Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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 Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, 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!

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

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

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, 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 Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

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

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

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, Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones

3:28

Scene 5. I see a meadow, fragrant with flowers

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

Susan Bickley, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Robert Winslade Anderson, Joshua Bloom, Sophie Goldrick, 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

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

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

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

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
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Orchestra
Edward Gardner

Conductor
Rachel Nicholls

Soprano