Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

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

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, 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

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

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

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, Jennifer France, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

2:53

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

Claire Barnett-Jones, London Philharmonic Orchestra, 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

Claire Barnett-Jones, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

1:53

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:52

Sir Michael Tippett

Composer
Robert Murray

Tenor
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Orchestra
Edward Gardner

Conductor
English National Opera Chorus

Choir