Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

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

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, 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 Orchestra, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

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 Orchestra

Orchestra
Edward Gardner

Conductor
Rachel Nicholls

Soprano
English National Opera Chorus

Choir