The 12

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The 12 The 12 cellists of the Berliner Philharmoniker

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When the Berliner Philharmoniker's cello section becomes an ensemble in itself.

Since 1972 the 12 Cellists of the Berliner Philharmoniker have been a prominent institution in international musical life. Whether they are playing classical music, jazz, tango or avant-garde, listeners around the world are invariably fascinated by the wide range of the unique and intoxicating timbres that these twelve cellos can produce. Their mixture of seriousness and humor, of depth and lightness, appeals to audiences of all ages.

Among the contemporary composers who have written works especially for the "12" are Boris Blacher, Jean Françaix, Iannis Xenakis, Arvo Pärt, and Tan Dun. The documentary by Enrique Sánchez Lansch portrays the ensemble of the 12 Cellists, its history and its individual members.