Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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, London Philharmonic Choir, 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, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Susan Bickley, Robert Murray

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

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

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 Choir, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Toby Spence, Jennifer France, 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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:41

Scene 3. Bella, Jack

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

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

Claire Barnett-Jones, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:56

Scene 5. You who consult me should never, [never,] doubt me

Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

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

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
Rachel Nicholls

Soprano
Robert Murray

Tenor