François Cappus


François Cappus was a French composer.

Early life

François Cappus was the son of legal counselor, Maitre Blaise Cappus, Bailiff for Parlement at Aix en Provence. He married Anne Hervelin. They were buried together in Saint-Etienne church of Dijon. The couple had three sons, among them the composer Jean Cappus, and three daughters.

Career

Shortly after his death, Cappus was referred to as a ‘good organist who had a healthy appetite, he died at a ripe old age’. He was also a singer at Dijon Cathedral, and was appointed to an official post in 1683 to ‘sing at all the
important events’.

Works

A dozen of his vocal compositions have survived, sometimes erroneously attributed to his son Jean Cappus.

1693

Air for 1 singer and continuo
Printemps, gardez-vous bien.

1694

Six airs for 1 singer and continuo
Vous estes insensible au tourment,
Je meurs tous les jours,
Quand, pressé par l'excès,
Amour, avant que ma constance,
Taisez-vous tendres mouvements,
Que ces vastes forests solitaires.
Two airs
Que l'amour est charmant, for three voices,
Quand le feu fait sentir, for one singer with a recitative for bass “air à boire”.

1699

Four airs
Vous cachez avec soin vos peines,
Pour n'être point pilotte téméraire,
Reviens, affreux Hyver,
Que l'amour est charmant et doux, for three voices.
s.d. Air
''Vous cachez avec soin vos peines, bergers…''

1700

Henrici Julii Borboni primi é Regio Sanguine principis laudes, Ballet
en deux parties, mêlé de chant
Three airs
Que Bacchus est charmant !, air à boire
Voulez-vous savoir qui des deux, air à boire
Le berger Tircis, vaux-de-ville.