Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

2022

Modeled 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 energizing 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 humor 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

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

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 Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

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 Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

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

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones

3:28

Scene 5. I see a meadow, fragrant with flowers

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

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

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

Soprano
Ashley Riches

Vocals
English National Opera Chorus

Choir