{"id":6090,"date":"2012-09-11T09:18:22","date_gmt":"2012-09-11T13:18:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/?p=6090"},"modified":"2012-09-11T09:18:22","modified_gmt":"2012-09-11T13:18:22","slug":"cd-reviews-nelson-freire-and-the-salon-piano-confections-of-latin-america","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2012\/09\/11\/cd-reviews-nelson-freire-and-the-salon-piano-confections-of-latin-america\/","title":{"rendered":"CD reviews: Nelson Freire and the salon piano confections of Latin America"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Nelson Freire plays the music of his native Brazil on his latest album for Decca.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Once in a while, I wonder if artists, critics and serious listeners aren’t classical music’s worst enemies in making everything so darn serious.<\/p>\n

A case in point is music from the Latin Americas, nearly all of it inflused with folksong and dance-music traditions of their national cultures. It is so easy to dismiss salon pieces as the musical equivalent of junk food. But what is wrong with swaying or tapping your foot along with a favourite pianist?<\/p>\n

Three recent releases put the spotlight on the clear differences between Latin American national cultures, showcase three elegant pianists and, even to the casual listener reveal the delicate craft on both the part of the composer and interpreter that makes this music leap off the page.<\/p>\n

For details and audio samples for each album, click on the artist’s name.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>NELSON FREIRE<\/a><\/strong>
\nBrasileiro (Decca)<\/em><\/p>\n

This much-loved Brazilian virtuoso approaches his 68th birthday with an album of 30 of his favourite miniatures by Brazilian composers. Sixteen on the pieces are by the best-known of them, Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959).<\/p>\n

Nearly all of the pieces were written before World War II.<\/p>\n

There are contemplative, wistful and elegiac pieces. Others bristle with energy, requiring all of Freire’s remarkable keyboard skills to make them as light and delectable as a fresh p\u00e3o de queijo<\/em> (a cheese puff made with yucca flour).<\/p>\n

Exemplifying the best of what this music is all about are three fabulous party pieces by Francisco Mignone (1897-1986) that close the album: Valse \u00e9l\u00e9gante<\/em>, Maroca<\/em> and Congada<\/em>. Listening to Freire play this music feels like being caressed by the most nimble fingers on the planet.<\/p>\n

For a taste of the album’s quieter side, here is Freire at home a few years ago, playing A Lenda do Caboclo<\/em> (The Caboclo’s Legend) W166 by Villa-Lobos, which is on the album:<\/p>\n