Born in
Suure-Jaani, Estonia, then part of the
Governorate of Livonia,
Russian Empire, he was the son of Joosep Kapp, who was also a classically trained musician. Kapp began his musical career studying organ at the
Saint Petersburg Conservatory as a student of both
Louis Homilius and composition with
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov in 1891. Kapp graduated from the Conservatory in 1900 as a composer and from 1904 until 1920 worked as a music director in the southern
Russian city of
Astrakhan, then returning to Estonia as a professor and conductor at the
Tallinn Conservatory where he counted among his students such future notable Estonian composers as
Evald Aav,
Edgar Arro,
Gustav Ernesaks,
Helen Tobias-Duesberg,
Riho Päts and
Enn Võrk. He is, along with
Rudolf Tobias (1873-1918), generally considered to be one of the founders of Estonian
symphonic music. Kapp's son
Eugen (1908–1996) and nephew
Villem (1913–1964) became notable composers as well, having studied at the
Tallinn Conservatory under direction of the elder Kapp. Some of Kapp's most enduring works are the 1899
overture Don Carlos and the 1900
cantata Paradiis ja Peri ("
Paradise and Peri"), both of which are large scale works that prominently feature the organ. He is possibly best recalled for his
oratorio Hiiob ("
Job") and
Metsateel ("
On A Road Through The Woods"), a piece for solo voice. Kapp's work is abundant and diverse and covers many classical genres. He wrote five symphonies, five concertos, overtures, four orchestral suites, in addition to the above. After the
Soviet invasion of Estonia during
World War II, Kapp was forced to resign his position as a composer and retired to Suure-Jaani. He died there in 1952 at the age of 73. His professional career spanned more than five decades. His last two major works were the overture "To the Party" (1947), the Symphony No. 4 (dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the Soviet Young Communist League, 1948), and the Symphony (Cantata-Symphony) No. 5 (Peace Symphony). ==Legacy==