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Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

Sir Michael Tippett
The Midsummer Marriage
2:38:27
Scene 1. Start
English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner
3:49
Scene 1. What's that? Surely music?
English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner
1:10
Scene 2. Start
London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner
1:29
Scene 2. Stop! Stop, stop!
London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Susan Bickley, Robert Murray, 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, English National Opera Chorus, Robert Murray
4:34
Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus
Ashley Riches, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Rachel Nicholls, English National Opera Chorus, Robert Murray
7:05
Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients
Jennifer France, Joshua Bloom, Susan Bickley, English National Opera Chorus, Ashley Riches, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner
4:47
Scene 6. Start
Ashley Riches, 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
English National Opera Chorus, Ashley Riches, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner
1:51
Scene 7. King Fisher, Jack, Bella, Chorus, Sosostris
Jennifer France, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Ashley Riches, English National Opera Chorus, Toby Spence, Claire Barnett-Jones
8:28
Scene 8. Start
Ashley Riches, English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner
1:10
Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel
Robert Murray, Rachel Nicholls, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Joshua Bloom, Ashley Riches, Susan Bickley
6:21
Scene 8. Is it so strange…
Rachel Nicholls, Ashley Riches, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus, Joshua Bloom
6:10
Scene 8. You, you who were with me when she left me
Robert Murray, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus
2:21
Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance
London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Rachel Nicholls, Robert Murray, English National Opera Chorus
1:55
Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…
Ashley Riches, Rachel Nicholls, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus, Robert Murray
3:50
Scene 8. We are the laughing children
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
0:41
Scene 1. Start
Jennifer France, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Toby Spence
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
London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Toby Spence, 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
Jennifer France, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Toby Spence
6:26
Post-Scene. Chorus offstage
London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner
1:20
Start
English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner
0:54
Scene 1. Chorus, Half-Tipsy Man, A Dancing Man, King Fisher
Ashley Riches, English National Opera Chorus, John Findon, Paul Sheehan, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner
3:49
Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus
English National Opera Chorus, Ashley Riches, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner
2:28
Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients
Ashley Riches, Jennifer France, Susan Bickley, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Joshua Bloom
3:19
Scene 4. Chorus
English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner
3:35
Scene 5. Start
Ashley Riches, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus
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
Claire Barnett-Jones, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner
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
Ashley Riches, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones
2:24
Scene 6. King Fisher, Bella, Jack, Chorus, Sosostris
Toby Spence, Jennifer France, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Ashley Riches, English National Opera Chorus
5:24
Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus
English National Opera Chorus, Joshua Bloom, Susan Bickley, Ashley Riches, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner
3:33
Scene 8. Start
English National Opera Chorus, Sophie Goldrick, Susan Bickley, Joshua Bloom, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Robert Winslade Anderson
3:04
Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!
English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner
1:38
4th Dance. Fire in Summer
Susan Bickley, Robert Murray, English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Rachel Nicholls
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, English National Opera Chorus, Jennifer France, Susan Bickley, Robert Murray, Joshua Bloom, Toby Spence, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner
1:53
Scene 9. Piu mosso alla breve - fall and are built again
London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner
3:52

23 September 2022 49 Tracks, 2 Hours 38 minutes ℗ 2022 BBC

RECORD LABEL

London Philharmonic Orchestra

  • Sir Michael Tippett

    Composer

  • London Philharmonic Orchestra

    Orchestra, Choir

  • Edward Gardner

    Conductor

  • Rachel Nicholls

    Soprano

  • English National Opera Chorus

    Choir

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