Review by John Plunkett

Andrew Fuller and John Mills |

Latin cello and guitar

a John Coffey memorial concert

at the West Meon Music Festival

Saturday, 10 September 2022

John Mills (guitar) and Andrew Fuller (cello) in concert

at All Saints Church, East Meon

A few impressions from the John Mills and Andrew Fuller concert on 10th Sept. This is not a full review but just a quick commentary on some highlights of the performance. This was the last in the series of memorial concerts for John Coffey.

I thought this was a terrific programme, mixing very familiar and less familiar items linked by a Latin/Spanish theme. A special occasion for the guitar society and a full house, as expected for John Mills who has now pretty much achieved legendary status amongst guitar fans.

After a one-minute silence for Her Majesty Elizabeth II, John and Andrew launched into a spirited performance of Granados Spanish Dance no. 5, Andaluza, full of grit and energy and contrasts with cellist Andrew Fuller at times digging his bow in, at other times making the instrument sing beautifully, particularly in the middle section.

Brazilian composer Radamés Gnattali (1906-1988)

And later some immaculate synchronisation from both performers as the ostinato part was played in unison. The second movement continued the idea of the interplay between guitarist and cellist, each taking it in turns with the lead role, and was followed by a fabulous Con spirito which certainly lived up to its name!

The Ginastera Triste was gorgeous, with the guitar used to absolutely magical effect in the introduction, and the necessary intensity of the original voice part fully rendered by the cellist in this performance.

Beforehand I wasn't sure how well this piece would work, particularly the middle section where the soprano ditches the vocalise for a declamation of the Corrêa poem with a repeated-note idea, but Andrew Fuller made it work absolutely convincingly.

The set of Canciones Populares Españolas by Falla was one of the highlights of the concert, fabulous playing from both performers, and moments of great beauty during Asturiana and particularly Nana - a brilliant rendition from John Mills, no-one has ever got a better sound from a guitar than this guy at his best.

Back to the Latin theme for the finale with a lively performance of Bordel 1900, the first movement of Piazzolla's Histoire du Tango, exemplifying the 'Nuevo Tango' style pulling elements from jazz and classical music.

A brilliant and original concert by two stalwarts of the UK musical establishment, performers and performances with real style, energy and character, and very much appreciated by everyone in the audience.

The instruments

John Mills writes about the two guitars he played at the concert,

'The Ramirez guitar was presented to me by Amalia Ramirez around ten years ago to thereby enabled us to record the double-CD Segovia – The Ramirez Years. It is a magnificent instrument, one of the (now) rare long-scale Segovia models favoured by the Maestro from the early 1970s.

My other guitar (also superb,) is by Paul Fischer and constructed in 2006 as the first in a set of ten special guitars to celebrate his 50 years in instrument making. Both these instruments have become, as it were, “close friends.”'

We are not sure about the maker of Andrew Fuller's cello. John Mills thinks, 'it is by Carcassi, (not the guitarist!)'. Lorenzo Carcassi (fl. 1737-1775) was based in Florence and produced most of his instruments in collaboration with his brother Tomaso.