Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, 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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:29

Scene 2. Stop! Stop, stop!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

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

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

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

0:49

Pre-scene. Start

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:47

Pre-scene. Crying as they're flying and this is what they say

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

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

1:12

Scene 2. Strephon, Dancers

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:02

1st Dance. The Earth in Autumn

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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, Toby Spence, Edward Gardner

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

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

Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:28

Scene 5. I see a meadow, fragrant with flowers

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

5:23

Scene 9. Start

Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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

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

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 Choir

Choir
Jennifer France

Soprano
Ashley Riches

Vocals