Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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

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, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

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

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

Jennifer France, Edward Gardner, 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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

5:36

3rd Dance. The Air in Spring

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:41

Scene 3. Bella, Jack

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

3:35

Scene 5. Start

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, 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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Claire Barnett-Jones

3:28

Scene 5. I see a meadow, fragrant with flowers

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

5:23

Scene 9. Start

London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus, Edward Gardner

2:23

Scene 9. O summer sun golden faced glorious globe

English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:36

Scene 9. Allegretto non troppo

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

1:53

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:52

Sir Michael Tippett

Composer
London Philharmonic Choir

Choir
Ashley Riches

Vocals
English National Opera Chorus

Choir
Rachel Nicholls

Soprano