Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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

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, Robert Murray, Susan Bickley, Joshua Bloom

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

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

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

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

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 Orchestra, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

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

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

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

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

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

Claire Barnett-Jones, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

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, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:28

Scene 5. I see a meadow, fragrant with flowers

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

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

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

1:53

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:52

Sir Michael Tippett

Composer
London Philharmonic Choir

Choir
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Orchestra
Edward Gardner

Conductor
Rachel Nicholls

Soprano