Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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

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

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

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 Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

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

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

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

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

3:35

Scene 5. Start

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, 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

Claire Barnett-Jones, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:56

Scene 5. You who consult me should never, [never,] doubt me

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones

3:28

Scene 5. I see a meadow, fragrant with flowers

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

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

1:53

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:52

Sir Michael Tippett

Composer
Ashley Riches

Vocals
English National Opera Chorus

Choir
Rachel Nicholls

Soprano
Robert Murray

Tenor