Twelve Caprices

Carlo Alfredo Piatti (Bergamo, 8 January 1822 – Mozzo, 18 July 1901) published his Twelve Caprices for Solo Cello with the publisher N. Simrock, Berlin, in 1875, nine years after their initial completion, the autograph bearing the date 26 June 1865. Piatti dedicated the set to his esteemed colleague Bernhard Cossmann, who, in turn, dedicated his 5 Concert Studies, op. 10, to Piatti in 1876. Since their publication, these caprices have become a cornerstone of the cellist’s repertoire, valued both for their musical beauty and for their enduring pedagogical contribution to the advancement of cello technique. This two-volume set presents the Twelve Caprices with piano accompaniment: Volume 1 (this edition) includes Caprices Nos. 1, 6, 7, 9, 10, and 12. With the exception of No. 7, which is Piatti’s own, the piano parts are newly composed for this edition. Volume 2 is forthcoming and will contain Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, and 11. The piano part was composed by Maestro Yuriy Leonovich. The cello part has undergone a thorough revision through the autograph manuscript and the currently available printed editions, finding several previously undocumented discrepancies and curiosities, all of which have been compiled in the Critical Notes section.