Kapellmeister

Kapellmeister (IPA: ) is a German word which nominates a person charged to compose of the music. It is a Mot made up of Kapelle (Chœur) and of Meister (main). Kapelle comes from the Latin word popular capella (vault). The vault was in the center of the musical activity to the Moyen-âge. In the beginning the word referred to the person who had the load of the music in a vault. Thereafter, the direction evolved/moved considerably, parallel to the evolution of the musical profession.

Historical use

At the time of the royalties in Europe, the term Kapellmeister appointed the director of the music to the service of a monarch or a prince. This higher position implied the framing of other musicians. Thus Johann Sebastian Bach worked of 1717 to 1723 like Kapellmeister for the prince Leopold. Joseph Haydn worked of many years like Kapellmeister for the family Esterházy, a noble family of row high of the Austrian Empire. Georg Friedrich Haendel was also useful like Kapellmeister for George, Électeur of Hanover (the future George I {{er}} of Great Britain). The term of Kapellmeister could also appoint the director of the music for a church: Georg Reutter was Kapellmeister with the Cathédrale Saint-Etienne of Vienna and had among its young people chorus-singers Joseph and Michael Haydn. For the musicians of this time, to become Kapellmeister was the mark of the professional success. In fact, Joseph Haydn noticed one day that his/her father, (who was a modest manufacturer of carts) had lived long enough to see his Kapellmeister son. As the company evolved/moved and that the prestige of the nobility decreased, the type-setters became more independent and to obtain a station of Kapellmeister became less prestigious. Thus Beethoven worked forever like Kapellmeister, continuing a career of independent musician rather. For the French speakers, it is this historical significance which is most often used, because it often appears in the biographies of type-setters of German language. In other European languages, the terms equivalent to Kapellmeister are maestro di cappella (in Italian), choirmaster (in French) and chapel master (in English).

The case of Mozart

Strictly speaking, Mozart forever be Kapellmeister. In 1787, it had a remunerated station of Kammercompositeur (“Type-setter of room”), at the court of the emperor of Austria, but the authority in the musical field was mainly exerted by Antonio Salieri. At all events, in the reviews, the newspapers and the advertisements in Mozart concerts was often indicated by the term “(Herr) (Mister) Kapellmeister Mozart”. It seems that the prestige of Mozart, as well as the fact that he frequently appeared in public to direct other musicians, led to the use of the term Kapellmeister to express a certain respect in its connection.

In April 1791, Mozart postulated to become Kapellmeister of the Cathédrale Saint-Etienne of Vienna. Its candidature was retained by the municipal council to succeed the holder, Leopold Hoffmann, after the death of the last. That however never occurred since Mozart died in December 1791, before Hoffmann (death in 1793).

Current use of the word

Nowadays the term of Kapellmeister refers German to the chief of a Orchestre or a chorus. When it is used, this term suggests an implication in the organization of the orchestra or the chorus (for example, selection of the repertory, dates in the concerts, choice of invited chiefs etc) as well as in the direction itself.

List musicians who occupied a station of Kapellmeister

(classification according to the birth date)

Deliver

Source

Simple: Kapellmeister

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