Criticas / Reviews

Oxford Chamber Orchestra : An Evening with James Strauss

The concert was indeed "An Evening with James Strauss," as he was featured in every piece save the first, the Prelude from Bachianas Brasileiras No. 4 by Villa-Lobos, played warmly by the OCO strings under thedirection of Ricardo Averbach. In the five works that Strauss played with the OCO, he proved himself in excellent control of technique, nuance, and color. The most impressive work of the evening, the Concerto for Violin, Cembalo and Strings by Haydn transcribed for flute, piano, and strings, was elegant and highly polished. Pianist Siok Lian Tan, impeccable in her own performance in style, rhythmic control, and touch, followed Strauss's every move. Averbach and the OCO strings were locked in as well, catching each phrase. It was an excellent performance, and was followed by several encores featuring Tan and Strauss together. The three works that followed the Concertstück, Tchaikovsky's Lensky's Aria from Eugene Onegin , Rimsky-Korsakov's Flight of the Bumblebee , and Dinicu's Hora staccato, all transcribed and arranged by the soloist, again pointed to his technical and musical prowess, and earned him a standing ovation. His own set of variations on The Carnival of Venice, played acappella, brought the audience to its feet once again.

James Occot / Oxford Press

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I am pleased to offer words of praise for Brazilian flutist , James Strauss who made his American debut in US this week at Miami University. Mr. Strauss Performed his newky discovered and personally edidet flute concerto by P.I. Tchaikovsky to a full house on our campus and finished his concert with standing ovation. I sat in the last row of the balcony where Mr. Strauss flute projected with absolute easy. He is a singer on the flute with flawless technical prowess and just entonation.Mr. Strauss is a natural perform – as he plays the music demonstrates an air of security and confidence on stage, he has a warm, outgoing personality which makes it easy to him to communicate both with his audience and with people, in general.

Andrea Ridilla

Professor of Oboe

Miami University

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Caro James,

Finalmente trovo il tempo di scrivere a rispetto della splendida esecuzione del Concerto di Tchaikovsky. Fin dall'inizio ho capito che devo esserti grato per la scoperta di questo gioiello musicale. Ma a parte cio', volevo sottolineare l'ottima qualita' del suono, del tuo flauto come dell'orchestra israeliana. Trovo che l'atmosfera del Concerto e' stata resa molto bene, e tutto e' eseguito in una maniera talmente elegante e piena di buon gusto che chi ascolta puo' rilassarsi e godere la musica di Tchaikovsky. Ho apprezzato anche la misura e l'equilibrio di una cadenza che poteva facilmente diventare una semplice dimostrazione di bravura fine a se stessa e che nella tuaregistrazione invece, scorre semplicemente e elegantemente.Grazie per questa registrazione che dovrebbe arricchire qualunque amante della buona musica.

Sinceramente,

Emmanuele Baldini

concertmaster/spalla -OSESP - Orquestra Sinfònica do Estado de Sao Paulo

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Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky (1840 – 1893)

FLUTE CONCERTO "World Premiére Recording" ( Concertstück for Flute & Strings TH 247 op.posth./ Lensky Aria, Arioso, Andante Cantabile, Serenade for Strings op.48)

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The rumored Tchaikovsky flute concerto is rumor no more, with this reconstructed and completed version made by the flutist James Strauss. Composed with the flute of Paul Taffanel in mind, Tchaikovsky's Concertstück is finally made available to the world. Here the flutist James Strauss one of the last few disciples of the lengedary Jean-Pierre Rampal with the Israeli Virtuosi hailed as Israel's best string team, the Israeli Virtuosi is comprised of the Israel Philharmonic principal players and other top ranking Israeli principal players and soloists . Atração Fonografica has gone all out with the production of this wonderful recording. James Strauss is a is a dazzling, liquid soloist with a glowing tone, and the Israeli Virtuosi under the Ada Pelleg´s baton play with élan; the recorded sound is correspondingly excellent.

FOREING NEWS Magazine

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