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In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Pinto and the second or paternal family name is Freire.

Nelson José Pinto Freire (Portuguese: [ˈnɛwsõ ˈfɾejɾ(i)]; 18 October 1944 – 1 November 2021) was a Brazilian classical pianist. Regarded as one of the greatest pianists of his generation, he was noted for his “decorous piano playing” and “interpretive depth”.[1][2] His extensive discography for labels such as Sony Classical, Teldec, Philips, and Decca garnered awards including the Gramophone Award and Diapason d’Or. Freire appeared as soloist with the world’s most prestigious orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic, the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic. He played and recorded piano duo music with Martha Argerich, a long-time musical and personal friend.

Life

Nelson José Pinto Freire was born on 18 October 1944 in Boa Esperança.[3][2] He began playing the piano at age three.[4] He replayed from memory pieces his older sister, Nelma, had just performed. His teachers in Brazil were Lucia Branco, a former student of Arthur De Greef, a pupil of Franz Liszt, and her assistant Nise Obino.[2] He gave his first public recital at the age of four.[4]

In 1957, Freire’s performed Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5, at the age of 12. He was awarded 7th place at the Rio de Janeiro International Piano Competition. He subsequently received a Brazilian government grant to study in Vienna with Bruno Seidlhofer. By 1964, Freire had won his first prize at the Vianna da Motta International Music Competition in Lisbon (ex-aequo with Vladimir Krainev) and he also received the Dinu Lipatti Medal and the Harriet Cohen Medal in London. In December 2001, he chaired the jury for the Marguerite Long Competition in Paris. His debut at The Proms was in August 2005.[5]

In general, Freire[6] tended to avoid the limelight, publicity, and interviews.[7][8] However, in 2011, he withdrew from a scheduled engagement with the Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira (OSB) and conductor Roberto Minczuk, in support of the orchestra musicians, following the dismissal of about three dozen OSB musicians by Minczuk.[9] Freire appeared as soloist with the world’s most prestigious orchestras, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, the Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestre de Paris, the Orchestre National de France, the New York Philharmonic, the Cleveland Orchestra, and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra.[10]

Freire died from a fall[11] at his home in Rio de Janeiro on 1 November 2021, two weeks after his 77th birthday.[2][12][13]

Recordings

Freire recorded for Sony Classical, Teldec, Philips, Decca, and Deutsche Grammophon. He recorded Liszt’s piano concertos with the Dresden Philharmonic, conducted by Michel Plasson for Berlin Classics. Freire recorded commercially with Martha Argerich,[14] with whom he shared a long-time musical collaboration and friendship.[7] Freire later recorded exclusively with Decca, the first result of which are recordings devoted to the works of Chopin, receiving the Diapason d’Or, a “Choc” award from Le Monde de la musique, as well as being rated a “10” by the Répertoire magazine and “recommended” by Classica. The recordings comprise, in two CDs, the 24 piano études and the 2nd and 3rd piano sonatas, as well as the Barcarolle op. 60. Subsequent Decca recordings include a 2-CD set of the Brahms piano concertos with the Gewandhaus Orchestra under Riccardo Chailly,[15] which won the 2007 Classic FM and Gramophone awards in the Record of the Year and Concerto categories, and CDs devoted to Beethoven’s piano sonatas,[16] Chopin,[17] and Debussy.[18] He marked the 2011 bicentenary of the birth of Franz Liszt with a Decca CD entitled Harmonies du Soir.[19] He also recorded Brazilian piano music for Decca.[20]

An archived recording of Freire at the age 12–13 includes his 1957 live concert performance in the final round of the Rio de Janeiro Piano Competition of that year, which launched his career, as well as pieces he recorded immediately after the competition.[21]

Awards

Freire’s recordings garnered awards such as the Gramophone Award, Diapason d’Or, and the Latin Grammy Award (best classical album),[22] in addition to three Grammy Award nominations.[23]

Competitions, decorations and institutional honours

Recording awards and distinctions

  • Prix Edison for his CBS recording of Chopin’s 24 Préludes.[24][26]
  • 2002: Diapason d’Or for his Decca Chopin recording.[26]
  • 2002: Grand Prix de l’Académie Charles Cros for his Decca Chopin recording.[26]
  • 2002: Choc from Le Monde de la musique for his Decca Chopin recording.[26]
  • 2002: Répertoire rating of 10 for his Decca Chopin recording.[26]
  • 2002: recommended by Classica for his Decca Chopin recording.[26]
  • 2007: Classic FM Gramophone Award, Record of the Year, for Brahms’s piano concertos with the Gewandhaus Orchestra and Riccardo Chailly.[31]
  • 2007: Classic FM Gramophone Award, Concerto category, for Brahms’s piano concertos with the Gewandhaus Orchestra and Chailly.[31]
  • 2010: Diapason d’Or for Chopin: The Nocturnes.[32]
  • 2010: Included in the Quarterly Critics’ Choice list of the Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik for Martha Argerich and Nelson Freire: Live from Salzburg.[33]
  • 2011: Quarterly Critics’ Choice of the Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik for Liszt: Harmonies du soir.[34]
  • 2013: Latin Grammy Award for Best Classical Album for Brasileiro: Villa-Lobos and Friends.[35]
  • 2016: ECHO Klassik award, Solo Recording, music up to and including the 17th/18th century, for Bach.[36]

Grammy Award nominations

  • 2006: Grammy Award nomination, Best Instrumental Soloist Performance without Orchestra, for Chopin’s études, Barcarolle and Piano Sonata No. 2.[37][24]
  • 2007: Grammy Award nomination, Best Instrumental Soloist Performance with Orchestra, for Brahms’s piano concertos with the Gewandhaus Orchestra and Chailly.[37][24]
  • 2010: Grammy Award nomination, Best Instrumental Soloist Performance without Orchestra, for Chopin: The Nocturnes.[37]

See also

References

  1. ^ Kozinn, Allan (20 April 2009). “For Dramatic Impact? A Subtle Palette”. The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d Lopez, Louis-Valentin (1 November 2021). ““La perte d’un géant” : le pianiste Nelson Freire nous a quittés”. France Musique (in French). Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  3. ^ Allen, David (4 November 2021). “Nelson Freire, Piano Virtuoso of Warmth and Finesse, Dies at 77”. The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  4. ^ a b “Pianist searches for improvement and change”. The Vancouver Sun. 22 January 1987. p. C6.
  5. ^ Andrew Clements (1 August 2005). “BBCSSO/ Volkov”. The Guardian. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  6. ^ Jean-Pierre Thiollet, 88 notes pour piano solo, “Solo nec plus ultra”, Neva Editions, 2015, p.51. ISBN 978-2-3505-5192-0.
  7. ^ a b Leslie Kendall (2 April 2000). “Pianist Takes Back Seat, But His Talent Doesn’t”. The New York Times. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  8. ^ Andrew Clements (3 September 2014). “Nelson Freire: Radio Days – Concerto Broadcasts 1968–1979 review – not a dud among them”. The Guardian. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  9. ^ Cristina Grillo (4 June 2011). “Solistas incendeiam crise na OSB”. Folha de S.Paulo. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  10. ^ “Nelson Freire”. LA Phil. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  11. ^ “Nelson Freire caiu em casa e teve uma concussão cerebral, diz assessora; corpo será enterrado em Minas”. G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2 November 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  12. ^ “Nelson Freire, um dos mais talentosos pianistas do mundo, morre no Rio aos 77 anos”. G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). November 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  13. ^ “Nelson Freire, um dos mais talentosos pianistas do mundo, morre no Rio aos 77 anos”. classicfm.com. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  14. ^ Nicholas Kenyon (6 December 2009). “Martha Argerich and Nelson Freire: Live from Salzburg”. The Observer. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  15. ^ Andrew Clements (16 June 2006). “Brahms: Piano Concertos Nos 1 & 2, Freire/ Leipzig Gewandhaus O/ Chailly”. The Guardian. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  16. ^ Andrew Clements (31 May 2007). “Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Opp 27 no 2, 53, 81a and 110, Nelson Freire”. The Guardian. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  17. ^ Andrew Clements (4 March 2010). “Chopin: The Nocturnes”. The Guardian. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  18. ^ Andrew Clements (23 January 2009). “Debussy: Preludes Book 1; Children’s Corner; etc: Nelson Freire”. The Guardian. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  19. ^ Andrew Clements (28 April 2011). “Liszt: B minor Ballade; Six Consolations, etc – review”. The Guardian. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  20. ^ Andrew Clements (22 August 2012). “Brasileiro: Villa-Lobos and His Friends – review”. The Guardian. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  21. ^ Sidney Molina (25 June 2012). “Lançamento histórico traz primeiras gravações de Nelson Freire aos 12, tocando Beethoven e Chopin”. Folha de S.Paulo. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  22. ^ “Latin GRAMMYs 2013 Best Classical Album”. Latin GRAMMYs. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  23. ^ “Nelson Freire”. GRAMMY.com. 23 November 2020. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  24. ^ a b c d e f g h “Nelson Freire”. Los Angeles Philharmonic. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  25. ^ a b c “Lifetime Achievement Award winner Nelson Freire is dead”. International Classical Music Awards. 1 November 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  26. ^ a b c d e f g h “Nelson Freire”. The Vancouver Chopin Society. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  27. ^ “Nelson Freire”. Géza Anda Foundation. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  28. ^ “Nelson Freire recebe título de Doutor Honoris Causa da UFMG”. Federal University of Minas Gerais (in Brazilian Portuguese). 23 December 2016. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  29. ^ “Winners 2019”. International Classical Music Awards. 17 January 2019. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  30. ^ “Premios Konex 2019: Música Clásica”. Fundación Konex (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  31. ^ a b Westphal, Matthew (3 October 2007). “Julia Fischer, Nelson Freire, Riccardo Chailly Winners at 2007 Gramophone Awards”. Playbill. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  32. ^ “Liszt Harmonies du Soir / Freire”. Decca Classics. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  33. ^ “Bestenliste 1-2010”. Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik (in German). Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  34. ^ “Bestenliste 1-2011”. Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik (in German). Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  35. ^ “14th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards: Best Classical Album”. Latin Grammy Awards. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  36. ^ “2016”. ECHO Klassik Archiv (in German). Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  37. ^ a b c “Nelson Freire”. Grammy Awards. Retrieved 19 May 2026.

Further reading