Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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 Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, English National Opera Chorus

3:49

Scene 1. What's that? Surely music?

London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus, Edward Gardner

1:10

Scene 2. Start

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:29

Scene 2. Stop! Stop, stop!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

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

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

London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

Jennifer France, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Toby Spence, 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

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, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Toby Spence, Edward Gardner

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus

3:35

Scene 5. Start

Edward Gardner, Ashley Riches, London Philharmonic Orchestra, 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

Claire Barnett-Jones, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:56

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

Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones, 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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

5:23

Scene 9. Start

English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

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 Orchestra

Orchestra
Edward Gardner

Conductor
Jennifer France

Soprano