Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, 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, London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

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

1:12

Scene 2. Strephon, Dancers

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:02

1st Dance. The Earth in Autumn

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

4:07

2nd Dance. The Waters in Winter

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

5:36

3rd Dance. The Air in Spring

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:41

Scene 3. Bella, Jack

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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

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

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, Joshua Bloom, Edward Gardner, Susan Bickley, Jennifer France

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

Claire Barnett-Jones, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

2:39

Scene 5. I alone, cannot consult myself

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Claire Barnett-Jones

3:56

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Claire Barnett-Jones

3:28

Scene 5. I see a meadow, fragrant with flowers

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus

1:36

Scene 9. Allegretto non troppo

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

1:53

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:52

Sir Michael Tippett

Composer
London Philharmonic Choir

Choir
English National Opera Chorus

Choir
Robert Murray

Tenor
Rachel Nicholls

Soprano