Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

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

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 Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

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

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:41

Scene 3. Bella, Jack

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

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

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Claire Barnett-Jones, Edward Gardner

3:28

Scene 5. I see a meadow, fragrant with flowers

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

5:23

Scene 9. Start

London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus, 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

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

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
Ashley Riches

Vocals
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Orchestra
Edward Gardner

Conductor