Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

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

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

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

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

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:41

Scene 3. Bella, Jack

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Claire Barnett-Jones, Edward Gardner

2:39

Scene 5. I alone, cannot consult myself

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones

3:56

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Claire Barnett-Jones, Edward Gardner

3:28

Scene 5. I see a meadow, fragrant with flowers

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

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

Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:36

Scene 9. Allegretto non troppo

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

Soprano
English National Opera Chorus

Choir
London Philharmonic Choir

Choir
Robert Murray

Tenor