Brahms: Piano Concertos Nos 1 & 2, Freire/ Leipzig Gewandhaus O/ Chailly

Now in his early 60s, Brazilian Nelson Freire is one of the leading pianists of our time, though he is still not known here. These performances of the Brahms concertos, recorded at concerts in Leipzig last year, show what we are missing. The Leipzig Gewandhaus orchestra is a huge asset, too - its soundworld seems totally right for Brahms, and with the extra edge of vividness Riccardo Chailly has brought to its playing since he became music director, the detail and colouring in both works is perfectly in place. That allows free rein to Freire's pianism: he's a superb technician - his lightness of touch in some of the passagework is a marvel - but he's also a wonderfully imaginative interpreter, coming up with ideas that seem surprising and yet perfectly judged. He turns the slow movement of the First Concerto into a dappled reverie, encouraged no doubt by the velvety Leipzig strings, then releases the energy of the Second's scherzo with irresistible athleticism. It's a few years since there have been such impressive versions of the concertos together on disc.