Chandos
Tippett: A Child of Our Time / Davis, BBC Symphony
$10.99
Details
- Composer
- Michael Tippett
- Artist
- Pumeza Matchikiza, Dame Sarah Connolly, Joshua Stewart, Ashley Riches, Bbc Symp
- Format
- SACD
- Label
- Chandos
- Released
- May 03, 2024
- Catalog #
- CHSA 5341
- UPC
- 095115534120
About
Michael Tippett’s oratorio A Child of Our Time was composed between 1939 and 1942 as a direct response to the events leading up to (and including) the notorious Kristallnacht, in November 1938, in National Socialist Germany. Tippet first intended to write an opera, but quickly determined that this would inevitably be too literal, and that the (rather neglected) oratorio form lent greater scope for reflective and meditative interjections to the narrative.
Hoping to persuade his friend and mentor T.S. Elliot to write the libretto, he sent the poet such an intricately detailed plan that Elliot responded by suggesting that Tippett, having thought so carefully about it, prepare the text himself – which he duly did. (He then went on to write his own libretti for all his future large vocal works). Set for choir, orchestra, and four soloists, the work adopts a structure that owes a debt to Handel’s Messiah, which Tippett had studied intensively in the 1930s. In addition, Tippett wanted to incorporate choral interludes much as Bach had done in his passions. Rejecting Lutheran chorals and Jewish hymns, he finally settled on African-American spirituals of which he placed five within the work.
Sir Andrew Davis conducts the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, with an exceptional quartet of soloists. The album was recorded in Surround Sound in Croydon’s Fairfield Halls following live performances in London’s Royal Festival Hall.
REVIEW:
Bass Ashley Riches shines particularly as the narrator, bringing a terrific clarity and command to the role. The BBC Symphony Orchestra give a fine performance, but the real star of the show is the BBC Symphony Chorus.
— BBC Music Magazine
Tracklist 32 tracks
-
1 Part I: The world turns on its dark side (Chorus) 03:38
- Track
- 1
- Title
- Part I: The world turns on its dark side (Chorus)
- Duration
- 03:38
- Composer
- Michael Tippett
- Ensemble
- BBC Symphony Chorus, BBC Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Andrew Davis
-
2 Part I: The Argument: Man has measured the heavens (Alto) 02:03
- Track
- 2
- Title
- Part I: The Argument: Man has measured the heavens (Alto)
- Duration
- 02:03
- Composer
- Michael Tippett
- Performer
- Sarah Connolly
- Ensemble
- BBC Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Andrew Davis
-
3 Part I: Interludium attacca 00:55
- Track
- 3
- Title
- Part I: Interludium attacca
- Duration
- 00:55
- Composer
- Michael Tippett
- Ensemble
- BBC Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Andrew Davis
-
4 Part I: Scene: Is evil then good? (Chorus, Alto) 02:56
- Track
- 4
- Title
- Part I: Scene: Is evil then good? (Chorus, Alto)
- Duration
- 02:56
- Composer
- Michael Tippett
- Performer
- Sarah Connolly
- Ensemble
- BBC Symphony Chorus, BBC Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Andrew Davis
-
5 Part I: Now in each nation (Bass) 01:04
- Track
- 5
- Title
- Part I: Now in each nation (Bass)
- Duration
- 01:04
- Composer
- Michael Tippett
- Performer
- Ashley Riches
- Ensemble
- BBC Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Andrew Davis
-
6 Part I: Chorus of the Oppressed: When shall the userers' city cease (Chorus) 02:27
- Track
- 6
- Title
- Part I: Chorus of the Oppressed: When shall the userers' city cease (Chorus)
- Duration
- 02:27
- Composer
- Michael Tippett
- Ensemble
- BBC Symphony Chorus, BBC Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Andrew Davis
-
7 Part I: I have no money for my bread (Tenor) 03:33
- Track
- 7
- Title
- Part I: I have no money for my bread (Tenor)
- Duration
- 03:33
- Composer
- Michael Tippett
- Performer
- Joshua Stewart
- Ensemble
- BBC Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Andrew Davis
-
8 Part I: How can I cherish my man in such days (Soprano) 03:15
- Track
- 8
- Title
- Part I: How can I cherish my man in such days (Soprano)
- Duration
- 03:15
- Composer
- Michael Tippett
- Performer
- Pumeza Matshikiza
- Ensemble
- BBC Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Andrew Davis
-
9 Part I: A Spiritual: Steal away (Chorus, Soprano, Tenor) 02:31
- Track
- 9
- Title
- Part I: A Spiritual: Steal away (Chorus, Soprano, Tenor)
- Duration
- 02:31
- Composer
- Michael Tippett
- Performer
- Pumeza Matshikiza, Joshua Stewart
- Ensemble
- BBC Symphony Chorus, BBC Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Andrew Davis
-
10 Part II: A star rises in mid-winter (Chorus) 02:42
- Track
- 10
- Title
- Part II: A star rises in mid-winter (Chorus)
- Duration
- 02:42
- Composer
- Michael Tippett
- Ensemble
- BBC Symphony Chorus, BBC Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Andrew Davis
-
11 Part II: And a time came (Bass) 00:18
- Track
- 11
- Title
- Part II: And a time came (Bass)
- Duration
- 00:18
- Composer
- Michael Tippett
- Performer
- Ashley Riches
- Ensemble
- BBC Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Andrew Davis
-
12 Part II: Double Chorus of Persecutors and Persecuted: Away with them! (Double Chorus) 01:02
- Track
- 12
- Title
- Part II: Double Chorus of Persecutors and Persecuted: Away with them! (Double Chorus)
- Duration
- 01:02
- Composer
- Michael Tippett
- Ensemble
- BBC Symphony Chorus, BBC Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Andrew Davis
-
13 Part II: Where they could, they fled (Bass) 00:24
- Track
- 13
- Title
- Part II: Where they could, they fled (Bass)
- Duration
- 00:24
- Composer
- Michael Tippett
- Performer
- Ashley Riches
- Ensemble
- BBC Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Andrew Davis
-
14 Part II: Chorus of the Self-righteous: We cannot have them in our Empire (Chorus) 00:48
- Track
- 14
- Title
- Part II: Chorus of the Self-righteous: We cannot have them in our Empire (Chorus)
- Duration
- 00:48
- Composer
- Michael Tippett
- Ensemble
- BBC Symphony Chorus, BBC Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Andrew Davis
-
15 Part II: And the boy's mother wrote a letter (Bass) 00:14
- Track
- 15
- Title
- Part II: And the boy's mother wrote a letter (Bass)
- Duration
- 00:14
- Composer
- Michael Tippett
- Performer
- Ashley Riches
- Ensemble
- BBC Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Andrew Davis
-
16 Part II: Scene: O my son! (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass) 01:12
- Track
- 16
- Title
- Part II: Scene: O my son! (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass)
- Duration
- 01:12
- Composer
- Michael Tippett
- Performer
- Pumeza Matshikiza, Sarah Connolly, Ashley Riches, Joshua Stewart
- Ensemble
- BBC Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Andrew Davis
-
17 Part II: A Spiritual: Nobody knows the trouble I see, Lord (Chorus, Soprano, Tenor) 01:23
- Track
- 17
- Title
- Part II: A Spiritual: Nobody knows the trouble I see, Lord (Chorus, Soprano, Tenor)
- Duration
- 01:23
- Composer
- Michael Tippett
- Performer
- Pumeza Matshikiza, Joshua Stewart
- Ensemble
- BBC Symphony Chorus, BBC Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Andrew Davis
-
18 Part II: Scene: The boy becomes desperate in his agony (Bass, Alto) 01:18
- Track
- 18
- Title
- Part II: Scene: The boy becomes desperate in his agony (Bass, Alto)
- Duration
- 01:18
- Composer
- Michael Tippett
- Performer
- Ashley Riches, Sarah Connolly
- Ensemble
- BBC Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Andrew Davis
-
19 Part II: They took a terrible vengeance (Bass) 00:23
- Track
- 19
- Title
- Part II: They took a terrible vengeance (Bass)
- Duration
- 00:23
- Composer
- Michael Tippett
- Performer
- Ashley Riches
- Ensemble
- BBC Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Andrew Davis
-
20 Part II: The Terror: Burn down their houses! (Chorus) 01:10
- Track
- 20
- Title
- Part II: The Terror: Burn down their houses! (Chorus)
- Duration
- 01:10
- Composer
- Michael Tippett
- Ensemble
- BBC Symphony Chorus, BBC Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Andrew Davis
-
21 Part II: Men were ashamed of what was done (Bass) 00:34
- Track
- 21
- Title
- Part II: Men were ashamed of what was done (Bass)
- Duration
- 00:34
- Composer
- Michael Tippett
- Performer
- Ashley Riches
- Ensemble
- BBC Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Andrew Davis
-
22 Part II: A Spiritual of Anger: Go down, Moses (Chorus, Bass) 02:30
- Track
- 22
- Title
- Part II: A Spiritual of Anger: Go down, Moses (Chorus, Bass)
- Duration
- 02:30
- Composer
- Michael Tippett
- Performer
- Ashley Riches
- Ensemble
- BBC Symphony Chorus, BBC Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Andrew Davis
-
23 Part II: The boy sings in his prison: My dreams are all shattered (Tenor) 03:02
- Track
- 23
- Title
- Part II: The boy sings in his prison: My dreams are all shattered (Tenor)
- Duration
- 03:02
- Composer
- Michael Tippett
- Performer
- Joshua Stewart
- Ensemble
- BBC Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Andrew Davis
-
24 Part II: What have I done to you, my son? (Soprano) 01:39
- Track
- 24
- Title
- Part II: What have I done to you, my son? (Soprano)
- Duration
- 01:39
- Composer
- Michael Tippett
- Performer
- Pumeza Matshikiza
- Ensemble
- BBC Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Andrew Davis
-
25 Part II: The dark forces rise like a flood (Alto) 00:40
- Track
- 25
- Title
- Part II: The dark forces rise like a flood (Alto)
- Duration
- 00:40
- Composer
- Michael Tippett
- Performer
- Sarah Connolly
- Ensemble
- BBC Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Andrew Davis
-
26 Part II: A Spiritual: O, by and by (Chorus, Soprano) 01:32
- Track
- 26
- Title
- Part II: A Spiritual: O, by and by (Chorus, Soprano)
- Duration
- 01:32
- Composer
- Michael Tippett
- Performer
- Pumeza Matshikiza
- Ensemble
- BBC Symphony Chorus, BBC Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Andrew Davis
-
27 Part III: The cold deepens (Chorus) 03:38
- Track
- 27
- Title
- Part III: The cold deepens (Chorus)
- Duration
- 03:38
- Composer
- Michael Tippett
- Ensemble
- BBC Symphony Chorus, BBC Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Andrew Davis
-
28 Part III: The soul of man (Alto) 02:25
- Track
- 28
- Title
- Part III: The soul of man (Alto)
- Duration
- 02:25
- Composer
- Michael Tippett
- Performer
- Sarah Connolly
- Ensemble
- BBC Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Andrew Davis
-
29 Part III: Scene: The words of wisdom are these (Bass, Chorus) 04:59
- Track
- 29
- Title
- Part III: Scene: The words of wisdom are these (Bass, Chorus)
- Duration
- 04:59
- Composer
- Michael Tippett
- Performer
- Ashley Riches
- Ensemble
- BBC Symphony Chorus, BBC Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Andrew Davis
-
30 Part III: Praeludium attacca 01:05
- Track
- 30
- Title
- Part III: Praeludium attacca
- Duration
- 01:05
- Composer
- Michael Tippett
- Ensemble
- BBC Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Andrew Davis
-
31 Part III: General Ensemble: I would know my shadow and my light (Chorus, Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass) 04:56
- Track
- 31
- Title
- Part III: General Ensemble: I would know my shadow and my light (Chorus, Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass)
- Duration
- 04:56
- Composer
- Michael Tippett
- Performer
- Pumeza Matshikiza, Sarah Connolly, Joshua Stewart, Ashley Riches
- Ensemble
- BBC Symphony Chorus, BBC Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Andrew Davis
-
32 Part III: A Spiritual: Deep river (Chorus, Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass) 03:14
- Track
- 32
- Title
- Part III: A Spiritual: Deep river (Chorus, Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass)
- Duration
- 03:14
- Composer
- Michael Tippett
- Performer
- Pumeza Matshikiza, Sarah Connolly, Joshua Stewart, Ashley Riches
- Ensemble
- BBC Symphony Chorus, BBC Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Andrew Davis