Compositions

Works composed for the "12"

Boris Blacher: Blues-Espagnola-Rumba philharmonica.
First performance on October 26, 1973 in Tokio

Jean Francaix: "Aubade" for 12 Celli soli.
Work commissioned by the Berliner Festwochen.
First performance on September 30, 1975 in Berlin.
(Schott & Söhne)

Arvo Pärt: "Fratres" for 12 Celli.
Work commissioned by the Berliner Festwochen.
First performance on September 19, 1982 at Philharmonie, Berlin
(Universal EditionWien)

Arvo Pärt: Missa Brevis

Kaija Saariaho: Neiges

Iannis Xenakis: "Retours" for 12 Celli-soli.
Work commissioned by the City of Bonn.
First performance on November 20, 1976 in Bonn.
(Salabert Verlag Paris)

Tan Dun: "Secret Land" for Orchestra and Twelve Violoncellos (2004)
Work commissioned by the Berliner Philharmoniker.
First performance on June 17, 2004 at the Philharmonie, Berlin
Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle

Helmut Eder: Melodia - Ritmica, op. 59, Nr. 1
First performance on April 17, 1973 in Salzburg.
(Doblinger-Verlag)
(Bote & Bock)

Michael Braunfels: "Symposion" for 12 Celli soli.
First performance on Dec. 13, 1975 at the WDR in Cologne.
(Siebel Musikverlag München)

Werner Thärichen: "Hommage aux Douze".
First performance on Mai 20, 1976 at Philharmonie, Berlin.
(Bote & Bock)

Marcel Rubin: "Concertino for 12 Celli".
Work commissioned by the Wiener Festwochen.
First performance on June 8, 1976 at the Great Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna.
(Doblinger-Verlag)

Gerhard Wimberger: "Plays" for 12 Celli soli, winds and percussion.
Work commissioned by the Salzburger Festspiele.
First performance on August 28, 1976 in Salzburg.
(Bärenreiter-Verlag)

Günter Bialas: "Assonanzen" for 12 Celli.
Work commissioned by the Schwetzinger Festspiele.
First performance on Mai 16, 1978 in Schwetzingen.
(Bärenreiter-Verlag)

Noam Sheriff: "Tre'y-Assar" for 12 Celli.
Work commissioned by the Senate of Berlin for the 30. Anniversary of the State of Israel.
First performance on August 16, 1978 in Jerusalem

Cesar Bresgen: "Elegie" for 12 Celli.
Work commissioned by the Salzburger Festspiele.
First performance on August 26, 1980 in Salzburg.
(Breitkopf & Härtel)

Rudolf Kelterborn: "Scene for 12 Cellists".
Work commissioned by the Musikfestwochen Luzern.
First performance on August 30, 1980 in Luzern.
(Bärenreiter-Verlag)

lkuma Dan: "Nights"' for 12 Celli.
Work commissioned by the Japan Arts Foundation, Tokio.
First performance on November 9, 1981 in Tokio.
(Ongaku No Tomo Edition)

Klaus Wüsthoff: "Cellodrom" for the 12 Cellists of the Berlin Philharmonic.
First performance on April 17, 1983 for the Prix Futura.
Television concert in SFB, Berlin

Wolfgang Fortner: "Madrigal" for 12 Celli.
First performance 1983/84 in Wiesbaden.
(Schott & Söhne)

Udo Zimmermann: "Canticum Marianum" for 12 Celli soli.
Work commissioned by the Dresdner Musikfestspiele.
First performance on June 28, 1985 at Kulturpalast, Dresden.

Wolfgang Rihm: "Augenblick" 1992.
First performance on October 9, 1992 at Philharmonie, Berlin

Brett Dean: "Twelve angry men" (after the film of the same name by Sydney Lumet)
Work commissioned by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.
First performance on February 19, 1997 at Philharmonie Berlin.
(Boosey & Hawkes)

Wilhelm Kaiser-Lindemann: "Die 12 in Bossa-nova" (Variacoes brasileiras)
(Edition Kunzelmann, Lottstetten)

Wilhelm Kaiser-Lindemann: Suite for 12 Celli op. 28 (2000)
Work commissioned by the Brandenburg Summer Concerts.
First performance on August 19, 2000 at the Brandenburg Summer Concerts.

Wilhelm Kaiser-Lindemann: "... und Penthesilea träumt" op. 34
First performance on June 2, 2003 at the Semper-Oper, Dresden.

Sergio Cárdenas: The flower is a key (A rap for Mozart)
First performance on September 18, 2003 at the Kultur- und Kongresszentrum, Luzern

Sergio Cárdenas: Huapangos

Hans-Joachim Hespos: "Champeng" (2001)
Anniversary scene music for the 12 Cellists of the Berlin Philharmonic.
First performance on March 31, 2002 at the Mozarteum, Salzburg

Robert Brookmeyer: America 2002, in memoriam
for trumpet/flugelhorn and 12 Celli

Frangis Ali-Sade: Schüschtar (Metamorphosis)
Auftragswerk der Berliner Philharmoniker
First performance on October 5, 2002 at the Philharmonie, Berlin

Christian Jost: Images & Shadows für 12 mafiotische Solocelli (2003)
... nach einer epischen Geschichte in 3 Teilen
First performance on September 18, 2003 at the Kultur- und Kongresszentrum, Luzern

Peter Openshaw: Capriccio für 12 Celli (2001)

Peter Kolman: Take Over

Krzesimir Debski: Cello Animation (2002)

Peteris Vasks: Canto di Forza

Markus Stockhausen: Miniatur (einer Seelenreise)

Ursina Braun: das etwas andere Schlaraffenland

About 40 other pieces from all over the world have been dedicated to the 12 Cellists.