Tippett, Michael Kemp (1905 - 98)

[Maclintick]

So far!

One encouraging sign of rehabilitation of MT's operatic oeuvre which Soden quotes is the Graham Vick production of "The Ice Break" in Birmingham 2015. My only exposure to this piece was at a Proms concert performance in 1991, of which I remember zilch apart from the magisterial contribution from Sarah Walker. Soden's enthusiasm for Vick's staging as a community-based enterprise is heartening. Let's hope for more...

[Master Jacques]

I agree that Soden's book is a wonderful achievement. In particular, his description of Tippett's last years and eventual decline is almost unbearably poignant - as well as explaining why the dip in the composer's reputation has been so drastic. In essence, Tippett died without a bean to his name, and so there is no wealthy foundation (as there is with RVW and Britten) to promote his works, least of all the operas which are the heart of his achievement.

It seems to me a national shame that New Year remains unrecorded. The success of The Ice Break in Birmingham was heartening, as was Andrew Davis's spiritually thrilling performance of The Midsummer Marriage at the Proms a year or two ago. These are great operas - King Priam and The Knot Garden (my own favourite) no whit less so - and they all satisfy at musical and theatrical levels in a way which very few lyric stage works of the late 20th century did, or do. And you can interpret that how you will!

[zola]

As mentioned a couple of posts above, I've had a couple of days of Tippett. I attended the discussion at the RCM last night between Oliver Soden and William Mival, Soden expanding on many of the themes of the biography. Apparently there is a 'major' revival of King Priam upcoming but I didn't get a chance to ask where. Excellent student interpretations of the Songs of Achilles to intersperse the talk.

This lunchtime, it was Peter Donohoe at LSO St Luke's playing Tippett's first two piano sonatas, together with Beethoven's op 101. This will be broadcast on a Radio 3 lunchtime concert on December 11th, so presumably the entire series of four concerts featuring Tippett's chamber music will be on that week.

[Keith]

I agree that Soden's book is a wonderful achievement. In particular, his description of Tippett's last years and eventual decline is almost unbearably poignant - as well as explaining why the dip in the composer's reputation has been so drastic. In essence, Tippett died without a bean to his name, and so there is no wealthy foundation (as there is with RVW and Britten) to promote his works, least of all the operas which are the heart of his achievement.

It seems to me a national shame that New Year remains unrecorded. The success of The Ice Break in Birmingham was heartening, as was Andrew Davis's spiritually thrilling performance of The Midsummer Marriage at the Proms a year or two ago. These are great operas - King Priam and The Knot Garden (my own favourite) no whit less so - and they all satisfy at musical and theatrical levels in a way which very few lyric stage works of the late 20th century did, or do. And you can interpret that how you will!

The Knot Garden seems to be getting two new productions in the next 12 months. One seems to be listed for the Munich State Opera no less in Summer 2020 and then in the autumn English Touring Opera will be touring it round the UK. I also read somewhere (somewhere on here?) that King Priam is up for a new production.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

That's good news, Keith - many thanks

[Master Jacques]

The Knot Garden seems to be getting two new productions in the next 12 months. One seems to be listed for the Munich State Opera no less in Summer 2020 and then in the autumn English Touring Opera will be touring it round the UK. I also read somewhere (somewhere on here?) that King Priam is up for a new production.

Yes, thank you for this. ETO should be a perfect fit for The Knot Garden.

[ahinton]

I love both of those pieces and I agree that they should be given more attention, but then Tippett's work in general has fallen into neglect in recent years, aided and abetted by people like the egregious Lebrecht ("a composer to forget").

Agreed wholeheartedly but does anyone really "remember" NL's eminently forgettable barb as anything other than a typical attention-seeking one that tells us less than nothing about Tippett?

[LMcD]

A piece by Tippett will be included in each of this week's Lunchtime Concerts (Tuesday to Friday).

[BBMmk2]

What does Norman Lebrecht know about a good composer when he sees one? I do hope he has a resurgence of interest.

[Cockney Sparrow]

.......Oliver Soden is in conversation with William Mival at the RCM on October 31st, talking about Tippett.........

Anyone in Oxfordshire / Berkshire borders might consider a similar event at Wallingford on Saturday 29th February - scheduled to last 90 minutes. (A come and sing the 5 spirituals event surrounding the conversation; the conversation can be attended separately. Although, he will also make a contribution between the spirituals in the later performance as well) .

https://chilternarts.com/event/tippett-five-spirituals-come-and-sing-company-wallingford/

[zola]

Extremely rare chance to see Tippett's The Ice Break tonight on Opera Vision. Think it remains available on demand for a time subsequently.

https://operavision.eu/en/library/performances/operas/ice-break-birmingham-opera-company

[Bryn]

Extremely rare chance to see Tippett's The Ice Break tonight on Opera Vision. Think it remains available on demand for a time subsequently.

https://operavision.eu/en/library/pe...-opera-company

Thanks for that. It appears that it will be available for a month. Currently watching/listening to Stuart Macrae's Anthropocene via the same site. That's also available for a few weeks:

[silvestrione]

The Knot Garden seems to be getting two new productions in the next 12 months. One seems to be listed for the Munich State Opera no less in Summer 2020 and then in the autumn English Touring Opera will be touring it round the UK. I also read somewhere (somewhere on here?) that King Priam is up for a new production.

I don't suppose either of these happened, in any form. I'm just reading the Oliver Soden biography, which, as said above, is excellent, superbly researched, and an eye-opener for me for social history of the thirties and forties too. But I had no idea (I was out of the country at the time) that The Knot Garden was such a runaway success in its first production, and obviously caught the mood of the times in several ways. It's the only Tippett opera I have not seen...the discs, which I borrowed once, did not convince: it seemed a bit eclectic. But I will try again, now I have the CDs in a Colin Davis box.

[Gary Freer]

Ed Gardner has chosen to launch as Music Director of the LPO by putting on a concert performance of The Midsummer Marriage at the RFH on 24th September. I think there will be a recording on R3 shortly after. Tippett in his lush and lyrical post war period, lots of beautiful music to go with a slightly er ‘cosmic’ libretto. Then again The Magic Flute, on which MT said it was partly modelled, doesn’t make much sense either!

[Alison]

A great choice for such an occasion. Surprised at first, I feel very positive about this appointment.