Georg Capellen

Georg Capellen was born on 1 April 1869 in Salzuflen (Germany). He attended the Gymnasium in his hometown and subsequently studied philosophy and later law at the universities of Berlin, Göttingen, and Tübingen, passing the state examinations in both subjects. During this period, he acquired his knowledge of music theory and composition largely through self-study.
From 1898 to 1900 he served in the civil service of the Principality of Lippe. He subsequently turned to a professional career in music and, from 1906 onward, worked in Osnabrück as a composer, music critic, and music writer. After approximately six years he moved to Cologne and shortly thereafter to Munich. In 1914 he settled in Hanover. Beginning in 1922, he was employed as music editor and critic for the Niederdeutsche Zeitung. Alongside these activities, he published numerous writings on harmony, voice leading, Richard Wagner, and the music of East Asia. His theoretical writings attracted considerable attention; for example, Arnold Schoenberg referred to Capellen and his book "Ein neuer exotischer Musikstil" in his treatise "Harmonielehre".
As a composer, Capellen produced songs, piano music, and arrangements of traditional Asian melodies. Several of his compositions were published by Breitkopf & Härtel, including "Exotische Mollmusik", "Sechs Samoanische Volkslieder", and "Shogaku Shoka".
Georg Capellen died on 19 January 1934 in Hanover (Germany).

Melodramatische Märchen


I am in possession of the complete compositional estate of Georg Capellen’s "melodramatische Märchen" (melodramatic fairy tales). These are spoken fairy-tale texts for which Georg Capellen composing a piano accompaniment. Some of the works are dated 1919, and it appears that Capellen devoted particular attention to this genre during that year. That matches with the fact that in 1920 the actress Maria Lorenz of the "Deutsches Theater" in Hannover performed some or maybe all of these melodramatic fairy tales at several occasions. She was accompanied at the piano by Berte Bussilliat.

The following materials are contained in this archive:


  • Der Rosenprinz (text by Ludwig Finckh)
  • Der grosse Augenblick (text by Manfred Kyber)
  • Das Faultier (text by Manfred Kyber)
  • Von Himmel und Hölle (French fairy tale)
  • Die Himmelbrieflein
  • Warum das Meerwasser salzig ist (German fairy tale)
  • Sternenkind (German fairy tale)
  • Dornröschen (fairy tale by Grimm)
  • Drei rote Ferkelchen
  • Von dem Machandelbaum (fairy tale by Grimm)
  • Herr Korbes (fairy-tale by Grimm)
  • Vom dicken fetten Pfannkuchen (German fairy tale)
  • Der Soldat und die schwarze Prinzessin (German fairy tale)
  • Rumpelstilzchen (fairy tale by Grimm)
  • Von dem Fischer und seiner Frau (German fairy tale)


In addition I also own a typewritten work catalogue, very likely done after his death by one of his descendants.


Georg Capellen put three of the fairy tales together and name the set "Märchen Melodramen". It includes the fairy tales "Der grosse Augenblick" and "Das Faultier" (both by Manfred Kyber) and "Der Rosenprinz" (by Ludwig Finckh). The score can be found here:

Capellen_Maerchen.pdf


Work catalogue


In addition to the manuscripts, the collection of documents also contained a typewritten catalogue of works and a letter from the Reichsmusikkammer. In 1939, "Frau Prof. Brennecke-Capellen" sent all autograph manuscripts of Georg Capellen's melodramatic fairy tales to the Reichsmusikkammer in Berlin, requesting that these works be performed at the forthcoming "Reichsmusiktagung". Apparently, Mrs. Brennecke-Capellen enclosed a seven-page list of Georg Capellen's musical compositions and literary works for further information. On 7 February 1939, the Reichsmusikkammer returned all the documents with the following statement: "According to the opinion of the reviewers, the work Märchen-Melodrama is not considered suitable for performance at the Reich Music Convention. The return of the material does not constitute a value judgment."
This collection of documents - consisting of the music manuscripts, the typewritten catalogue of works, and the reply from the Reichsmusikkammer - has survived and is now preserved in my archive. The catalogue of works was, in all probability, compiled by one of Georg Capellen's descendants rather than by Capellen himself. The "Mrs. Prof. Brennecke-Capellen" referred to in the correspondence was most likely Anna Brennecke-Capellen, presumably Georg Capellen's daughter. A small number of poems by her can be traced in publications from the late 1930s.

For information purpose I present this work catalogue here:

Capellen_Catalogue.pdf