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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:29

Scene 2. Stop! Stop, stop!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir, 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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

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

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

1:12

Scene 2. Strephon, Dancers

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:02

1st Dance. The Earth in Autumn

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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, Jennifer France, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Toby Spence

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

2:53

Scene 5. Who hopes to conjure with the world of dreams

Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones

3:28

Scene 5. I see a meadow, fragrant with flowers

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

5:23

Scene 9. Start

London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus, Edward Gardner

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

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

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