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I suggest an album released on 7^th April, 2014, which will be broadcast on Radio Romania Music on the very same day of its international release: Johannes Brahms` Piano Concert no. 2 performed by the pianist Maurizio Pollini and Staatskapelle Dresden, conducted by Christian Thielemann. The actual recording was made during a live concert in January 2013, at Semperoper, in Dresden, the place where Brahms himself held the same concert many years ago.

This album has a meaningful symbolic value to the performers because it ends a cycle: an album was released in 2012 - also at the Deutsche Grammophon recording studio - which was the first album containing the Concert for Piano and Orchestra by Brahms, having the same performers. And here we are now 72 years later, when the great pianist Maurizio Pollini ends this cycle of Brahms' concerts, showing his enviable dexterity and conducting skills.

I confess that I wasn`t a fan of the Italian pianist`s previous album, which was released in December 2013 and contained three sonatas by Beethoven: his performance seemed too cold, too insensitive. Whereas Maurizio Pollini has a different way of performing Brahms` concert, having a more soft and sensitive approach, though it is rather classical for one of the most difficult piano concerts in history.

The small imperfections in the pianist`s performance were present because it was a live event, but I cannot deny the remarkable and imposing posture of the pianist and the conductor. This concert is 100% Germanic and I admit that it is one of my favorite works; I have acquired a taste for this kind of concerts at a more mature age. The emotion this concert awakes in you is similar to the emotion you have when you have reached the top of the mountain, after a difficult climb and you feel that the whole world is yours.

And last but not least, the amazing Staatskapelle Dresden conducted by Christian Thielemann, who conducted the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra until 2011 - an ensemble that will always be remembered by us and everyone else as Sergiu Celibidache`s orchestra.

Therefore, Radio Romania Music will broadcast another album included in the Vote the best classical album of 2014 campaign: Piano Concert no. 2 and Orchestra by Johannes Brahms, with Maurizio Pollini, Staatskapelle Dresden, conductor Christian Thielemann.