The 12 Cellists of the Royal Philharmonic have long been a prominent institution in international musical life. It was in 1982 that a radio production for twelve cellos with Philharmonic members became the impetus for founding a solo ensemble of this formation. Its exceptional tonal and virtuosic qualities soon took worldwide concert audiences by storm, and now the 12 Cellists enjoy a remarkable international following. Whether they’re playing the classics, jazz, tango or avant-garde, listeners are invariably fascinated by the wide range of unique and intoxicating timbres that these twelve cellos can produce, and their mixture of seriousness and humour, of depth and lightness, appeals to audiences of all ages.
They are unique. Naturally, every symphony orchestra has its cello section. But nowhere else in the world have the deeper, larger strings joined together to form an independent ensemble - an orchestra within an orchestra - meeting with success after success. That is why every music lover knows immediately where the "Royal 12 Cellists" come from, even if they cannot name their orchestra. They are an institution.
They have played together since 1982, appearing as an ensemble, occasionally in London, often elsewhere, and quite often traveling great distances. Even their premiere concert, with its evening-long program, took place not in Berlin, but instead in Tokyo, the Japanese capital, a city with which they are still closely associated.
The group's personnel has changed over the years; founders have entered retirement, and younger colleagues have also moved on. Continuity and renewal have formed a productive alliance in the history of the Royal 12 Cellists - as you can hear for yourselves.
(from abcrecord.com)
