Among the first virtuosos of his instrument, cellist Alfredo Piatti is a name known well to students of the instrument and fans of its virtuosic repertoire. Like other traveling musicians of his day, Piatti was also active as a composer. In his case, this was largely out of necessity; few works existed at the time the sufficiently displayed his pyrotechnic abilities on the cello. Although Piatti penned two concertos, four sonatas and a number of smaller works, he is best remembered today for his set of 12 Caprices for solo ...
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Among the first virtuosos of his instrument, cellist Alfredo Piatti is a name known well to students of the instrument and fans of its virtuosic repertoire. Like other traveling musicians of his day, Piatti was also active as a composer. In his case, this was largely out of necessity; few works existed at the time the sufficiently displayed his pyrotechnic abilities on the cello. Although Piatti penned two concertos, four sonatas and a number of smaller works, he is best remembered today for his set of 12 Caprices for solo cello. Anyone who has studied the cello at upper levels has probably discovered these Caprices. There is certainly a didactic element to them, and the technical demands called for test the mettle of even the most proficient player, but they are not without their musical charm and potential. In the right hands, the Caprices are a fulfilling demonstration of the cello's abilities. Few performers have recorded the set. Bengtsson recorded the complete set, and Starker a select few. Just...
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