12 Ensemble
British string group 12 Ensemble, has gained wide critical and audience acclaim since its founding in 2012 for its innovative approach, democratic performance shaping, and conductorless ensemble playing. The group's 2018 debut album, Resurrection, was the subject of strong anticipation. 12 Ensemble was founded by principal violinist Eloisa-Fleur Thom and principal cellist Max Ruisi, seeking to create a group marked by youthful enthusiasm for chamber music performance. The group has performed both traditional repertory and new music, and their concert schedule shows a similar duality: they have played at top traditional venues, including the Barbican in London and, in 2018, the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg and the Berlin Philharmonie. But, as part of an effort to build new classical music audiences, the group has also performed at such venues as a London warehouse roof. 12 Ensemble received a PRS Resonate Award in 2018. Often working with British composer Max Richter, including a three-day residence at the Barbican Sounds & Visions Festival under Richter's curation, the group has also collaborated with violist Simon Rowland-Jones, cellist Leonard Elschenbroich, violinist Mari Samuelsen, and tenor Nicky Spence. In a BBC Music Magazine interview, Thom described the group's rehearsal process this way: "We do try to be democratic! Everyone chips in, but it helps that we've known each other a long time. The rehearsal process is something we've refined over the years; it used to be all free love and everyone having their say all the time, but we'd cover just three bars in an hour. So what we do now is work together a lot beforehand and find out the general direction of where we want to go." In 2018, 12 Ensemble released Resurrection, featuring works by Lutoslawski and Bryce Dessner (the latter a commentary on the first, and the first an homage to Bartók), as well as works by Kate Whitley and John Woolrich. That year they commissioned a new work by composer Oliver Leith.
© James Manheim /TiVo
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Discography
19 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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Winter Songs
Ola Gjeilo, The Choir of Royal Holloway, 12 Ensemble
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on Nov 17, 2017
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
VIII
Isobel Waller-Bridge, 12 Ensemble
Classical - Released by Mercury Classics on Nov 25, 2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
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Visions Illuminées
12 Ensemble, Mary Bevan, Joseph Middleton
Vocal Music (Secular and Sacred) - Released by Signum Records on Feb 17, 2023
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Sigur Rós: Fljótavík
Classical - Released by Sancho Panza Records on Nov 29, 2019
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Last Days: Non Voglio Mai Vedere Il Sole Tramontare
Caroline Polachek, Oliver Leith, 12 Ensemble
Opera - Released by Perpetual Novice on Oct 7, 2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Death and the Maiden
Classical - Released by Sancho Panza Records on Jan 24, 2020
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Death and the Maiden
Symphonies - Released by Sancho Panza Records on Jan 24, 2020
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Tavener: The Lamb
Classical - Released by Sancho Panza Records on Aug 9, 2019
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Winter Songs
Ola Gjeilo, The Choir of Royal Holloway, 12 Ensemble
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on Nov 17, 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Chanson Triste
Vocal Music (Secular and Sacred) - Released by Signum Records on Jan 17, 2023
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Hymn (after Byrd)
12 Ensemble, Eloisa-Fleur Thom, Max Ruisi
Classical - Released by Platoon on Feb 16, 2024
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
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Tes yeux bleus
Vocal Music (Secular and Sacred) - Released by Signum Records on Feb 1, 2023
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Non Voglio Mai Vedere Il Sole Tramontare
12 Ensemble, Eloisa-Fleur Thom, Max Ruisi
Classical - Released by Platoon on Jan 26, 2024
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Last Days, Prologue, Scene 2: Home
Jack Sheen, 12 Ensemble, GBSR Duo
Classical - Released by Platoon on Feb 2, 2024
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
VIII
Isobel Waller-Bridge, 12 Ensemble
Classical - Released by Mercury Classics on Nov 25, 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Last Days, Act 2, Scene 4: The Super-fan
Jack Sheen, 12 Ensemble, GBSR Duo, Patricia Auchterlonie, Sean Shibe, Agathe Rousselle
Classical - Released by Platoon on Apr 12, 2024
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo