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- The Guardian, Friday 26 July 2002
Nelson Freire is not commonly placed in the top echelon of contemporary pianists, and his inclusion in the Philips Great Pianists of the 20th Century series a few years ago raised eyebrows.
But this suavely fluent Chopin disc, the first release in his new recording contract with Decca, suggests Freire is a thoughtful, accomplished artist.
There is an impressive sense of wholeness about his account of the B minor Sonata, a musicality that always resists the temptation to dwell on passing detail that would interrupt the sweep of each movement, while in the Op 25 Etudes, each piece is taken on its own terms for what it offers technically and harmonically, rather than as a flashy demonstration of the pianist's own capabilities.
