David Childs - Euphonium
Scottish Co-op Band
Conductors: Dr. Robert and Dr. Nicholas Childs
Doyen Recordings: CD186
Total Playing Time: 69.03

Published by 4barsrest.com : 29-Jan-2005

It is a sad fact of life, that untimely deaths invariably rob the world of important talents, and the artistic world in particular has been affected more than most by the loss of some of its finest performers over the years. It is also a sad fact that the memories of many of the talents tends to fade away rather too quickly, so that all too often all that is remembered is a mere cipher of a person that bears little or no relation to their achievements.

One such person has unfortunately been the composer John Golland, who died aged just 50 in 1993, prior to his major brass work, 'Sounds' being used as the set test piece for the 1993 European Championships in Plymouth. It may appear a little cruel to suggest that his achievements have been somewhat forgotten by the brass band in world in the ten or more years since his death, but apart from the use of his lesser 'Concerto for Band' which was used at the Senior Trophy last year, his small yet significant output for brass ensembles and solo instruments has faded from the collective consciousness of the banding movement.

Thankfully, that has been magnificently addressed by one of the movement's brightest and most talented performers, David Childs, who although he does not have a direct link as a performer to the late composer, does have a musical connection to him through two of his most important concerto works.

That link has been immensely strengthened by this release; one which sees the virtuoso once more expand his repertoire to encompass new horizons. This is a masterful series of performances of major compositions for euphonium and baritone that is a more than timely reminder of a compositional talent that gave so much, and had so much more to give to us at the time he was taken from us. These are very definitive new interpretations.

Six of Golland's works are performed here with an eloquence that is derived from the compositions themselves. Golland was a composer with very open, tonal ideas (even 'Sounds', which as the title suggested explored the aural perceptions of colour and timbre, was immediately accessible to performers and audiences alike with it's warm musical palette), and each of these pieces very much has those identifiable hallmarks embossed on them.

The two Euphonium Concerti are in fact as different as you could imagine in construction and compositional architecture, yet both are hewn from the same compositional stone.

The first was written for David's father Robert, and is very much a musical autobiography; full of the early influences on the composers life – the mechanics of industry, the idioms of jazz, the self doubt of illness and the playfulness of exuberant healthiness. It is a work of self-characterisation at a time in 1981 when the repertoire for euphonium was being radically explored as performers such as Robert Childs pushed the boundaries of the euphonium further and further.

In comparison, the second concerto, written in 1988 for Nicholas Childs is a much more reflective and introspective work, yet still maintains an almost umbilical link to the former in its construction and musical development. This is a darker work of a more mature mind and contains a very personal lyricism that is most strikingly shown in the second movement entitled, 'Largo Elegaico: In Memoriam John Childs. This is writing very much from the composer's heart, as John Childs (the father of Robert and Nicholas) was a close personal friend.

Both performances here are enhanced not just by the performers innate understanding of the intentions of the solo line, but also by the MDs understanding of the intentions of the full scores. It comes as no surprise that the performances are directed with such understanding from the original soloists, but what gives these performances that little extra frisson is the way it is communicated through the soloist's interpretation. These are clearly David Child's interpretations of John Golland and not pastiche homage's to the conductor's former incarnations, however definitive they were in their time.

The two concerti top and tail four other works that reveal a composer of rare gifts. 'Peace' is a beautiful piece of reflective writing that draws its inspiration from the deepest recesses of the composer's heart, whilst the delightful 'Cantilena' is a hauntingly flowing piece of lyricism that reminds you of a gentle Iberian sarabande. The solo version of 'Child's Play', which is based around the nursery rhyme 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star' is also a reminder of the technical brilliance of the performer and also of the immense leaps forward that has taken place in technique in the past twenty years.

That leaves the very interesting 'Rhapsody for Baritone: Don Quixote', which takes its inspiration from the travails of Cervante's delusional knight. This is a lovely work, full of wit, elegiac love themes and touches of Spanish bombast in equal measures, and suits the baritone to a tee. Quixote was a dreamer; a lesser man than he thought he should have been, and the baritone is used brilliantly to portray this. There is a sense of a bigger presence confined in physical smaller body – not unlike a euphonium inside the body of a baritone, but the composer never allows this to feel like an insurmountable handicap. It is a very fine work indeed and wonderfully performed by the soloist.

This is a very timely reminder of a compositional talent that enriched our movement and of a man that did the same. John Golland was a thoughtful and passionate composer, a thoughtful and kind man, and someone who we as a movement owe a great debt of gratitude to. David Childs and the producers of this CD have reminded us of that in wonderful fashion.

Iwan Fox.

Track listing:

1-3 Euphonium Concerto No.1
a) Cadenza (Lento): Allegro
b) Andante Tranquillo
c) Allegro,4.15
4 Peace
5 Childs Play
6 Cantilena
7 Rhapsody for Baritone: Don Quixote
8-10 Euphonium Concert No.2
a) Moderato Eroico
b) Largo Elegaico: In Memoriam John Childs
c) Alegro Energico e Scherzando