Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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

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

3:49

Scene 1. What's that? Surely music?

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus

1:10

Scene 2. Start

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:29

Scene 2. Stop! Stop, stop!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

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

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, London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

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

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

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones

3:56

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Claire Barnett-Jones, Edward Gardner

3:28

Scene 5. I see a meadow, fragrant with flowers

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus

1:36

Scene 9. Allegretto non troppo

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

1:53

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:52

Sir Michael Tippett

Composer
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Orchestra
Edward Gardner

Conductor
English National Opera Chorus

Choir
Rachel Nicholls

Soprano