reviews
"...the dazzling work..."
Rheinische Philharmonie, May 31, 2021, on "2020"
A moving highlight of the evening is...the performance of Aristides Strongylis’s "Adonai! Kyrie! Lord! Herr!", which traverses the full emotional spectrum of Psalm 92 in four languages, thereby building a bridge that unites peoples across the divide between Jewish heritage and the Christian era.
Werner Kopfmüller, Leipziger Volkszeitung, March 10, 2020, about “Adonai! Kyrie! Lord! Lord!”
"[Strongylis] possesses a sweeping breadth of expression and has mastered the art of telling stories through sound. His tone poem inspired by Rilke is complex yet accessible, impassioned and sensuous; it shimmers with exotic hues while remaining grounded in the Romantic tradition. It builds grand orchestral gestures from tangible musical material, is rhythmically compelling, and features distinctive orchestration. [...] Strongylis’s sounds need no screen; they instantly bring images to life in the listener's mind."
Peter Korfmacher, Leipziger Volkszeitung, March 4, 2018, on "angels of hope"
"Strongylis vividly portrays this harrowing fairy tale, refusing to shy away from the brutality that fuels it—brutality that one may well find unsettling [...] a highly expressive work."
Tatjana Böhme-Mehner, Leipziger Volkszeitung, April 11, 2011, on "Der Kampf mit dem Tiger" / Tiger Project
"High-energy music with tonal elements. [...] The work makes an immediate impact through the directness of its sound and rhythm. It culminates in an ecstatic sonic rush of polished eloquence."
Max Nyffeler in the nmz 7-8/2010 about "Troisième Hymne Delphique à Apollon"
reviews
"We recall Nietzsche, who contrasted the Apollonian and the Dionysian element in order to characterize different qualities in art. This music, then, seems to explore the question of what the Apollonian in art might be. [...] ... a playful, sensuous interplay of colors and sounds."
Manuel Rösler in ensemble 1/2010 on "Troisième Hymne Delphique à Apollon"
"[The Time of Narcissus] a string quartet that impresses: ... intertwined spaces of wild, primal energy in boundless freedom."
Goslarsche Zeitung, August 21, 2008
The striking work "Zwischen Tier und Gott" (2006) — a commissioned piece written by the composer Aristides Strongylis, who was present, for Tatjana Masurenko — left a lasting impression.
Saarbrücker Zeitung, February 14, 2008
It would not be entirely fair to claim that the work "Die Zeit des Narziss" by the Greek composer Aristides Strongylis was the best of the evening—simply because the Brahms piece that followed left everyone impressed—but one can certainly say that Strongylis’s composition was the most interesting. It is a challenging piece to play, dedicated to the Iturriaga Quartet and inspired by a work of Hermann Hesse. Simply wonderful.
Diario Bahía de Cádiz, July 5, 2007
"... at the opening of the 7th Leipzig "a cappella" Festival for Vocal Music in the sold-out Mendelssohn Hall: The hosts have placed works by Leipzig composers on their music stands—including three world premieres ... and Aristides Strongylis’s (b. 1974) captivating Boccaccio scene, "Peronella’s Barrel"."
Peter Korfmacher, Leipziger Volkszeitung, 02.05.2006