Tippett Midsummer Marriage

[Master Jacques]

I don't think my ears were deceiving me: I just heard today's reviewer saying that Tippett's plot for A Midsummer Marriage "all sounds quite dry and intellectual", as a clear put down, before going on to say that listening to it proved that worry unfounded. We seem to have reached a strange point in music criticism where "intellect" is seen as a negative, but no matter.

Actually she's out of date, as Tippett's brilliant plot is pretty close to the kind of modern-medieval melanges lapped up by today's generations of young gamers, so she needs to change bandwagons if she's not to sound fuddy-duddy.

Never mind that: the Gardner Proms performance itself was a curate's egg as to vocal pleasures (with a very ordinary Mark in Robert Murray and an unacceptably poor Jenifer in Rachel Nicholls, as crucial faults) but it's good to welcome a truly complete recording of the opera to the CD catalogue, especially with such good orchestral and choral contributions. A first recording of New Year would have been nicer, though!

[arthroceph]

Yes, I heard that broadcast (actually it's part of my Sat morning routine*), I actually think the word she, Yshani, needed was "academic".

In any case, I found she was re-using some of McGregor's terms aka. prompts so I wouldn't give it much importance, though I recognise the trend you're pointing to.

Thanks for your opinion on the singers, of course bias would be expected from the Record Review team, good to get a contrasting voice.

* McGregor doesn't fill me with unconfined joy but, on balance, I'm able to tolerate him ... somewhat arrogant of me of course to say that way.

[RichardB]

the Gardner Proms performance itself was a curate's egg as to vocal pleasures (with a very ordinary Mark in Robert Murray and an unacceptably poor Jenifer in Rachel Nicholls, as crucial faults) but it's good to welcome a truly complete recording of the opera to the CD catalogue, especially with such good orchestral and choral contributions. A first recording of New Year would have been nicer, though!

Indeed so. It's a shame that A Midsummer Marriage hasn't been performed and recorded more often, but that goes even more for Tippett's subsequent operas. I think the problem here is that "British opera" in this period (and not only this) was so dominated by Britten that criticism of Tippett's operas on the grounds of being "intellectual" and other such nonsense basically comes down to criticism of them on the grounds of not being Britten, despite Tippett's musical achievement being very far in advance of Britten's by any measure I can think of (one's mileage may vary!). I haven't heard the Gardner performance yet but look forward to doing so.

[Master Jacques]

Indeed so. It's a shame that A Midsummer Marriage hasn't been performed and recorded more often, but that goes even more for Tippett's subsequent operas. I think the problem here is that "British opera" in this period (and not only this) was so dominated by Britten that criticism of Tippett's operas on the grounds of being "intellectual" and other such nonsense basically comes down to criticism of them on the grounds of not being Britten, despite Tippett's musical achievement being very far in advance of Britten's by any measure I can think of (one's mileage may vary!). I haven't heard the Gardner performance yet but look forward to doing so.

I couldn't agree with you more, on all counts! While most - not all - of Britten's operas seem increasingly creaky in the theatre, Tippett's are still fresh as paint and much more vibrant: one of the losses of lockdown was English Touring Opera's new production of The Knot Garden which sadly never made it to the stage, and has now been permanently scrapped, I fear.

I wish I could go along with arthroceph's generous interpretation of what the reviewer might have meant to say, but hypocritical anti-intellectualism is par for the course, from a middle generation of reviewers determined to demonstrate that they are feeling, ordinary human beings rather than elitist snobs. Who are they trying to fool, I wonder?

[smittims]

The best MM I've heard recently was the 2013 Proms with Andrew Davis (goodness, already nine years ago!): David Wilson-Johnson a wonderfully vivid King Fisher, and Paul Groves and excellent Mark. Was he a pupil of Richard Lewis? He sounds like him , in MM and in 'Gerontius'.

I enjoyed the Gardner but it wasn't quite that good. I also enjoy the Gala CD of the premiere, apparently pirated from a BBC tape.

It's surely quite out of date now to say that the plot or the libretto are dry and intellectual.

[Master Jacques]

The best MM I've heard recently was the 2013 Proms with Andrew Davis (goodness, already nine years ago!): David Wilson-Johnson a wonderfully vivid King Fisher, and Paul Groves and excellent Mark. Was he a pupil of Richard Lewis? He sounds like him , in MM and in 'Gerontius'.

I enjoyed the Gardner but it wasn't quite that good. I also enjoy the Gala CD of the premiere, apparently pirated from a BBC tape.

It's surely quite out of date now to say that the plot or the libretto are dry and intellectual.

Again, I agree with every word of this! It was a pity that the Davis performance (featuring the late and lovely Erin Wall's ethereal Jenifer, the best since Sutherland's on that Gala CD of the premiere) wasn't chosen to issue instead of the Gardner: it was better, all round.

I don't think anyone should much worry about the continued prissiness over Tippett's libretti, which emanates mainly from snobs and philistines. It's depressing to hear it cropping up again today. For as Peter Hall said years ago, they do the job of "words for music" very well indeed, which is all that matters. The Oliver Soden biography of the composer is particularly good at nailing the old canard over Tippett's texts, memorable because they are so memorably set.

[Pulcinella]

Streaming now.

To quote from King Fisher:

Don't you like it?
Don't you want it?

Not much, ha ha.

Glad to have been able to listen simply as part of my Deezer subscription, though, as I think I was away for the original broadcast, and didn't 'catch up' later.

PS: Perhaps unfair: enjoying it more as it progresses (some individual voices apart!).

[Ein Heldenleben]

The best MM I've heard recently was the 2013 Proms with Andrew Davis (goodness, already nine years ago!): David Wilson-Johnson a wonderfully vivid King Fisher, and Paul Groves and excellent Mark. Was he a pupil of Richard Lewis? He sounds like him , in MM and in 'Gerontius'.

I enjoyed the Gardner but it wasn't quite that good. I also enjoy the Gala CD of the premiere, apparently pirated from a BBC tape.

It's surely quite out of date now to say that the plot or the libretto are dry and intellectual.

Thanks for this . I was trying to remember the date of that Prom . It was as you say a superb performance.

[Maclintick]

The best MM I've heard recently was the 2013 Proms with Andrew Davis (goodness, already nine years ago!): David Wilson-Johnson a wonderfully vivid King Fisher, and Paul Groves and excellent Mark.

That was outstanding -- Allan Clayton & Ailish Tynan as Bella & Jack.

[Pulcinella]

Christopher Cook in November's (sic) BBC MM gives the new Gardner recording 5 stars for both Performance and Recording.
He does however mention that Rachel Nicholls is not perhaps a natural Jenifer!

[HighlandDougie]

Reading the above has jogged my memory of Scottish Opera staging it (in the Opera North production) in - was it really that long ago? - 1988. I remember very little of the production other than finding the Scottish Ballet contributions in the Ritual Dances to be wince-makingly - err, "balletic". It was never revived by SO.

[smittims]

Dance in operas is always risky, perhaps because a separate choreographer is involved , which may bring a clash of styles. The dances in 'Gloriana' and 'Death in Venice' were felt to outstay their welcome.

[EnemyoftheStoat]

Thanks for this . I was trying to remember the date of that Prom . It was as you say a superb performance.

It's a shame that the Prom hasn't been licenced for a commercial release - and that SAD wasn't given the chance to take it into the studio. It was great, bonkers fun to perform.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Dance in operas is always risky, perhaps because a separate choreographer is involved , which may bring a clash of styles. The dances in 'Gloriana' and 'Death in Venice' were felt to outstay their welcome.

Have to disagree .They work superbly in the dramatic context. I thought the dancing in the recent Covent Garden Death In Venice one of the highlights of the production helped by a superb Tadzio.

[smittims]

Well, clearly it's a subjective matter. I hear what you say, but I also heard from those who felt the dances held up the plot. I feel much the same about solo encores by concerto soloists. I feel like shouting in my best Kenneth Williams voice 'Aww, ged on with it!'