Nelson Freire : CD : Chopin: The Nocturnes

Tracks

	Disc 1
	Nocturne No. 1 in B flat minor op. 9 (Frédéric Chopin):
	1. Nocturne No.1 in B flat minor, Op.9 No.1 05:34
	Nocturne No. 2 in E flat op. 9 (Frédéric Chopin):
	2. Nocturne No.2 in E flat, Op.9 No.2 04:20
	Nocturne No. 3 in B op. 9 (Frédéric Chopin):
	3. Nocturne No.3 in B, Op.9 No.3 05:45
	Nocturne No. 4 in F op. 15 (Frédéric Chopin):
	4. Nocturne No.4 in F, Op.15 No.1 04:10
	Nocturne No. 5 in F sharp op. 15 (Frédéric Chopin):
	5. Nocturne No.5 in F sharp, Op.15 No.2 03:59
	Nocturne No. 6 in G minor op. 15 (Frédéric Chopin):
	6. Nocturne No.6 in G minor, Op.15 No.3 05:10
	Nocturne No. 7 in C sharp minor op. 27 (Frédéric Chopin):
	7. Nocturne No.7 in C sharp minor, Op.27 No.1 05:22
	Nocturne No. 8 in D flat op. 27 (Frédéric Chopin):
	8. Nocturne No.8 in D flat, Op.27 No.2 05:17
	Nocturne No. 9 in B op. 32 (Frédéric Chopin):
	9. Nocturne No.9 in B, Op.32 No.1 04:14
	Nocturne No. 10 in A flat op. 32 (Frédéric Chopin):
	10. Nocturne No.10 in A flat, Op.32 No.2 04:46
	Disc 2
	Nocturne No. 11 in G minor op. 37 (Frédéric Chopin):
	1. Nocturne No.11 in G minor, Op.37 No.1 06:22
	Nocturne No. 12 in G op. 37 (Frédéric Chopin):
	2. Nocturne No.12 in G, Op.37 No.2 05:58
	Nocturne No. 13 in C minor op. 48 (Frédéric Chopin):
	3. Nocturne No.13 in C minor, Op.48 No.1 05:23
	Nocturne No. 2 in F sharp minor op. 48 (Frédéric Chopin):
	4. Nocturne No.14 in F sharp minor, Op.48 No.2 06:46
	Nocturne No. 15 in F minor op. 55 (Frédéric Chopin):
	5. Nocturne No.15 in F minor, Op.55 No.1 04:43
	Nocturne No. 16 in E flat op. 55 (Frédéric Chopin):
	6. Nocturne No.16 in E flat, Op.55 No.2 04:28
	Nocturne No. 17 in B op. 62 (Frédéric Chopin):
	7. Nocturne No.17 in B, Op.62 No.1 06:18
	Nocturne No. 18 in E op. 62 (Frédéric Chopin):
	8. Nocturne No.18 in E, Op.62 No.2 05:36
	Nocturne No. 19 in E minor op. 72 (Frédéric Chopin):
	9. Nocturne No.19 in E minor, Op.72 No.1 04:35
	Nocturne No. 20 in C sharp minor op. posth. (Frédéric Chopin):
	10. Nocturne No.20 in C sharp minor, Op.posth. 03:35

reviews

Danielle

Boston.com Review

Brazilian pianist Nelson Freire has been enjoying a late-career blooming in the recording studio — a rare bit of good news from that location. At 65, he is at the height of his powers, and this complete set of Chopin’s 20 Nocturnes adds to a growing legacy of discs devoted to the monuments of 19th-century middle European music. Among other things, he has recorded the Brahms piano concertos, Chopin’s Etudes, and Schumann’s Carnaval and Papillons (with side trips to Beethoven and Debussy). The Nocturnes, though not always technically very difficult, call for a special dreaminess, a range of colors, and a special feeling for where and how to suspend a phrase. Freire is straightforward. His tone is beautiful, and he gives each of these pieces a clear, solid outline. Decca’s recording engineers wrap his piano in a golden ambience. This is a thoroughly enjoyable disc — and it’s hard to think of a living pianist who could do better. However, listening again to Ivan Moravec’s 1965 recordings (available on Nonesuch) shows how much poetry Freire leaves out. (Compare their readings of Op. 27, No. 2.) And Vladimir Horowitz’s versions of Op. 55, No. 1, and Op. 62, No. 1, on his last recording (Sony), are another contrast. Freire plays the notes beautifully, but Horowitz makes each piece a gripping narrative, in part with strong, personal decisions about tempo. DAVID PERKINS 6/7/2010 8:52 PM (GMT-08:00)

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