The completion of The Midsummer Marriage in 1952, Michael Tippett’s first opera, marked a significant turning point in his artistic journey. The compositions that followed in the 1950s saw a gradual departure from the opera’s rich lyricism toward a more stripped-down, intense musical language. Two of Tippett’s most remarkable orchestral works, the Piano Concerto (composed between 1953 and 1955) and the Second Symphony (completed two years later), represent key moments in this stylistic evolution.
Though neither piece is among Tippett’s most widely recognized works, there are several recordings of each, including an earlier performance of the concerto with Steven Osborne as the soloist and a version of the symphony conducted by Tippett himself. However, it’s through these exceptional recordings of live performances conducted by Edward Gardner at London’s Royal Festival Hall in 2023 (for the concerto) and 2024 (for the symphony) that the shifts in Tippett’s musical language become starkly evident. Even in the Piano Concerto, where lyrical moments still appear, they carry a sharp, crystalline edge, and that lyrical quality has almost entirely vanished in the symphony.
The recording’s balance between the piano and orchestra isn’t always perfect; for instance, the solo flute dominates the opening bars, rather than the piano, and there are a few moments when Osborne’s brilliant, clear playing isn’t as prominent as it could be. Nevertheless, the concerto is full of intricate details, and the finale, which recalls the Ritual Dances from The Midsummer Marriage, showcases the music’s relentless energy. Similarly, in the Second Symphony, Gardner and his orchestra deliver the pounding rhythms and intricate string writing, arguably making this symphony one of Tippett’s most cohesive works in the genre.
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