Alfonso D'Artega
BornJune 5, 1907
Silao, Guanajuato, Mexico
DiedJanuary 20, 1998(1998-01-20) (aged 90)
Occupation(s)songwriter, conductor, arranger, and actor

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, Mexico. 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 "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 traveled coast to coast playing at various military bases, ending in California where they were featured in the Paramount Pictures 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. 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.[1]

Filmography

Film Roles
Title Role Year
Carnegie Hall Tschaikowski 1947
You Can't Ration Love Orchestra Leader 1944
Fifty Years of Thorns and Roses[1] Soundtrack Composer 1973

Screenplay and Artwork for Film Project

Created by D'Artega and William D. Van Ness:[2]
Title Media Year
The Magic World:

A Science Fiction Musical Fantasy

 Screenplay 1953
Valedon as seen from the Martian farms Painting 1953
Mining operations and construction of

star ships seen from Phobos

 Painting 1953
The Martian war machine and planet disruptor Painting 1953
The Martian city of Valedon Painting 1953
The Martian Alphonian monastery Painting 1953
Ice Caverns, demons of fire and ice loandra Painting 1953
The grand canal festival on Mars Painting 1953
The enchanted gardens of Viana Painting 1953
Club Saturn Interior [night club on planet] Painting 1953
Club Saturn Exterior Painting 1953
Ballet of the Meadow Sprites Painting 1953

Discography

Title Year Words Music
Peace or War?

Prayer for Disarmament

(The Swan)[3]

 1978 Bernard E. Stankiewicz



Alfonso D'Artega
Fifty Years of Thorns and Roses[1] 1972 Alfonso D'Artega
When I lift up my heart in prayer.[4]

For 6-part chorus of mixed voices with piano

 1955 Charles J. White Alfonso D'Artega
Fire and Ice Ballet[5] 1954 Alfonso D'Artega
Astral Ballet[6] 1953 Alfonso D'Artega

& Michael Grace

My Heart is Gay[7] 1953 William D. Van Ness Alfonso D'Artega
All This Could Be a Dream[8] 1953 William D. Van Ness Alfonso D'Artega
Stories in the Stars[9] 1951 Dick Sanford Alfonso D'Artega
The song that made you mine[10] 1951 William Carroll Loveday Alfonso D'Artega
Romance in Carnegie Hall

(from film Carnegie Hall)[11]

 1947 Alfonso D'Artega &

Buddy Kaye

 Alfonso D'Artega &

Buddy Kaye

Valley of Dreams-come-true[12] 1947 Jack Lawrence, Paul Reif,

& Alfonso D'Artega

 Jack Lawrence, Paul Reif,

& Alfonso D'Artega

Dream Concerto[13] 1947 Alfonso D'Artega &

Paul Reif

 Alfonso D'Artega

& Paul Reif

Go Sleepy Sleep[14] 1946 Alfonso D'Artega &

Eddie White

 Alfonso D'Artega

& Eddie White

References

  1. 1 2 3 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
  2. ↑ US Copyright Office Virtual Card Catalog Drawer Label: VANN-VANR Card Numbers: .0165-.0179 https://vcc.copyright.gov/browse
  3. ↑ "U.S. Copyright Office Public Records System". publicrecords.copyright.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
  4. ↑ "U.S. Copyright Office Public Records System". publicrecords.copyright.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
  5. ↑ "U.S. Copyright Office Public Records System". publicrecords.copyright.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
  6. ↑ US Copyright Office Virtual Card Catalog, Drawer: Grac-Grac, Card #.0144 1945-1954
  7. ↑ US Copyright Virtual Card Catalog Drawer Label: DARLINGA-DASHH Card .0563 https://vcc.copyright.gov/browse
  8. ↑ US Copyright Virtual Card Catalog Drawer Label: DARLINGA-DASHH Card .0544
  9. ↑ US Copyright Virtual Card Catalog Drawer Label: DARLINGA-DASHH Card .0543
  10. ↑ US Copyright Virtual Card Catalog Drawer Label: DARLINGA-DASHH Card .0564
  11. ↑ US Copyright Virtual Card Catalog Drawer Label: DARLINGA-DASHH Card .0547
  12. ↑ US Copyright Virtual Card Catalog Drawer Label: DARLINGA-DASHH Card .0566
  13. ↑ US Copyright Virtual Card Catalog Drawer Label: DARLINGA-DASHH Card .0540
  14. ↑ US Copyright Virtual Card Catalog Drawer Label: DARLINGA-DASHH Card .0541
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