Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:29

Scene 2. Stop! Stop, stop!

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

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

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

Ashley Riches, Rachel Nicholls, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Joshua Bloom, 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

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

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, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

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

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

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

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

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

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

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

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
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Orchestra
Edward Gardner

Conductor
Robert Murray

Tenor