Nelson Freire -- Liszt Sonata in B Minor-- Univ. of Maryland -- 1982 

I was there when he played this.

This Sonata was played so beautifully, and he has perfect technique. One of the best pianists alive right here.

You´re wonderful, Nelson. The world of music is better because you exist.

Nosso mineirinho,uai,mandando ver ,made in brasil mundo afora,eitaaa trem bom,interpreta Liszt,outro gênio das teclas suaves,andantes...RB Prior,obrigada pelo presente.

This is the first time I hear Freire in this sonata. And definitely not the last.

By far one of the best interpretations I have heard so far. It's rare to hear Liszt being played like this. Marvellous.

Wow ! Cette interprétation est absolument magnifique. This is one of the best performances of this piece I have ever heard. It’s breathtaking!

I think first of all, the poster says it's one of his favorites LIVE performances. And I have to agree, especially with his effortless virtuosity and non-exaggerated lyricism.

Precisely because it is one of the best recordings of the Liszt B minor sonata. R. B. Prior

Great Nelson! He never became a "star", but he remains one of the greatest pianists in the world!

Bravissimo!!!!! Uno dei mgliori pianisti che ho ascoltato !!

Bravo- Marvelous- the perfect pianist.

Spetacular perfect tecnique, quite personal approach and wonderful interpretation, establishing a new standard of excellency!!! SUPERB!!!

Absolutely! His intimistic and delicate approach of this work does much more right to this masterpiece thant the average versions with their often too dominating power.

Fantastico!!!!!!!!!!!

A truly superb performance, perfectly balanced between poetry and power.

Awesome and unique. Nelson Freire has it all, such a genious. Thanks for uploading.

Bravo! A wonderful performance in every way that serves the demands and aesthetic agenda of the Liszt Sonata perfectly. Its a rather traditional performance in many wyas, and he doesn't try to score any brownie points by giving undue emphasis to this or that hidden (and possibly unimportant or uninteresting!) voice for its own sake. And that is precisely why its such a successful and beautiful performance: it's honest and has nothing to hide, either in technical or interpretive categories.

So nice, it's really great performance which always remind me why piano is the king of the classical music in anyway

Simply the best recording, ever!

Bravo!!!Maravilhoso Nelson Freire.orgulho do nosso Brasil!!!

Wonderful!

Great and rare performance of this piece. Thanks for posting!

My favorite rendition on RU-vid!!!

bravo!! I like it!!

Very powerful performance. Wonderful, thanks

Sem duvida o melhor dos melhores

Tocar lizt é normal mas nos dedos de Nelson Freire me parece mais real e comovente!!! Excelente!!!

BRAVO!

Bravo one hundred times!

He is one the greatest pianists indeed! Thank you for posting this. What else do you have by Nelson Freire?

So incredible, thank your rbprior posting these complete videos. Are there other clips from the same recital?

Thanks for your comments. However, I still stand by what I said. For me, this is one of the best.

LINDO

A very virtuosic performance!

I thought it might take 5 years to learn this piece. However, except for the very flashy, loud bits (that will take 5 years to perfect) it's technically relatively easy to play. And even though it's a huge piece, it's kind of like a giant Schubert Impromptu because the same themes keep recurring, each time in a new key. The most difficult aspect about this piece musically is to bring out the underlying melody amongst the dozens of other notes being played simultaneously. Freire shows the way. :)

With all respect, this is not one of all time best recordings... I don't know why people tend to either say something is crap or best ever. This is a respectable performance, but not an epitome of human achievement. Now let's enjoy it.

I agree.

@afertyus1000 so what? It is a live recording! Much more emotion in it than in your perfect CD which was replayed 10 times in the studio and electronically edited to perfection.

@darkblueangel1956 Carissimo, guarda che quando si arriva al fugato, se arrivi, vedi s.francesco che cammina sulle acque, sei completamente fatto e devi riprendere fiato, un respiro in più è concesso a qualunque essere umano, forse anche il sommo Liszt respirava. Suonare è difficile, soprattutto questa sonata dal vivo, lo capisci???!!!!!o no!!!!!!!????

if you've listened to Argerich's recording as many as 100 times (like me, number of times not exaggerated), it's really hard to assimilate this rendering. still, he's doing Liszt and his sonata more than justice, which, in my humble opinion, many other pianists fail to achieve. nevertheless, my ear demands Argerich.

Sobresaliente.

alright, who coughed? we'll have none of that, now! :)

Listen to Yundi Li , uploaded by MarcLn Stereo and you might change your opinion

@darkblueangel1956 Ma che metafisico?????ma che c. dici?!!!

Io manco te carcolo...!

OK, Freire is definitively a great pianist, I won't go over that... But please, think first of Liszt's genius : no composer, no musicians :-))

An interesting performance, but not grea. Lacks both the grandeur and architecture that other, truly great, performances display.Try Zimermann, Argerich, Arrau or Brendel by comparison.

@darkblueangel1956 Caro amico, compagno di giochi, evidentemente la musica per te è solo un niente.Perchè non tiri fuori le palle e provi a suonarla tu dal vivo, guarda che ci vogliono i coglioni per farlo. Ho visto molti grandi solisti arrivare alla fine di questo pezzo con tanti cadaveri...ma dimmi un po' l'hai vista la parte!!!??Ma che dici, chi sei per criticare?

jesus christ.

A very good performance. But there is a difference between a "very good" one and a "genius" performance: the one by CYPRIEN KATSARIS !!!

A very good performance. But there is a difference between a "very good" one and a "genius" performance: the one by CYPRIEN KATSARIS !!!

A very good performance. But there is a difference between a "very good" one and a "genius" performance: the one by CYPRIEN KATSARIS !!!