Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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

3:49

Scene 1. What's that? Surely music?

English National Opera Chorus, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:10

Scene 2. Start

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:29

Scene 2. Stop! Stop, stop!

Edward Gardner, Robert Murray, 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

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

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

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

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

1:12

Scene 2. Strephon, Dancers

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:41

Scene 3. Bella, Jack

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus, Edward Gardner

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

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

Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

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, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:36

Scene 9. Allegretto non troppo

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

Soprano
London Philharmonic Choir

Choir
English National Opera Chorus

Choir
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Orchestra