Kapp, Artur Iosifovich

Kapp, Artur Iosifovich

 

Born Feb. 16 (28), 1878, in Suure-Jaani, in present-day Viljandi Raion, Estonian SSR; died there Jan. 14, 1952. Soviet composer; Honored Art Worker of the Estonian SSR (1945); a founder of professional Estonian music.

Kapp graduated from the St. Petersburg Conservatory, where he studied organ (1898) with L. F. Gomilius and composition (1900) with Rimsky-Korsakov. During 1920–24 he was conductor of the Estonia Theater in Tallinn. In 1920 he also began teaching, he was a professor at the Tallinn Conservatory during 1925-43. He composed symphonic works, concertos, instrumental ensembles, organ pieces, choruses, and songs. The Estonian composers E. Aav, E. A. Kapp, and G. G. Ernesaks were among his students. Kapp received the State Prize of the USSR in 1950.