Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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?

English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:10

Scene 2. Start

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:29

Scene 2. Stop! Stop, stop!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

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

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

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

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Toby Spence

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

2:53

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

Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Ashley Riches

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

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
English National Opera Chorus

Choir
Jennifer France

Soprano
Rachel Nicholls

Soprano