Capocci was born in Rome. As a boy he studied the organ under Sante Pascoli, organist of
St. Peter's Basilica, Rome, and he completed his musical studies under
Valentino Fioravanti and Francesco Cianciarelli. In 1831 he was granted a diploma as organist by the
Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, and, in 1833, he received a diploma in the art of composition. Almost immediately he was appointed organist of the
Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, in 1839. In 1855 he was appointed
maestro direttore of the Cappella Pia of the
Lateran, where he worked for the remainder of his life. Solely devoted to church music, Capocci composed numerous masses and
motets. He also wrote two
oratorios,
Battista and
Assalonne. His chief fame rested on his
Responsori for
Holy Week. At
San Salvatore in Lauro he taught
castrati Alessandro Moreschi and
Giovanni Cesari. His son
Filippo Capocci (1840–1911) succeeded him as maestro at the Lateran in 1898. ==References==