Axel Stordahl
Encyclopedia
Axel Stordahl was an arranger
who was active from the late 1930s through the 1950s. He is perhaps best known for his work with Frank Sinatra
in the 1940s at Columbia Records
. With his sophisticated orchestrations, Stordahl is credited with helping to bring pop arranging into the modern age.
, New York
to Norwegian
immigrant parents. He began his career as a trumpet
er in Jazz bands which played in several dance bands around Long Island
and the Catskills during the late '20s and early '30s. He also began arranging around this time, and in 1933 he joined Bert Bloch's orchestra in both capacities. Over the next couple of years, Stordahl sang on the side in a vocal trio dubbed the Three Esquires.
In 1935, he joined Tommy Dorsey
's new orchestra and soon became the band's main arranger. In January 1940, Sinatra joined the group as vocalist, and it became apparent that Stordahl's arrangements were particularly well suited to the singer's voice.
In January 1942, Stordahl arranged Sinatra's very first commercial solo recordings (which appeared on the RCA Records
sub-label Bluebird), and when Sinatra left Dorsey seven months later to go solo, Stordahl went with him. In the subsequent decade, Sinatra cut close to three hundred sides for Columbia Records
, of which three quarters were arranged by Stordahl. In addition, Stordahl provided the orchestral backings, both as arranger and conductor, for several hundreds of songs in various Sinatra radio shows. He was the credited orchestrator for the 1945 Academy Award-winning picture Anchors Aweigh
which starred Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly
.
Stordahl was admired for his skills in framing Sinatra's voice, creating a soft, opulent sound with swirling strings, understated rhythms and woodwinds. He was one of the first American arrangers to tailor his work to the vocal qualities of a specific singer. When Sinatra moved to Capitol Records
in 1953, Stordahl arranged his first recording session there (which produced four songs). From then, however, Sinatra worked with Nelson Riddle
, who cultivated his jazz-oriented qualities, and Gordon Jenkins
.
Stordahl went on to work with such singers as Bing Crosby
, Doris Day
, Eddie Fisher
, Dinah Shore
, and Dean Martin
, among others. Although best known as an arranger, Stordahl also composed a number of songs of which Day by Day
with music by Axel Stordahl and Paul Weston
and lyrics by Sammy Cahn
, is the best known. He also composed and orchestrated the theme to the television sitcom series McHale's Navy
.
In 1961, Sinatra returned to collaborate with an already ailing Stordahl for his final Capitol album, Point of No Return
.
(of the Pied Pipers) in 1951. Stordahl died in 1963 at the age of fifty of cancer in Encino, California. He was interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California
. His wife June Hutton, who died in 1973, is interred next to him.
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
who was active from the late 1930s through the 1950s. He is perhaps best known for his work with Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
in the 1940s at Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
. With his sophisticated orchestrations, Stordahl is credited with helping to bring pop arranging into the modern age.
Biography
Stordahl was born in Staten IslandStaten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
immigrant parents. He began his career as a trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
er in Jazz bands which played in several dance bands around Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
and the Catskills during the late '20s and early '30s. He also began arranging around this time, and in 1933 he joined Bert Bloch's orchestra in both capacities. Over the next couple of years, Stordahl sang on the side in a vocal trio dubbed the Three Esquires.
In 1935, he joined Tommy Dorsey
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...
's new orchestra and soon became the band's main arranger. In January 1940, Sinatra joined the group as vocalist, and it became apparent that Stordahl's arrangements were particularly well suited to the singer's voice.
In January 1942, Stordahl arranged Sinatra's very first commercial solo recordings (which appeared on the RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
sub-label Bluebird), and when Sinatra left Dorsey seven months later to go solo, Stordahl went with him. In the subsequent decade, Sinatra cut close to three hundred sides for Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, of which three quarters were arranged by Stordahl. In addition, Stordahl provided the orchestral backings, both as arranger and conductor, for several hundreds of songs in various Sinatra radio shows. He was the credited orchestrator for the 1945 Academy Award-winning picture Anchors Aweigh
Anchors Aweigh (film)
Anchors Aweigh is a 1945 American musical comedy film directed by George Sidney in which two sailors go on a four-day shore leave in Hollywood, accompanied by music and song, meet an aspiring young singer and try to help her get an audition at MGM...
which starred Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly
Gene Kelly
Eugene Curran "Gene" Kelly was an American dancer, actor, singer, film director and producer, and choreographer...
.
Stordahl was admired for his skills in framing Sinatra's voice, creating a soft, opulent sound with swirling strings, understated rhythms and woodwinds. He was one of the first American arrangers to tailor his work to the vocal qualities of a specific singer. When Sinatra moved to Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
in 1953, Stordahl arranged his first recording session there (which produced four songs). From then, however, Sinatra worked with Nelson Riddle
Nelson Riddle
Nelson Smock Riddle, Jr. was an American arranger, composer, bandleader and orchestrator whose career stretched from the late 1940s to the mid 1980s...
, who cultivated his jazz-oriented qualities, and Gordon Jenkins
Gordon Jenkins
Gordon Hill Jenkins was an American arranger, composer and pianist who was an influential figure in popular music in the 1940s and 1950s, renowned for his lush string arrangements...
.
Stordahl went on to work with such singers as Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
, Doris Day
Doris Day
Doris Day is an American actress, singer and, since her retirement from show business, an animal rights activist. With an entertainment career that spanned through almost 50 years, Day started her career as a big band singer in 1939, but only began to be noticed after her first hit recording,...
, Eddie Fisher
Eddie Fisher (singer)
Edwin Jack "Eddie" Fisher , was an American entertainer. He was one of the world's most famous and successful singers in the 1950s, selling millions of records and hosting his own TV show. His divorce from his first wife, Debbie Reynolds, to marry his best friend's widow, Elizabeth Taylor, garnered...
, Dinah Shore
Dinah Shore
Dinah Shore was an American singer, actress, and television personality...
, and Dean Martin
Dean Martin
Dean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...
, among others. Although best known as an arranger, Stordahl also composed a number of songs of which Day by Day
Day by Day (song)
"Day by Day" is a popular song with music by Axel Stordahl and Paul Weston and lyrics by Sammy Cahn.-Recorded versions:*Ernestine Anderson*Ray Anthony*Shirley Bassey*Les Brown & His Orchestra *Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland Sextet...
with music by Axel Stordahl and Paul Weston
Paul Weston
Paul Weston was an American pianist, arranger, composer and conductor. Weston was born Paul Wetstein in Springfield, Massachusetts...
and lyrics by Sammy Cahn
Sammy Cahn
Sammy Cahn was an American lyricist, songwriter and musician. He is best known for his romantic lyrics to films and Broadway songs, as well as stand-alone songs premiered by recording companies in the Greater Los Angeles Area...
, is the best known. He also composed and orchestrated the theme to the television sitcom series McHale's Navy
McHale's Navy
McHale's Navy is an American television sitcom series which ran for 138 half-hour episodes from October 11,1962, to August 31, 1966, on the ABC network. The series was filmed in black and white and originated in a one-hour drama called Seven Against the Sea, broadcast on April 3, 1962...
.
In 1961, Sinatra returned to collaborate with an already ailing Stordahl for his final Capitol album, Point of No Return
Point of No Return (Frank Sinatra album)
Point of No Return is an album by American singer Frank Sinatra, released in 1962.As the title reflects, the album contains Sinatra's final recorded songs with Capitol Records before permanently moving to his own Reprise Records label to achieve more artistic freedom with his recordings.Indeed, he...
.
Personal life
Stordahl married singer June HuttonJune Hutton
June Hutton was an American popular singer.-Career:Born in Chicago of African American descent, in the late 1930s, Hutton joined the band of her older sister, Ina Ray Hutton, singing under the name of Elaine Merritt...
(of the Pied Pipers) in 1951. Stordahl died in 1963 at the age of fifty of cancer in Encino, California. He was interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California
Glendale, California
Glendale is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city population is 191,719, down from 194,973 at the 2000 census. making it the third largest city in Los Angeles County and the 22nd largest city in the state of California...
. His wife June Hutton, who died in 1973, is interred next to him.
Selected compositions
- I Should Care (1945)
- Day by Day (1946)
- Ain'tcha Ever Comin' Back (1947)
- Night After Night (1949)
- Meet Me at the Copa (1950)