Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

London Philharmonic Choir, English National Opera Chorus, 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, Susan Bickley, Robert Murray, Joshua Bloom

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

London Philharmonic Choir, English National Opera Chorus, 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

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

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

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

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

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, Ashley Riches, Claire Barnett-Jones

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

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

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

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

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
Ashley Riches

Vocals
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Orchestra
Edward Gardner

Conductor