Samuel Capricornus

Samuel Friedrich Capricornus, born Samuel Friedrich Bockshorn (21 December 1628, in Žerčice near Mladá Boleslav – 10 November 1665, in Stuttgart) was a Czech composer of the Baroque period.

Life

Capricornus' father was a Protestant minister, who fled with his family for fear of the Counter-Reformation to Bratislava in the former Kingdom of Hungary. After completing high school in Sopron, he studied languages and theology in Silesia before becoming a musician at the imperial court in Vienna. Here, he became acquainted with the music of Giovanni Valentini and Antonio Bertali. After a short stay in Reutlingen he worked for two years as a private music teacher in Bratislava and then from 1651 to 1657 he was active as a music director in various churches and as a music teacher at a high school there.

In May 1657 he became ''Kapellmeister'' in Stuttgart and soon became engaged in a bitter dispute with the organist of the collegiate church, Philipp Friedrich Böddecker, who had himself coveted the position, and his brother David, a cornetto player. Already in September 1657, David Böddecker had complained about a "high and difficult piece" which he had been asked to play by Capricornus and that he also had to play the "Quart-Zink" (a small, high pitched cornetto) and sing, which were not part of his job requirements. In his defense against these allegations, Capricornus complained about the unruliness, and the "gluttony and drunkenness" of the musicians in the ''kapell'', also saying the cornetto players played their instruments like a cow horn.

Capricornus remained in this post until his death in 1665.

Works (selection)

Verzeichnis der erhaltenen Werke von Samuel Capricornus CWV Cornetto-Verlag 2016

Published works

*, Christoff Gerhard, Nürnberg 1655 ; Cornetto-Verlag, Stuttgart (facsimile)
*, Endter, Nürnberg 1658 ; Cornetto-Verlag, Stuttgart (facsimile)
*, Johann Weyrich Rösslin, Stuttgart 1659
*, Johann Weyrich Rösslin, Stuttgart 1660
**, Berliner Chormusik-Verlag/Edition Musica Rinata, Ditzingen 2000
**, Cornetto-Verlag, Stuttgart 2004
*, Author & Christoph Gerhard, Nürnberg 1660
*' for 2 sopranos, 4 viols (ad lib.) and b.c., Christoff Gerhard, Nürnberg 1660 ; Cornetto-Verlag, Stuttgart (facsimile). First edition available at IMSLP.
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*''Jubilus Bernhardi'' for SSATB, 4 Viols and B.c., Endter, Nürnberg 1660 ; Strube Verlag, Berlin 2003. First edition available at IMSLP.
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*, Johann Weyrich Rösslin, Stuttgart 1664
**, Edition Musica Rinata, Ditzingen 2002
**, Carus-Verlag, Leinfelden-Echterdingen 1998
**, Edition Musica Rinata, Ditzingen 2000
**, Edition Musica Rinata, Ditzingen 2003
*, Stuttgart 1665 ; Cornetto-Verlag, Stuttgart (facsimile)
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*, Bencard, Würzburg 1669 ; Cornetto-Verlag, Stuttgart (facsimile)
*, Bencard, Würzburg 1669. First edition available at IMSLP.
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*, Ammon, Frankfurt 1669 ; Cornetto-Verlag, Stuttgart (facsimile). First edition available at IMSLP.
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**, Edition Musica Poetica, St. Peter-Ording 2008
**, Edition Musica Poetica, St. Peter-Ording 2008
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*, Bencard, Frankfurt 1670 ; Cornetto-Verlag, Stuttgart (facsimile). First edition available at IMSLP.
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*''Tafelmusik'', Bencard, Frankfurt 1670 ; Cornetto-Verlag, Stuttgart (facsimile and modern edition)
*''Continuatio der Tafelmusik'' 1671 ; Cornetto-Verlag, Stuttgart (facsimile and modern edition)
* 1672. The entire collection was published as a work by Bertali, however several Sonatas in part two are known to be by Capricornus.

Other works

*''Audio Domini Deus meus'', Cornetto-Verlag, Stuttgart 2008
*''Beati immaculati in via'', Manuscript, 1690 ; Cornetto-Verlag, Stuttgart 2008
*''Ciacona for violin, viola da gamba and B.c.'', in ''Partiturbuch Ludwig'', Manuscript 1662 ; Cornetto-Verlag, Stuttgart 2006
*''Deus docuisti me'', Cornetto-Verlag, Stuttgart 2003
*''Jauchzet dem Herrn'', Cornetto-Verlag, Stuttgart 2004
*''Magnificat'' for voices (SSATB), 2 violins and b.c.
*''Mass in F for SATB, 2 violins and B.c.'', Cornetto-Verlag, Stuttgart 2003
*''Quae fata spes vè fingo?'', Cornetto-Verlag, Stuttgart
*''Quis dabit capiti meo aquam'', Cornetto-Verlag, Stuttgart 2008
*''Raptus Proserpinae'', Opera, Cornetto-Verlag, Stuttgart (facsimile of libretto)
*''Sonata in E minor'' for violin and b.c. Cornetto-Verlag, Stuttgart (modern edition)
*''Sonata à 8 in A minor'' for 3 violins, 2 violas, 2 violas da gamba, viola di basso and b.c., Manuscript 1667
*''Willkommen, edles Knäblein'', Edition Musica Rinata, Ditzingen 2000

Recordings

* ''Jesu nostra Redemptio'' (from ''Scelta musicale''), Hana Blažíková, CordArte, Pan Classics (CD, 2013).
* ''Theatrum Musicum & Leçons de Ténèbres'', Benoit Haller, La Chapelle Rhénane, K617 (CD, 2016).
* ''Dulcis amor, Jesu'' (from ''Geistliche Harmonien, III,'' 1664) Harry van der Kamp, Laurie Reviol. Ensemble Tirami Su, Challenge Classics (CD, 2002)
* ''Theatrum Musicum'', Martin Gester, Le Parlement De Musique, Opus 111 (CD, 1994)

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Capricornus, Samuel
1628 births
1665 deaths
People from Mladá Boleslav District
People from the Kingdom of Bohemia
Czech Baroque composers
Czech male classical composers
17th-century classical composers
17th-century male musicians