Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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!

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

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Robert Murray, Ashley Riches, Rachel Nicholls, London Philharmonic Choir, 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

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

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, 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

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

2:53

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

Claire Barnett-Jones, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

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

Claire Barnett-Jones, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:28

Scene 5. I see a meadow, fragrant with flowers

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

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

5:23

Scene 9. Start

English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, 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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

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
Rachel Nicholls

Soprano
English National Opera Chorus

Choir