Music Was My First Love

The Childs
Buy As You View Band
Soloists: Robert Childs, David Childs
Conductors: Nicholas, Robert and David Childs
Obrasso Recordings: CD908
Total Playing Time: 70.16

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There are those sons of famous fathers who have felt the weight of expectation rather too much for them to bear. Don Bradman's son changed his name, Pele's ended up in prison and Henry Fonda's boy didn't speak to his dad for years on end. Thankfully, David Child's seems to have accepted his position in life with such equanimity that he thoroughly thrives on it.   

It may have come as a help that in the slightly more confined world of the brass band medium the weight of expectation isn't quite in the same league as say being a chip off the old Bradman or Nascimento block, but the sense of cynicism in comparison can remain.  

Robert Childs (along it must be said with his younger brother, Nicholas) were at the forefront of redefining the role of the euphonium as a solo brass instrument in the 1980's. What you hear from today's amazing Über-euphs such as Messers Thornton, Griffiths, Flaten, etc is a direct result of their groundbreaking achievements. In its most exact comparison the influence is most clearly heard in the Childs musical genes. David Childs is his father's musical prodigy. 

It says a great deal however that he has developed both his own musical style as well as musical direction and on even this rather lightweight release it is fascinating to hear. David now holds the Childs musical torch and in his hands, it is safe to say that he has equaled and perhaps even surpassed the achievements of both his father and uncle as a performer. He is truly an international soloist.

Here we get all three together enjoying themselves with Robert and David performing and Nicholas at the helm of the BAYV Band (although not for all the tracks).

It must be said that Obrasso does tend to produce a number of releases that double as a ‘shop window' for their talented stable of arrangers, and this is no exception. The idea to get the likes of Alan Fernie, Goff Richards, Keith Wilkinson and a couple of others to arrange some lightweight numbers for such expert performers is of course a good sales idea, and whilst some of the material does have the feel of being recycled more often than organic toilet roll, it isn't to say that any of them are destined to be flushed away after just the first hearing. The standard of the playing sees to that, even on some of the items that have been stretched like a piece of chewing gum to make them interesting and sellable. 

The 16 tracks do vary in style and difficulty; although none really extend the soloists (that would take some doing) they do allow both father and son to showcase their talents with a true sense of musicality.
 
It would be unfair to call Robert Childs a veteran, but his maturity of musical thought is allied to a much darker, more deeply centered sound that reflects his considerable experience. He brings a sense of calm authority to his individual contributions, with a great understanding of the material. His performances of ‘Varied Mood', ‘Catari, Catari' ‘Song of the Seashore', ‘Let Me Try Again' and ‘O Sole Mio' are mini masterclasses in the euphonium art – respectful (‘Varied Mood' retains all the original sense of bravura even with slight embellishments to bring it more readily up to date) and intelligently delivered.

David too has a musical brain far in excess of his tender years, and whilst his sound has yet to darken as much as his father's he displays a unique ability to blend it to the musical subject matter he performs. His individual items, ‘My First Love', ‘A Night in Havana', ‘La Novia', ‘Beautiful Colorado', ‘Now While I still Remember How' (a neat choice for the son rather than the father perhaps?)  and ‘Auld Lang Syne' are performed with an élan that shimmers with class.

The duet items don't work as well and seem rather wasted though, although Roy Newsome's ‘Sounds of Switzerland' is cleverly brought to life and has enough variety in it.  

The BAYV Band are on excellent form in accompanying mode – understated, light but detailed and Nicholas Childs (as well as the two soloists when they have a turn at the rostrum) keeps them bubbling along, always enhancing and never detracting.

If there is a complaint or two then it comes with the lack of sleeve notes about the music and the rather out of date picture of the band that accompanies their biographical details. Obrasson need to sort this out, as it is fast becoming the norm on nearly all their releases.

Apart from that, ‘Music Was My First Love' is an enjoyable 70 minutes plus of very high class playing of decent enough solo and duet material. 

Iwan Fox.

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