Capocci, Gaetano

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Capocci, Gaetano

Capocci, Gaetano, Italian organist, composer, and teacher, father of Filippo Capocci; b. Rome, Oct. 16, 1811; d. there, Jan. 11, 1898. He studied music with Valentino Fioravanti and organ with Sante Pascoli; at the same time he took courses in theology. In 1830 he was appointed organist and music director at the Church of S. Maria in Rome. He then was organist at S. Maria Maggiore (from 1839) and at S. Giovanni in Later ano (from 1855). He had numerous students, among them Margherita of Savoy, the future Queen of Italy. His chief merit as a composer was a successful revival of the Classical oratorio. He wrote the oratorios Battista (Rome, March 31, 1833) and Assalonne (Rome, Dec. 8, 1842), as well as numerous sacred choruses and organ pieces.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire