Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Robert Murray, English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Jennifer France, London Philharmonic Choir, Ashley Riches, Rachel Nicholls

2022

Modelled on Mozart’s The Magic Flute, the English composer Michael Tippett’s 1955 opera, The Midsummer Marriage, has confounded some and delighted many in its playful mix of myth, Jungian psychology and sexual symbolism. It leaps joyfully off the page in this live recording made at London’s Royal Festival Hall in 2021. Conductor Edward Gardner is the energising presence, delighting in Tippett’s ravishingly detailed orchestration and drawing vividly committed performances from the singers. Among these, the tenor Robert Murray excels as Mark, while Toby Spence and soprano Jennifer France catch Tippett’s sense of humour winningly in Act II’s conclusion. Tinglingly alive in every bar, Gardner’s interpretation fully vindicates the quirkiness and optimism of Tippett’s vision.

Scene 1. Start

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir, English National Opera Chorus

3:49

Scene 1. What's that? Surely music?

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

1:10

Scene 2. Start

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:29

Scene 2. Stop! Stop, stop!

Susan Bickley, Robert Murray, Joshua Bloom, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Robert Murray, English National Opera Chorus

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

Ashley Riches, Robert Murray, Rachel Nicholls, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir, English National Opera Chorus

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

Jennifer France, London Philharmonic Choir, Susan Bickley, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Ashley Riches, Joshua Bloom, English National Opera Chorus

4:47

Scene 6. Start

Ashley Riches, London Philharmonic Choir, English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

2:49

Scene 6. So you, so you, so you're the company my daughter keeps

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir, Ashley Riches, English National Opera Chorus

1:51

Scene 7. King Fisher, Jack, Bella, Chorus, Sosostris

London Philharmonic Choir, Toby Spence, Claire Barnett-Jones, Ashley Riches, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Jennifer France, English National Opera Chorus

8:28

Scene 8. Start

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir, Ashley Riches, English National Opera Chorus

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

Rachel Nicholls, Susan Bickley, Robert Murray, Joshua Bloom, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Ashley Riches

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Joshua Bloom, Ashley Riches, Rachel Nicholls, English National Opera Chorus

6:10

Scene 8. You, you who were with me when she left me

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Robert Murray, English National Opera Chorus

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Rachel Nicholls, London Philharmonic Choir, Robert Murray, English National Opera Chorus

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

Robert Murray, Rachel Nicholls, English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Choir, Ashley Riches, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

London Philharmonic Choir, English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:49

Pre-scene. Start

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:47

Pre-scene. Crying as they're flying and this is what they say

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir

0:41

Scene 1. Start

London Philharmonic Choir, Toby Spence, Jennifer France, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

5:04

Scene 1. I'll lay the baby to my breast and rock it

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Toby Spence, Jennifer France

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

Toby Spence, Jennifer France, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:12

Scene 2. Strephon, Dancers

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:02

1st Dance. The Earth in Autumn

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

4:07

2nd Dance. The Waters in Winter

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

5:36

3rd Dance. The Air in Spring

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:41

Scene 3. Bella, Jack

Toby Spence, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Jennifer France

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir

1:20

Start

London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

0:54

Scene 1. Chorus, Half-Tipsy Man, A Dancing Man, King Fisher

Ashley Riches, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, John Findon, London Philharmonic Choir, English National Opera Chorus, Paul Sheehan

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Ashley Riches, English National Opera Chorus

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

Joshua Bloom, Jennifer France, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Ashley Riches, Susan Bickley

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

3:35

Scene 5. Start

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Ashley Riches, English National Opera Chorus

2:53

Scene 5. Who hopes to conjure with the world of dreams

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones

2:39

Scene 5. I alone, cannot consult myself

Claire Barnett-Jones, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:56

Scene 5. You who consult me should never, [never,] doubt me

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones

3:28

Scene 5. I see a meadow, fragrant with flowers

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Ashley Riches, Claire Barnett-Jones

2:24

Scene 6. King Fisher, Bella, Jack, Chorus, Sosostris

Jennifer France, Toby Spence, Ashley Riches, London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Joshua Bloom, English National Opera Chorus, Susan Bickley, Ashley Riches

3:33

Scene 8. Start

Sophie Goldrick, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Susan Bickley, Robert Winslade Anderson, Joshua Bloom, English National Opera Chorus

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus, Rachel Nicholls, London Philharmonic Choir, Robert Murray, Susan Bickley

5:23

Scene 9. Start

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

2:23

Scene 9. O summer sun golden faced glorious globe

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

1:36

Scene 9. Allegretto non troppo

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

Robert Murray, Joshua Bloom, Claire Barnett-Jones, Susan Bickley, Rachel Nicholls, Jennifer France, Toby Spence, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir, English National Opera Chorus

1:53

Scene 9. Piu mosso alla breve - fall and are built again

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:52

Sir Michael Tippett

Composer
Robert Murray

Tenor
English National Opera Chorus

Choir
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Orchestra
Edward Gardner

Conductor