Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

Jennifer France, Edward Gardner, 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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

5:36

3rd Dance. The Air in Spring

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:41

Scene 3. Bella, Jack

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

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

2:39

Scene 5. I alone, cannot consult myself

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Claire Barnett-Jones, Edward Gardner

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

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

5:23

Scene 9. Start

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, 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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

1:53

Scene 9. Piu mosso alla breve - fall and are built again

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:52

Sir Michael Tippett

Composer
English National Opera Chorus

Choir
Robert Murray

Tenor
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Orchestra
Edward Gardner

Conductor