William Walton / You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown

On this day in classical music: William Walton’s “Facade” received its premiere in 1923. Walton created an instrumental accompaniment for Dame Edith Sitwell’s quirky but descriptive poems. At the premiere, Sitwell read her poems through a megaphone. The brief poems are often humorous, as evident by such titles as “Clowns’ Houses,” “Trio for Two Cats and a Trombone,” “Came the Great Popinjay” and “Jodelling Song.” Sir Frederick Ashton choreographed a ballet based on “Facade” in 1931. Watch Bryden Thompson and the Ulster Orchestra play the “Polka” from “Facade.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdgaQCYFa4Y 

 

On this day in the musical theatre: The revival of “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” closed on Broadway in 1999. Kristin Chenoweth’s Tony Award-winning performance further established the Oklahoma performer as one of the musical theater’s finest talents. The original production, which ran off-Broadway for nearly four years following its 1967 opening, became one of the most frequently staged musicals in high school and college theaters. The popular show was based on the “Peanuts” comic strip characters created by Charles Schulz. For the 1999 revival, composer Andrew Lippa penned three new songs, including “My New Philosophy” for Chenoweth’s character Sally. Chenoweth performs the humorous number on the 1999 Tony Awards. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=060nwhVzzlw 

 

Musical musings: Critics had mixed feelings about this 1999 revival but were nearly unanimous in their praise for Chenoweth. Ben Brantley’s New York Times review was typical: “Ms. Chenoweth has appeared in New York before, most notably in ‘Steel Pier’ and Encores’ concert version of ‘Strike Up the Band,’ but this is the part that should seal her reputation. This glow cast by a star-in-the-making gives a real Broadway magic to a show that otherwise feels sadly shrunken in a Times Square theater.”

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