Nelson Freire

Origin

Boa Esperança, MG

Also known as

Nelson José Pinto Freire

Years Active

1948–2021

Genres

classical music

Instruments

piano

Biography

Nelson Freire was one of the most celebrated classical pianists of the 20th and 21st centuries, renowned for his warmth, finesse, and profound musicality. Born in Boa Esperança, Minas Gerais, he displayed prodigious musical talent at a very early age, picking out tunes by ear before studying under notable teachers such as Lúcia Branco and Nise Obino in Rio de Janeiro. His remarkable early success culminated in winning a government scholarship at the age of twelve after competing in the Rio de Janeiro International Piano Competition, which led him to move to Vienna to study under Bruno Seidlhofer.

Throughout his illustrious international career, Freire performed with the world's most prestigious orchestras and collaborated with legendary conductors including Pierre Boulez, Riccardo Chailly, and Seiji Ozawa. His lifelong friendship and frequent piano-duo partnership with Martha Argerich became a legendary cornerstone of his career, yielding celebrated performances and recordings across the globe. Despite his preference for direct contact with audiences over studio recording, Freire built an extraordinary discography that earned numerous international accolades, including a Latin Grammy Award for his album dedicated to Heitor Villa-Lobos and other Brazilian composers.

Freire maintained a famously private demeanor away from the piano, balancing his rigorous global touring schedule with a quiet personal life until his passing in 2021. His legacy continues to be honored through posthumous releases, biographies, and tributes from cultural institutions worldwide. Alongside fellow Brazilian virtuosos such as Guiomar Novaes and Magda Tagliaferro, Freire cemented Brazil's place in the pantheon of classical piano interpretation.

Discography

• Recital Chopin (1958)
• Nelson Freire, Rudolf Kempe, Munich Philharmonic - Tchaikovsky / Grieg – Piano Concerto No. 1 / Piano Concerto (1968)
• Robert Schumann, Franz Liszt, Nelson Freire, Münchner Philharmoniker, Rudolf Kempe – Konzert A-moll Op 54 / Totentanz (1968)
• Johannes Brahms / Nelson Freire – Sonate Nr. 3 F-Moll, Rhapsodie Es-Dur Op 119/4, Capriccio H-Moll Op 76/2 (1968)
• Schumann, Grieg - Nelson Freire, Münchener Philharmoniker, Rudolf Kempe – Klavierkonzert A-Moll op. 54 / Klavierkonzert A-Moll, op. 16 (1968)
• Chopin, Schumann & Others: Piano Works (Live) (1968)
• Nelson Freire - Schumann / Schubert – Carnaval / Impromptus Op. 90 (1969)
• Schumann: Carnaval / Schubert: Impromptus - Freire (1969)
• Liszt ∙ Chopin, Nelson Freire – Die Grossen H-moll Sonaten Op 143 ∙ Op 58 (1970)
• Nelson Freire / Chopin – The 24 Preludes (1971)
• Chopin: Piano Sonata No. 3 in B Minor - Liszt: Piano Sonata in B Minor (1972)
• Stravinsky, Basia Retchitzka, Arlette Chedel, Eric Tappy, Pierre-Andre Blazer, Philippe Huttenlocher, Jules Bastin, Martha Argerich, Nelson Freire, Edward Auer, Suzanne Husson, Grand Chœur de L'Universite de Lausanne & Ensemble Instrumental Dir. Charles Dutoit – Noces, Renard, Ragtime (1973)
• Stravinsky: Noces, Renard & Ragtime (1973)
• Heitor Villa-Lobos - Nelson Freire – Klavierwerke (1974)
• Villa-Lobos : Prole do Bebê, Rudepoema, as três Marias (1974)
• Frédéric Chopin, Nelson Freire – Klavierwerke (1975)
• Frédéric Chopin, Nelson Freire – Quatro Scherzos Prelúdio em Dó Sustenido Menor Três Escoceses (1976)
• Frédéric Chopin, Nelson Freire – Nocturnes (1978)
• Chopin: 4 Scherzi, Polonaise No. 6, Ballade No. 3 & Berceuse (1978)
• Chopin: Nocturnes & Fantasie (1978)
• Ao Vivo no Teatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro (1980)
• Martha Argerich, Nelson Freire – On 2 Pianos = An 2 Klavieren (1983)
• Frédéric Chopin (1983)
• Johannes Brahms, Pražák-Quartett, Nelson Freire – Quintett Für Klavier Und Streichquartett F-Moll Op.34 (1983)
• Rachmaninov: Suite No.2 for 2 Pianos etc (1983)
• Hans Richter-Haaser, Nelson Freire, Jorge Bolet, Gina Bachauer, Aldo Ciccolini, Santiago Rodriguez (3), Rudolf Firkušný – Piano Festival (1985)
• Bartók ,/ Kodály, Martha Argerich, Nelson Freire, Jan Pustjens, Jan Labordus, David Zinman, Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam – Concerto For 2 Pianos, Percussion And Orchestra / Dances Of Galánta (1986)
• Bartók: Concerto For 2 Pianos, Percussion & Orchestra / Kodály: Dances Of Galánta (1986)
• Nelson Freire in Recital (1987)
• Chopin | Nelson Freire – Scherzi / Prélude Cis-Moll / Polonaise Nr. 6 (1988)
• Saint-Saëns / Alan Ridout, Argerich - Freire, Kremer, Van Keulen, Maisky, Frieder Meschwitz – Carnaval Des Animaux (1988)
• Saint-Saëns: The Carnival of the Animals / Meschwitz: Tier-Gebete / Ridout: Little Sad Sound (1988)
• Bartók: Sonate Für 2 Klaviere Und Schlagzeug = Sonata For 2 Pianos And Percussion / Ravel: Rapsodie Espagnole · Ma Mère L’Oye (1994)
• Bartók: Sonata For 2 Pianos And Percussion, Sz. 110 / Ravel: Ma mère l'oye, M. 62; Rapsodie espagnole, M. 54 (1994)
• Liszt: Piano Concertos & Hungarian Rhapsodies (1994)
• Liszt - Nelson Freire, Dresdner Philharmonie, Michel Plasson – Klavierkonzerte = Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 / Totentanz = Danse Macabre (1995)
• En Concert (1995)
• Bartók - Liszt - Prokofiev - Martha Argerich, Michael Collins (3), Nelson Freire, Chantal Juillet, Harold Robinson (6), Isabelle van Keulen, Richard Woodhams – Music From Saratoga Chamber Music (1999)
• Kodály: Duo for Violin and Cello - Bartók: Contrasts - Liszt: Concerto pathétique (Live at Saratoga Performing Arts Center, 1998) (2000)
• Heitor Villa-Lobos - Orchestre Symphonique Du Brésil, Isaac Karabtchevsky, Nelson Freire, Leila Guimaraes – Bachianas Brasileiras Integrales (2001)
• Martha Argerich And Friends (2002)
• Chopin, Nelson Freire – Piano Sonata No. 3 • Études Op. 25 (2002)
• Chopin: Piano Sonata No.3; Etudes Op.25 etc (2002)
• Nelson Freire - Schumann – Carnaval · Papillons · Kinderszenen · Arabeske (2003)
• Schumann Recital (2003)
• Nelson Freire (2004)
• Nelson Freire · Chopin – Sonata no.2 · Études, Op.10 · Barcarolle Op.60 (2005)
• Saint-Saëns Geschreven En Verteld Door Ivo de Wijs Geïllustreerd Door Thé Tjong-Khing Muziek Uitgevoerd Door Kremer, Van Keulen, Argerich, Freire En Maisky – Het Carnaval Der Dieren (2005)
• Chopin: Piano Sonata No.2 etc (2005)
• Beethoven / Nelson Freire – Piano Sonatas Opp.27 No.2, 53, 81a & 110 (2006)
• Brahms - Nelson Freire, Gewandhausorchester, Riccardo Chailly – The Piano Concertos (2006)
• Brahms: The Piano Concertos (2006)
• Beethoven: Piano Sonatas (2006)
• Maurice Ravel, Franz Liszt, Martha Argerich, Charles Dutoit, Nelson Freire, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal – Piano Concertos, Concerto Pathetique (2008)
• Martha Argerich | Nelson Freire – Salzburg (2009)
• Debussy - Nelson Freire – Debussy (2009)
• Debussy: Préludes Book 1; Children's Corner (2009)
• Salzburg: Martha Argerich & Nelson Freire (Live) (2009)
• Chopin, Nelson Freire – The Nocturnes (2010)
• Liszt: Harmonies Du Soir (2011)
• Brasileiro Villa-Lobos & Friends (2012)
• Beethoven, Freire • Chailly, Gewandhausorchester – Concerto 5 'Emperor' / Sonata Op.111 (2014)
• Nelson Freire, Chopin, Gürzenich-Orchester Köln, Lionel Bringuier – Piano Concerto No. 2 - Ballade No. 4 - Berceuse - Polonaise Héröique - Impromptu No. 3 - 3 Mazurkas (2014)
• Nelson Freire Radio Days - The Concerto Broadcasts 1968-1979 (2014)
• Beethoven: Piano Concerto No.5 - "Emperor"; Piano Sonata No.32 in C Minor, Op.111 (2014)
• Chopin: Piano Concerto no.2; Ballade no.4; Berceuse; Polonaise Héroïque (2015)
• Bach (2016)
• Brahms (2017)
• Sviatoslav Richter, Artur Rubinstein, Nelson Freire, Philippe Entremont, Evgeny Kissin, Emanuel Ax, Fou Ts'Ong – Chopin Exclusive (2017)
• Nelson Freire plays Saint-Saëns' Piano Concerto No. 2 and Piano Works by Grieg & Liszt (2017)
• Heitor Villa-Lobos: A prole do bebê (2018)
• Encores (2019)
• Nelson Freire Plays Chopin (2021)
• Schumann: Fantasie in C Major — Chopin: Ballade No. 3, Berceuse & Scherzo No. 4 (2026)
• A New Star In The Pianistic Heaven / U.S. Debut Recording
• Ludwig Van Beethoven - Nelson Freire, Rainer Koch, Bayer Philharmoniker – Klavierkonzert Nr. 5 Es-dur Op. 73 "Emperor"
• Recital . "1o Prêmio II Festival Intern-Viana da Mota"