Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

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 Orchestra, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

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

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

5:36

3rd Dance. The Air in Spring

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:41

Scene 3. Bella, Jack

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

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, Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones

2:39

Scene 5. I alone, cannot consult myself

Claire Barnett-Jones, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

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

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

5:23

Scene 9. Start

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

2:23

Scene 9. O summer sun golden faced glorious globe

English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:36

Scene 9. Allegretto non troppo

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

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 Orchestra

Orchestra
Edward Gardner

Conductor
London Philharmonic Choir

Choir
Robert Murray

Tenor