Michael Tippett: The Shadow and the Light

[Pulcinella]

John Bridcut's film about Tippett is scheduled to be on BBC2 on Thursday 8 June at 9 pm.

Michael Tippett: The Shadow and the Light
The latest in John Bridcut's collection of award-winning films about British composers features the life and music of Michael Tippett, who died in 1998. For many years Tippett dominated the contemporary classical music scene in the UK. His life spanned almost the whole of the 20th century, and embraced many of the social issues of his time, from pacifism to homosexuality
BBC Two England
Thursday 21:00-22:30
1 hour 30 mins

[smittims]

Thanks for the notice; I might have missed this otherwise.

I've been gratified to find over the years that I am far from alone in considering Michael Tippett's music to have been underrated, particularly in comparison with that of Benjamin Britten. Indeed during his lifetime it was subject to much misunderstanding . Fortunately there has always been a body of people determined to keep his music alive through performances, broadcasts and recordings, and they deserve thanks.

[Boilk]

I was going to post about this documentary! Below is the link to the programme's BBC page.
Delighted that whereas previous Bridcut composer documentaries aired on BBC Four, this one premieres on relatively high profile BBC2.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001mpvt

[Ein Heldenleben]

An hour and a half on BBC Two in peak time on one of our greatest composers? Pinch me I must be dreaming . Do you know I think Suzy Klein might just be having an impact.

[oddoneout]

An hour and a half on BBC Two in peak time on one of our greatest composers? Pinch me I must be dreaming . Do you know I think Suzy Klein might just be having an impact.

Wonder if this might influence her?

In her native Italy, conductor Speranza Scappucci stars in a national television show in which she sits at the piano explaining symphonies and operas to viewers, before performing them with an orchestra, to help bring classical works to new audiences.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/jun/03/we-cant-just-be-in-our-ivory-tower-the-italian-conductor-aiming-to-open-up-the-royal-opera-house-to-everyone

[smittims]

Sitting at the piano explaining symphonies. Ah, come back, Lenny.

[Lordgeous]

Just a heads up for tonight's broadcast. Bridcut usually excellent.

[hmvman]

Thanks for the notice; I might have missed this otherwise.

I've been gratified to find over the years that I am far from alone in considering Michael Tippett's music to have been underrated, particularly in comparison with that of Benjamin Britten. Indeed during his lifetime it was subject to much misunderstanding . Fortunately there has always been a body of people determined to keep his music alive through performances, broadcasts and recordings, and they deserve thanks.

Our friend Stanley Stewart, late of this parish, used to say to me that Tippett's time would come. Maybe the time is coming.

[Serial_Apologist]

Our friend Stanley Stewart, late of this parish, used to say to me that Tippett's time would come. Maybe the time is coming.

A belated child of our time.

[Keraulophone]

Delighted that whereas previous Bridcut composer documentaries aired on BBC Four, this one premieres on relatively high profile BBC2.

The move might be conditioning us for the proposed but possibly shelved removal of BBC Four from terrestrial to iPlayer.

.

Tippett's setting of the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis written for the choir of St John's College, Cambridge in 1962 are among my favourite evening canticles. This excellent note is by Andrew Carwood from his St Paul's Cathedral recording (Hyperion):

In 1962, St John’s College, Cambridge, was celebrating its 450th anniversary and Tippett was commissioned to write a liturgical work in celebration. Tippett himself decided to set the evening canticles and the first performance was given in the Chapel by the College Choir under George Guest on 13 March 1962. Controversial at the time and controversial to this day, the setting underlines the revolutionary nature of the text (he ‘hath exalted the humble and meek … and the rich he hath sent empty away’). Tippett was particularly interested in the Trompetta Real stop which had recently been added to the St John’s organ and which, with its trumpets protruding at a 45-degree angle from the casework, was an inspiration from the organs George Guest had discovered on trips to Spain. The Magnificat starts with an ecstatic flourish from the Trompetta and can be a rude awakening to those used to the comfortable and comforting settings of the previous ages. The Nunc dimittis is particularly affecting. Ian Kemp describes the low organ chords as ‘the thumping in Simeon’s heart as he is about to meet his Creator’ and goes on to say that ‘Simeon is too old to voice his own thoughts. All he can do is say “Lord”. An angel plucks the words out of his thoughts and sings them for him’ (Kemp, Ian Tippett The Composer and his Music, OUP, 1987, p374).

[Bryn]

Ah, it's just got to the Piano concerto, possibly my very favourite Tippett work. The reference to Messiaen in regard to the piano writing is so apposite.

[Serial_Apologist]

Ah, it's just got to the Piano concerto, possibly my very favourite Tippett work. The reference to Messiaen in regard to the piano writing is so apposite.

Too much of the programme was expended on Child of our Time at the expense of maturer more characteristic works, especially the symphonies and operas. Given the early interest in the English madrigal and Renaissance liturgical music how did the programme and its various contributers situate the composer in relation to Vaughan Williams and his similar interests/inspirations? The programme seemed full of holes - not only in consideration of works/periods overlooked or shambolically interspersed regardless of chronology, but in not discussing Tippett's belief system beyond his early Marxism and later pacifism. There was lots in his thinking that would prove of inestimable value in today's cynical world and was readily on offer to the makers. I would have liked to have heard more about his interest in Jungian philosophy. I was surprised by the first work illustrated, the Second Symphony, being taken at a much slower pace than the out-of-control headlong bulldozer-on-speed needed to convey the inhuman trampling effect I always thought Tippett intended for that opening: here it came across sounding like Hindemith!

Big missed opportunities in the documentary: I'll give it 6 out of 10.

[Lordgeous]

Too much of the programme was expended on Child of our Time at the expense of maturer more characteristic works, especially the symphonies and operas. Given the early interest in the English madrigal and Renaissance liturgical music how did the programme and its various contributers situate the composer in relation to Vaughan Williams and his similar interests/inspirations? The programme seemed full of holes - not only in consideration of works/periods overlooked or shambolically interspersed regardless of chronology, but in not discussing Tippett's belief system beyond his early Marxism and later pacifism. There was lots in his thinking that would prove of inestimable value in today's cynical world and was readily on offer to the makers. I would have liked to have heard more about his interest in Jungian philosophy. I was surprised by the first work illustrated, the Second Symphony, being taken at a much slower pace than the out-of-control headlong bulldozer-on-speed needed to convey the inhuman trampling effect I always thought Tippett intended for that opening: here it came across sounding like Hindemith!

Big missed opportunities in the documentary: I'll give it 6 out of 10.

Nevertheless, good for Tippett to have some mainstream TV exposure, and a generous 90 miniutes long. Agree about too much 'Child' but maybe this will spark more interest in this underperformed composer. His two 'Chars' - and their marmalade - were delightful!

[Pulcinella]

Carol Midgley in the Times rather liked it: Five stars.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/michael-tippett-the-shadow-and-the-light-review-a-hypnotising-story-of-a-complex-eccentric-genius-8wnd5s3xm?shareToken=c4bf071082482ed26c17ec1a0777326e

Choir for me last night, so it's catch-up time at some point.
Maybe the plodding speed at the start of the second symphony was to ensure that it didn't collapse completely, as happened at the first performance, under Boult.

[oddoneout]

Too much of the programme was expended on Child of our Time at the expense of maturer more characteristic works, especially the symphonies and operas. Given the early interest in the English madrigal and Renaissance liturgical music how did the programme and its various contributers situate the composer in relation to Vaughan Williams and his similar interests/inspirations? The programme seemed full of holes - not only in consideration of works/periods overlooked or shambolically interspersed regardless of chronology, but in not discussing Tippett's belief system beyond his early Marxism and later pacifism. There was lots in his thinking that would prove of inestimable value in today's cynical world and was readily on offer to the makers. I would have liked to have heard more about his interest in Jungian philosophy. I was surprised by the first work illustrated, the Second Symphony, being taken at a much slower pace than the out-of-control headlong bulldozer-on-speed needed to convey the inhuman trampling effect I always thought Tippett intended for that opening: here it came across sounding like Hindemith!

Big missed opportunities in the documentary: I'll give it 6 out of 10.

Inevitably, for those with more than superficial knowledge of Tippett, this was going to have its shortcomings. However, perhaps it should be put into current context. A 90 minute documentary on prime time terrestrial TV about a composer not up there in terms of big names known to many people, whose music doesn't feature that much in R3 output and isn't that common I think in concert performance, is unusual to say the least. Thirty plus years ago, when "classical" music and musicians were not absent from general TV output(including the popular/light output such as chat shows), and C4 broadcast complete operas, such a documentary would likely have covered at least some of the points you raise, but that's another country as the saying goes.
I would suggest the focus on Child of our Time has to do with it being both the most widely known of his works and one which has considerable relevance to current day politics and issues.
I came in halfway through as Thursday night is choir night, and for this higgorant lay person there was much of interest; I hope it won't be too long before it is repeated on BBC4 and I can see the whole thing.