The legacy of the great virtuoso cellist Alfredo Piatti (1822–1901) includes a wealth of glowing reviews of his performances, colorful accounts of his life, important students, and a large body of compositions for the cello. This study focuses on Piatti's Twelve Caprices for solo cello, Op. 25, composed in 1865, and it accompanies a CD recording of this work performed by the author. The Twelve Caprices were intended not only as technical études but also as concert pieces, which Piatti himself performed, and they are still widely used for the development of techniques necessary for virtuosic cello-playing.

A summary of Piatti's biography establishes the context in which the Twelve Caprices arose and brings to light some of the compositional and pedagogical influences that affected them. This summary is followed by examination of each Caprice individually as a guide for both students and pedagogues. Piatti's method for teaching virtuosity might be repetitive in its approach to left-hand technique, but it is highly varied in its approach to bow technique, and the challenges the Caprices offer appear in abundance in the solo cello literature. To promote and define their value for the development of technique, the discussion of the Caprices offers performance suggestions, practice exercises, and excerpts from related repertoire.