Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:29

Scene 2. Stop! Stop, stop!

Robert Murray, Edward Gardner, Susan Bickley, 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, Robert Murray, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

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

0:49

Pre-scene. Start

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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

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

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

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

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

5:36

3rd Dance. The Air in Spring

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:41

Scene 3. Bella, Jack

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, 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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus, Edward Gardner

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

Claire Barnett-Jones, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

2:39

Scene 5. I alone, cannot consult myself

Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

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

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

1:53

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:52

Sir Michael Tippett

Composer
Robert Murray

Tenor
Rachel Nicholls

Soprano
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Orchestra
Edward Gardner

Conductor