The veteran Brazilian virtuoso Nelson Freire crowns his 70th birthday year with the latest in three new releases from Decca, a Chopin collection that culminates in a beautifully controlled account of the limpid second piano concerto, with the Gürzenich players bringing grace and intelligence to the notoriously staid orchestral writing. As substantial hors d’oeuvres, Freire gives us a plateful of Chopin favourites, including the delicious Ballade No 4 in F minor, Op 52 (which he first recorded at the age of 12) and the toothsome Berceuse in D flat major, Op. 57, each a masterclass in elegant restraint.
