Review of 'From the Summer Solstice' in August 2007 issue of Classical Guitar Magazine.

Released in 2006, which coincided with the 400th anniversary of the first documented sighting of Australia by European explorers, this very well produced ‘privately released’ CD of premiere recordings is a celebration of contemporary Australian music for guitar duo and is a most welcome addition to the ever-growing recorded guitar music market.

The playing throughout by husband and wife duo Ruth and Richard Lenz is nothing short of superb; they handle this beautifully-crafted music very well indeed, their interpretations being of the highest quality. Personal commendations regarding the performances of Duo Lenz from Richard Charlton, Peter Sculthorpe and Paul Svoboda are included in the CD packaging as a supplement, so it does not really come much better than that.

If pushed to chose, my personal favourite would have to be the final track 'Aurora', where Ruth Lenz performs the delightful original guitar solo by Paul Svoboda, whilst Richard Lenz improvises on a 12-String guitar – exquisite stuff! But really, everything on this wonderful programme is a gem.

The packaging of this disc is of the highest quality, with informative sleeve notes (written by the individual composers) and a front cover which ought to win some kind of award for “quality design”. A very attractive proposition all round.

Reviewed by Steve Marsh for Classical Guitar Magazine, August 2007

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