Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

Scene 1. Start

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

3:49

Scene 1. What's that? Surely music?

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus

1:10

Scene 2. Start

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:29

Scene 2. Stop! Stop, stop!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

Edward Gardner, Jennifer France, 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

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Claire Barnett-Jones, Edward Gardner

2:39

Scene 5. I alone, cannot consult myself

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Claire Barnett-Jones, 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

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

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

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

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

Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:36

Scene 9. Allegretto non troppo

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

1:53

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:52

Sir Michael Tippett

Composer
Robert Murray

Tenor
English National Opera Chorus

Choir
London Philharmonic Choir

Choir
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Orchestra