Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

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

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, London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

5:04

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

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

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

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

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, Jennifer France, Toby Spence, Edward Gardner

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

2:53

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Claire Barnett-Jones, 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

Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:28

Scene 5. I see a meadow, fragrant with flowers

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

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, English National Opera Chorus, Edward Gardner

1:36

Scene 9. Allegretto non troppo

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

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
Ashley Riches

Vocals
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Orchestra