The French cellist Felix Battanchon (1814-93) was principal cellist in the orchestra at the Grand Opéra in Paris . Very little research has been carried out into his biographical details, but it is known that he composed around 40 works. By far the majority of his compositions are salon pieces for one to three cellos, but Battanchon also wrote several collections of studies. The “12 Etudes in the Thumb Position” are now available in a new edition by Martin Rummel. They are suitable both as an introduction to playing in the thumb position as well as an advanced study of this aspect of cello playing.