Immerse yourself in the vibrant and richly textured world of Michael Tippett's "The Midsummer Marriage," a landmark opera that stands as a beacon of post-war British music. This live recording, conducted by Edward Gardner and performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, captures the essence of Tippett's groundbreaking work with unparalleled clarity and depth. Released on the LPO Label in September 2022, this is the first commercially available recording of this operatic masterpiece, making it a historic addition to any classical music collection.
"The Midsummer Marriage" is an opera in three acts, bursting with color and vitality, as it explores themes of love, transformation, and the cyclical nature of life. The opera's intricate score, filled with neoclassical influences, is brought to life by a stellar cast of soloists and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, under Gardner's dynamic direction. The recording spans over two and a half hours, meticulously capturing the opera's intricate details and sweeping grandeur.
This three-disc set includes the complete opera, divided into multiple scenes and dances, each contributing to the overarching narrative. From the opening notes of Act I to the triumphant conclusion of Act III, the opera unfolds like a rich tapestry, weaving together music, drama, and philosophy. The performances are vivid and engaging, showcasing the depth of Tippett's compositional genius and the orchestral prowess of the London Philharmonic.
The album features a diverse range of vocal and instrumental performances, highlighting the opera's complex characters and their journeys. The recording's high production values ensure that every note and nuance is captured, providing an immersive listening experience. Whether you are a seasoned opera enthusiast or a newcomer to Tippett's work, "The Midsummer Marriage" offers a compelling and enriching experience.
2022 London Philharmonic Orchestra Ltd2022 BBC
Tracks
The Midsummer Marriage, Act I Scene 1: Start - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, English National Opera Chorus
The Midsummer Marriage, Act I Scene 1: What's that? Surely music? - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus
The Midsummer Marriage, Act I Scene 2: Start - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra
The Midsummer Marriage, Act I Scene 2: Stop! Stop, stop! - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Robert Murray, Susan Bickley, Joshua Bloom
The Midsummer Marriage, Act I Scene 2: Alla marcia. Andante - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra
The Midsummer Marriage, Act I Scene 3: Mark, Chorus - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus, Robert Murray
The Midsummer Marriage, Act I Scene 4: Mark, Jenifer, Chorus - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, English National Opera Chorus, Robert Murray, Rachel Nicholls, Ashley Riches
The Midsummer Marriage, Act I Scene 5: King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, English National Opera Chorus, Ashley Riches, Jennifer France, Susan Bickley, Joshua Bloom
The Midsummer Marriage, Act I Scene 6: Start - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, English National Opera Chorus, Ashley Riches
The Midsummer Marriage, Act I Scene 6: So you, so you, so you're the company my daughter keeps - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, English National Opera Chorus, Ashley Riches
The Midsummer Marriage, Act I Scene 7: King Fisher, Jack, Bella, Chorus, Sosostris - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, English National Opera Chorus, Ashley Riches, Jennifer France, Toby Spence, Claire Barnett-Jones
The Midsummer Marriage, Act I Scene 8: Start - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, English National Opera Chorus, Ashley Riches
The Midsummer Marriage, Act I Scene 8: Returning to the earth is cruel - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Robert Murray, Rachel Nicholls, Ashley Riches, Susan Bickley, Joshua Bloom
The Midsummer Marriage, Act I Scene 8: Is it so strange… - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus, Rachel Nicholls, Ashley Riches, Joshua Bloom
The Midsummer Marriage, Act I Scene 8: You, you who were with me when she left me - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus, Robert Murray
The Midsummer Marriage, Act I Scene 8: As stallions stamping the young men dance - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, English National Opera Chorus, Robert Murray, Rachel Nicholls
The Midsummer Marriage, Act I Scene 8: See by a heavenly magic… - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, English National Opera Chorus, Robert Murray, Rachel Nicholls, Ashley Riches
The Midsummer Marriage, Act I Scene 8: We are the laughing children - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, English National Opera Chorus
The Midsummer Marriage, Act II Pre-scene: Start - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra
The Midsummer Marriage, Act II Pre-scene: Crying as they're flying and this is what they say - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir
The Midsummer Marriage, Act II Scene 1: Start - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, Jennifer France, Toby Spence
The Midsummer Marriage, Act II Scene 1: I'll lay the baby to my breast and rock it - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Jennifer France, Toby Spence
The Midsummer Marriage, Act II Scene 1: Come within the shadow of the wood - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Jennifer France, Toby Spence
The Midsummer Marriage, Act II Scene 2: Strephon, Dancers - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra
The Midsummer Marriage, Act II 1st Dance: The Earth in Autumn - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra
The Midsummer Marriage, Act II 2nd Dance: The Waters in Winter - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra
The Midsummer Marriage, Act II 3rd Dance: The Air in Spring - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra
The Midsummer Marriage, Act II Scene 3: Bella, Jack - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Jennifer France, Toby Spence
The Midsummer Marriage, Act II Post-Scene: Chorus offstage - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir
The Midsummer Marriage, Act III: Start - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, English National Opera Chorus
The Midsummer Marriage, Act III Scene 1: Chorus, Half-Tipsy Man, A Dancing Man, King Fisher - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, English National Opera Chorus, Ashley Riches, John Findon, Paul Sheehan
The Midsummer Marriage, Act III Scene 2: King Fisher, Chorus - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, English National Opera Chorus, Ashley Riches
The Midsummer Marriage, Act III Scene 3: King Fisher, Bella, Ancients - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Ashley Riches, Jennifer France, Susan Bickley, Joshua Bloom
The Midsummer Marriage, Act III Scene 4: Chorus - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus
The Midsummer Marriage, Act III Scene 5: Start - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus, Ashley Riches
The Midsummer Marriage, Act III Scene 5: Who hopes to conjure with the world of dreams - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Claire Barnett-Jones
The Midsummer Marriage, Act III Scene 5: I alone, cannot consult myself - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Claire Barnett-Jones
The Midsummer Marriage, Act III Scene 5: You who consult me should never, [never,] doubt me - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Claire Barnett-Jones
The Midsummer Marriage, Act III Scene 5: I see a meadow, fragrant with flowers - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Ashley Riches, Claire Barnett-Jones
The Midsummer Marriage, Act III Scene 6: King Fisher, Bella, Jack, Chorus, Sosostris - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, English National Opera Chorus, Ashley Riches, Jennifer France, Toby Spence
The Midsummer Marriage, Act III Scene 7: Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, English National Opera Chorus, Ashley Riches, Susan Bickley, Joshua Bloom
The Midsummer Marriage, Act III Scene 8: Start - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus, Susan Bickley, Joshua Bloom, Robert Winslade Anderson, Sophie Goldrick
The Midsummer Marriage, Act III Scene 8: Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire! - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, English National Opera Chorus
The Midsummer Marriage, Act III 4th Dance: Fire in Summer - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, English National Opera Chorus, Robert Murray, Rachel Nicholls, Susan Bickley
The Midsummer Marriage, Act III Scene 9: Start - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus
The Midsummer Marriage, Act III Scene 9: O summer sun golden faced glorious globe - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus
The Midsummer Marriage, Act III Scene 9: Allegretto non troppo - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra
The Midsummer Marriage, Act III Scene 9: Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, English National Opera Chorus, Robert Murray, Rachel Nicholls, Jennifer France, Toby Spence, Claire Barnett-Jones, Susan Bickley, Joshua Bloom
The Midsummer Marriage, Act III Scene 9: Piu mosso alla breve - fall and are built again - LiveMichael Tippett, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra
Michael Tippett was a pioneering English composer who left an indelible mark on 20th-century classical music. Emerging during the tumultuous years of the Second World War, Tippett's bold and innovative compositions quickly established him as a leading figure in British music, often mentioned in the same breath as his contemporary Benjamin Britten. His works, such as the profound oratorio "A Child of Our Time" and the enchanting opera "The Midsummer Marriage," showcase his unique voice and unyielding creativity. Tippett's music is a testament to his fearless imagination, often pushing the boundaries of what performers and audiences expected. His neoclassical style, while distinctly English, stands apart from his contemporaries, making his compositions instantly recognizable. Beyond his musical contributions, Tippett was also a passionate advocate for peace, serving as the President of the Peace Pledge Union. His legacy continues to inspire through the Michael Tippett Musical Foundation, which supports the music of future generations.
Vinylscout
Michael Tippett
