François Cappus (16?? – Dijon, November 1716) was a French composer.
François Cappus was the son of legal counselor, Maitre Blaise Cappus, Bailiff for Parlement at Aix en Provence. He married Anne Hervelin (16?? - Dijon, March 1692). They were buried together in Saint-Etienne church of Dijon. The couple had three sons, among them the composer Jean Cappus, and three daughters.
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 theimportant events’.[1]
A dozen of his vocal compositions have survived, sometimes erroneously attributed to his son Jean Cappus.
Air for 1 singer and continuo[2]
Printemps, gardez-vous bien.
Six airs for 1 singer and continuo[3]
Vous estes insensible au tourment,
Je meurs (bis) tous les jours,
Quand, pressé par l'excès,
Amour, avant que ma constance,
Taisez-vous (bis) tendres mouvements,
Que ces vastes forests solitaires.
Two airs[4]
Que l'amour est charmant, for three voices,
Quand le feu fait sentir, for one singer with a recitative for bass “air à boire”.
Four airs[5]
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[6] Vous cachez avec soin vos peines, bergers…
Henrici Julii Borboni primi é Regio Sanguine principis laudes, Balleten deux parties, mêlé de chant[7]
Three airs[8]
Que Bacchus est charmant !, air à boire
Voulez-vous savoir qui des deux, air à boire
Le berger Tircis, vaux-de-ville.