Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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 Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, 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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:29

Scene 2. Stop! Stop, stop!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

London Philharmonic Choir, 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

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

1:51

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

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

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

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

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

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

5:04

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

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

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus

3:35

Scene 5. Start

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, 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

Claire Barnett-Jones, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:28

Scene 5. I see a meadow, fragrant with flowers

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, Robert Murray, Susan Bickley, Rachel Nicholls, 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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus, Edward Gardner

1:36

Scene 9. Allegretto non troppo

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

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
London Philharmonic Choir

Choir
Rachel Nicholls

Soprano
English National Opera Chorus

Choir