Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:29

Scene 2. Stop! Stop, stop!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

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

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

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

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:41

Scene 3. Bella, Jack

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus

3:35

Scene 5. Start

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Ashley Riches, 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, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:28

Scene 5. I see a meadow, fragrant with flowers

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

5:23

Scene 9. Start

English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

Choir
Rachel Nicholls

Soprano
Robert Murray

Tenor
Ashley Riches

Vocals