Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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

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

3:49

Scene 1. What's that? Surely music?

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus

1:10

Scene 2. Start

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:29

Scene 2. Stop! Stop, stop!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

Joshua Bloom, English National Opera Chorus, Edward Gardner, Ashley Riches, 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 Orchestra, Robert Murray, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Choir

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

Rachel Nicholls, Ashley Riches, London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Robert Murray, 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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

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

1:12

Scene 2. Strephon, Dancers

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:02

1st Dance. The Earth in Autumn

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

4:07

2nd Dance. The Waters in Winter

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

5:36

3rd Dance. The Air in Spring

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:41

Scene 3. Bella, Jack

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, 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

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

5:23

Scene 9. Start

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus

2:23

Scene 9. O summer sun golden faced glorious globe

Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:36

Scene 9. Allegretto non troppo

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

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
English National Opera Chorus

Choir
Robert Murray

Tenor