Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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

3:49

Scene 1. What's that? Surely music?

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus

1:10

Scene 2. Start

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:29

Scene 2. Stop! Stop, stop!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:47

Pre-scene. Crying as they're flying and this is what they say

London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

Edward Gardner, Jennifer France, London Philharmonic Orchestra, 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

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus, Edward Gardner

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

2:53

Scene 5. Who hopes to conjure with the world of dreams

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones

3:28

Scene 5. I see a meadow, fragrant with flowers

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

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

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

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, English National Opera Chorus, Edward Gardner

1:36

Scene 9. Allegretto non troppo

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

Joshua Bloom, Jennifer France, Rachel Nicholls, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Toby Spence, Claire Barnett-Jones, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir, Susan Bickley, 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
Ashley Riches

Vocals
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Orchestra
Edward Gardner

Conductor
English National Opera Chorus

Choir