Hugo Winterhalter facts for kids

Hugo Winterhalter (born August 15, 1909 – died September 17, 1973) was an American musician. He was a talented easy listening arranger and composer. An arranger takes a song and decides which instruments will play which parts, making it sound unique. A composer writes the original music. Hugo Winterhalter was especially known for his many musical arrangements and recordings for RCA Victor, a famous record company.

Early Life and Musical Journey

Hugo Ferdinand Winterhalter was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, on August 15, 1909. He loved music from a young age. He went to Mount St. Mary's University in Maryland, where he played the saxophone in the orchestra and sang in choirs. Later, he studied other musical instruments like the violin at the New England Conservatory of Music.

After finishing school, Hugo taught for a few years. But his passion was music! In the mid-1930s, he became a professional musician. He worked as a sideman (a musician who plays with a band but isn't a main member) and an arranger for famous bandleaders like Count Basie and Tommy Dorsey.

Rising to Fame

Hugo Winterhalter also arranged and conducted music for popular singers such as Dinah Shore and Billy Eckstine. In 1948, he became the musical director at MGM Records. This meant he was in charge of the music for the record label.

After two years, he moved to Columbia Records. There, he had his first big hit songs with his recordings of "Jealous Heart" and "Blue Christmas".

Success at RCA Victor

In 1950, Hugo Winterhalter joined RCA Victor, which was a very big step in his career. He arranged music for many of the top pop artists of that time. These included famous singers like Perry Como, Harry Belafonte, and Eddie Fisher.

He also recorded several instrumental albums. These albums featured music played only by instruments, without singing. One of his notable albums was Great Music Themes of Television from 1952. It is thought to be the first collection of TV theme songs ever recorded!

Winterhalter had many songs that became hits on the music charts. Some of these were "Mr. Touchdown, U.S.A.", "A Kiss to Build a Dream On", and "Blue Tango". In 1956, he had a huge number one hit on the Billboard charts with "Canadian Sunset", which he recorded with pianist Eddie Heywood. This song sold over one million copies and earned a gold disc award!

Music for Movies and Later Career

Hugo Winterhalter also worked on music for movies. He wrote the main theme song for the film Diamond Head in 1962. He also worked as a conductor and arranger for other movies, like Bundle of Joy (1956) and Thrill of a Romance (1945).

He stayed with RCA Victor until 1963. After that, he moved to Kapp Records. He recorded a few more albums there, like The Best of '64. Later, he worked on Broadway shows and in television. He continued to record albums for different record labels. His last song to appear on the US charts was "Theme From 'Popi'" in 1969.

Hugo Winterhalter passed away on September 17, 1973, in Greenwich, Connecticut. He left behind a wonderful legacy of music.

Musical Style

Hugo Winterhalter was known for his unique musical style. He often used a very large group of instruments in his arrangements. This included many string instruments (like violins), a full brass section (like trumpets and trombones), and woodwind instruments (like flutes). He was one of the first big-band leaders to use instruments like the French horn in popular music, which were usually found in classical orchestras.

His special arranging touch made even well-known songs sound fresh and exciting. His music was often described as "ear-filling" because it used so many different sounds and instruments to create a rich, full sound.