well played with lively interpretations. The sound is clear…Though most of the music is teenage Strauss, it’s melodic and enjoyable… © 2012 American Record Guide Read complete review on American Record Guide online

the Amelia Piano Trio shows its engagement in the music, with the performance standing out for its vibrant sound and tight ensemble.

Max Mandel joins the Amelia, in performing Strauss’s extant pieces for piano quartet. Here, the performers’ fine ensemble skills emerge well to give a sense of the style they bring to their music-making.

This Naxos album explores Strauss’ very first published chamber compositions, the earliest of which is a work estimated to have been written about 1875, when the composer was all of 11 years old. While they do not demonstrate what was to come in Strauss’ mature works, they do illustrate the incredible command over form and structure that the young composer had and are worthwhile works in their own right. Performing is the Amelia Piano Trio, joined for part of the program by violist Max Mandel. This ensemble does an admirable job of treating these pieces not like works by a child, but early examples of a master’s mind at work. Their playing is clean, crisp and vibrant, just like Strauss’ scores. The addition of the viola for the movements for piano quartet is seamless, creating a well-blended, rich sound. Naxos’ sound is pristine and detailed.