Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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

3:49

Scene 1. What's that? Surely music?

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus

1:10

Scene 2. Start

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:29

Scene 2. Stop! Stop, stop!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

London Philharmonic Choir, Ashley Riches, 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

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

1:51

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

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

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

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

Edward Gardner, Ashley Riches, London Philharmonic Choir, Rachel Nicholls, Robert Murray, London Philharmonic Orchestra, 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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

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

1:12

Scene 2. Strephon, Dancers

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:02

1st Dance. The Earth in Autumn

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Toby Spence

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

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, Ashley Riches, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

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

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

5:23

Scene 9. Start

English National Opera Chorus, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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

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

Soprano
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Orchestra
Edward Gardner

Conductor