tommy" Dorsey, Jr. was an American jazz trombonist, trumpeter, composer, and bandleader of the Big Band era. He was known as "The Sentimental Gentleman of Swing", due to his smooth-toned trombone playing. He was the younger brother of bandleader Jimmy Dorsey...
in 1943.
D'Artega was born in Silao
Silao
Silao is a city in the west-central part of the state of Guanajuato in Mexico. It is the seat of the municipio with the same name. As of the 2005 census, the city had a population of 147,123, making it the seventh-largest community in the state...
, Guanajuato
Guanajuato
Guanajuato officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Guanajuato is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 46 municipalities and its capital city is Guanajuato....
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. His family emigrating to the U.S. in 1918. D'Artega studied music and composition at Strassberger's Conservatory in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
with Boris Levenson
Boris Levenson
Boris Levenson was a Russian-born American composer. He was born in Bessarabia . Levenson became a pupil of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, before becoming a prominent composer of his own right. A Bessarabian Jew, Levenson focused his work on Jewish folk songs. He traveled to the USA in 1920....
, who was a pupil of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov was a Russian composer, and a member of the group of composers known as The Five.The Five, also known as The Mighty Handful or The Mighty Coterie, refers to a circle of composers who met in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in the years 1856–1870: Mily Balakirev , César...
. He became a well-known conductor on stage and on air, and in 1946 initiated the Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
"Pops" concerts with members of the New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
. In 1947 he played the role of Tchaikovsky in the film Carnegie Hall, conducting the film score as well. He was guest conductor with, among others, the Buffalo Symphony Orchestra, the Miami Symphony Orchestra, the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra
Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra
The Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra is an American symphony orchestra based in St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1880 by Joseph Otten as the St. Louis Choral Society, the SLSO is the second-oldest symphony orchestra in the United States as it is preceded by the New York Philharmonic.-History:The St...
and the NBC Symphony of the Air
NBC Symphony Orchestra
The NBC Symphony Orchestra was a radio orchestra established by David Sarnoff of the National Broadcasting Company especially for conductor Arturo Toscanini...
.
D'Artega wrote over 50 songs. Perhaps his most widely recognized composition in the U.S. is "The NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
Chimes Theme".
One of D’Artega’s earlier ventures was D’Artega’s All-Girl Orchestra, a twenty piece show band. The group was formed in New York City in 1942 and appeared in the Broadway play called “Hair Pin Harmony”. As a result of that success, the group was booked by the newly formed United Service Organization (USO) Camp Shows. The group travelled coast to coast playing at various military bases, ending in California where they were featured in the Paramount Studios picture “You Can’t Ration Love”.
The All-Girl Orchestra continued with the USO and travelled throughout the European and Pacific theaters during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The first tour started in Italy and followed the advance of Allied troops into Germany, France, and Czechoslovakia. The orchestra continued service with the USO traveling to China, Japan, and islands in the Pacific. D’Artega was not only the inspiration, but wrote, arranged, and conducted the group.