Nelson Freire facts for kids

Nelson José Pinto Freire (born October 18, 1944 – died November 1, 2021) was a famous classical pianist from Brazil. Many people thought he was one of the best pianists of his time. He was known for playing the piano beautifully and with deep feeling.

He made many recordings for labels like Sony Classical and Decca. These recordings won important awards, including the Gramophone Award and Diapason d'Or. Freire played as a solo artist with the world's best orchestras. These included the Berlin Philharmonic and the London Symphony Orchestra. He also played piano music with his long-time friend, Martha Argerich.

A Young Piano Star

Nelson José Pinto Freire was born on October 18, 1944, in Boa Esperança, Brazil. He started playing the piano when he was only three years old! He could even play songs from memory that his older sister, Nelma, had just played.

His first public concert was when he was four years old. His teachers in Brazil were Lucia Branco and Nise Obino. Lucia Branco had studied with a student of Franz Liszt, a very famous composer.

Competitions and Awards

In 1957, when Freire was 12, he played Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5. He took part in the Rio de Janeiro International Piano Competition and won 7th place. After this, the Brazilian government gave him a special grant. This allowed him to study music in Vienna, Austria, with Bruno Seidlhofer.

By 1964, Freire had won his first big prize. This was at the Vianna da Motta International Music Competition in Lisbon. He also received the Dinu Lipatti Medal and the Harriet Cohen Medal in London. In 2005, he made his debut at The Proms, a famous music festival in London.

Nelson Freire usually liked to stay out of the spotlight. He did not often give interviews. However, in 2011, he supported musicians from the Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira. He canceled a concert to show his support after some musicians were fired.

He played with many top orchestras around the world. These included the Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic.

Nelson Freire passed away on November 1, 2021, in Rio de Janeiro. He was 77 years old.

Amazing Recordings

Freire recorded music for many famous labels. These included Sony Classical, Teldec, Philips, Decca, and Deutsche Grammophon. He recorded Liszt's piano concertos with the Dresden Philharmonic.

He also made commercial recordings with Martha Argerich. They had a long friendship and loved making music together. Later, Freire recorded only with Decca Records. His first recordings for Decca were of Chopin's music. These recordings won many awards, like the Diapason d’Or.

His Decca recordings also included a set of Brahms' piano concertos. He played these with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra under Riccardo Chailly. This recording won the 2007 Classic FM and Gramophone awards. He also recorded Beethoven's piano sonatas and music by Claude Debussy. In 2011, he released a CD called Harmonies du Soir to celebrate Franz Liszt's 200th birthday. He also recorded Brazilian piano music.

There is an old recording of Freire from when he was 12 or 13. It includes his live performance from the 1957 Rio de Janeiro Piano Competition. This competition helped start his amazing career.

Awards and Honors

Nelson Freire's recordings won many important awards. These include the Gramophone Award, Diapason d'Or, and a Latin Grammy Award. He also received three Grammy Award nominations.

Music Awards

• Edison Award for his recording of Chopin's 24 Préludes.
• 2002: Soloist of the Year at the Victoires de la Musique awards.
• 2010: Diapason d’or for Chopin's Nocturnes.
• 2010: Quarterly Critics Choice for a live performance with Martha Argerich.
• 2011: Quarterly Critics Choice for Liszt's Harmonies du soir.
• 2016: Echo Klassik for his album of Bach's music.

Grammy Nominations

• 2005: Nominated for Best Solo Performance for Chopin's Études, Barcarolle, and Sonata No. 2.
• 2006: Nominated for Best Solo Performance with Orchestra for Brahms: The Piano Concertos.
• 2010: Nominated for Best Solo Performance for Chopin's Nocturnes.

Special Honors

• 2007: Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (a French honor).
• 2011: Received the Legion of Honour (another high French honor).

See also

In Spanish: Nelson Freire para niños