Alfonso D'Artega (June 5, 1907 – January 20, 1998), often known simply as D'Artega, was a songwriter, conductor, arranger and actor. His song " In the Blue of 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 Guanajuato, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Guanajuato, is one of the 32 states that make up the Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into Municipalities of Guanajuato, 46 municipalities and its cap ...

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

. His family emigrated 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 Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhattan), 57t ...

"Pops" concerts with members of the New York Philharmonic. In 1947 he played the role of Tchaikovsky in the film ''

'', 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 The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed F ...

) Camp Shows. The group traveled coast to coast playing at various military bases, ending in California where they were featured in the

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...

release " You Can’t Ration Love". The All-Girl Orchestra continued with the USO and traveled throughout the European and Pacific theaters during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. 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. For the 1973 film ''Fifty Years of Thorns and Roses'', a documentary about saint, priest, and mystic Padre Pio of Pietrelcena, Alfonso D'Artega composed and copyrighted the score.D'Artega., Alfonso. TITLES OF MUSICAL EPISODES IN 50 YEARS OF THORNS AND ROSES; m Alfonso D Condensed score. Appl. ti.: Padre Pio of Pietrelcina. © Alfonso D'Artega; 5Sep72; EU353943. 1. D'Artega, Alfonso. 2. T: Fifty years of thorns and roses. 3. T: Padre Pio of Pietrelcina. • pab-Of 72-2 10-2 https://vcc.copyright.gov/browse

Filmography

Screenplay and Artwork for Film Project

Discography

References

External links

Gloria Parker Collection of Alfonso D'Artega Materials, 1942-2002
at the Library of Congress * * {{DEFAULTSORT:D'Artega, Alfonso American male composers Hispanic and Latino American musicians Mexican emigrants to the United States Mexican composers Mexican male composers 1907 births 1998 deaths American musicians of Mexican descent 20th-century American composers 20th-century American male musicians Musicians from Guanajuato