Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:29

Scene 2. Stop! Stop, stop!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

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

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 Choir, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

0:41

Scene 1. Start

London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, 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

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

1:12

Scene 2. Strephon, Dancers

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:41

Scene 3. Bella, Jack

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

2:53

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, 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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Claire Barnett-Jones

3:28

Scene 5. I see a meadow, fragrant with flowers

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

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

5:23

Scene 9. Start

Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra

2:23

Scene 9. O summer sun golden faced glorious globe

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus

1:36

Scene 9. Allegretto non troppo

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

1:53

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:52

Sir Michael Tippett

Composer
Jennifer France

Soprano
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Orchestra
Edward Gardner

Conductor
Ashley Riches

Vocals