Placide Cappeau
Encyclopedia
Placide Cappeau was a French poet and the author of the well-known poem, "Minuit, chrétiens" (O Holy Night
) (1847), which was set to music by Adolphe Adam
. He was born on 25 October 1808 at 8 p.m. in Roquemaure (Gard). He was the son of Mathieu Cappeau, a cooper, and Agathe Louise Martinet.
From the beginning, he was destined to follow his father in the family business (vinification and cooperage); but after an accident, he turned to the life of an academic. The accident occurred when he was eight years old, while "playing" with his friend Brignon. The young Brignon was handling a gun and shot Cappeau in the hand. This led to the young Cappeau having to undergo an amputation of his hand. Thanks to the financial support from Mr Brignon who supplied half of tuition, Placide Cappeau was able to attend a town school and was accepted into the Collège Royal d’Avignon
. While there, in spite of his disability, he was awarded the first prize in drawing in 1825.
After studying in Nîmes
, where he received a baccalauréat littéraire (A level in literature), he studied law in Paris and was awarded une licence (a degree) in 1831
Following in his father's footsteps, to an extent, he became a merchant of wines and spirits. However, his focus in life was literature.
According to Placide, he wrote the poem "Minuit Chrétien" (O Holy Night
) in a stagecoach to Paris, between Mâcon
and Dijon
. More likely, this famous Christmas carol
was written by Cappeau in the usual way. Despite Adolphe Adam
calling his tune "la Marseillaise religieuse" (The religious Marseillaise), Placide Cappeau held socialist, republican
and anti-clerical (secular) views. (see French Revolution
)
Other writings include Le château de Roquemaure, which was published in 1876, Le roi de la fève, La poésie, Le papillon and La rose.
He was a friend of some of the great writers of the Félibrige
like Frédéric Mistral
, Joseph Roumanille
, Alphonse Daudet
. He knew Alphonse de Lamartine
as well.
He died on 8 August 1877 in Roquemaure, at the age of 69.
Bibliography : Durieu (abbé René), L'auteur du "Minuit chrétiens", Placide Cappeau, Nîmes, Lacour, 1996.
O Holy Night
"O Holy Night" is a well-known Christmas carol composed by Adolphe Adam in 1847 to the French poem "Minuit, chrétiens" by Placide Cappeau , a wine merchant and poet, who had been asked by a parish priest to write a Christmas poem...
) (1847), which was set to music by Adolphe Adam
Adolphe Adam
Adolphe Charles Adam was a French composer and music critic. A prolific composer of operas and ballets, he is best known today for his ballets Giselle and Le corsaire , his operas Le postillon de Lonjumeau , Le toréador and Si j'étais roi , and his Christmas...
. He was born on 25 October 1808 at 8 p.m. in Roquemaure (Gard). He was the son of Mathieu Cappeau, a cooper, and Agathe Louise Martinet.
From the beginning, he was destined to follow his father in the family business (vinification and cooperage); but after an accident, he turned to the life of an academic. The accident occurred when he was eight years old, while "playing" with his friend Brignon. The young Brignon was handling a gun and shot Cappeau in the hand. This led to the young Cappeau having to undergo an amputation of his hand. Thanks to the financial support from Mr Brignon who supplied half of tuition, Placide Cappeau was able to attend a town school and was accepted into the Collège Royal d’Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
. While there, in spite of his disability, he was awarded the first prize in drawing in 1825.
After studying in Nîmes
Nîmes
Nîmes is the capital of the Gard department in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France. Nîmes has a rich history, dating back to the Roman Empire, and is a popular tourist destination.-History:...
, where he received a baccalauréat littéraire (A level in literature), he studied law in Paris and was awarded une licence (a degree) in 1831
Following in his father's footsteps, to an extent, he became a merchant of wines and spirits. However, his focus in life was literature.
According to Placide, he wrote the poem "Minuit Chrétien" (O Holy Night
O Holy Night
"O Holy Night" is a well-known Christmas carol composed by Adolphe Adam in 1847 to the French poem "Minuit, chrétiens" by Placide Cappeau , a wine merchant and poet, who had been asked by a parish priest to write a Christmas poem...
) in a stagecoach to Paris, between Mâcon
Mâcon
Mâcon is a small city in central France. It is prefecture of the Saône-et-Loire department, in the region of Bourgogne, and the capital of the Mâconnais district. Mâcon is home to over 35,000 residents, called Mâconnais.-Geography:...
and Dijon
Dijon
Dijon is a city in eastern France, the capital of the Côte-d'Or département and of the Burgundy region.Dijon is the historical capital of the region of Burgundy. Population : 151,576 within the city limits; 250,516 for the greater Dijon area....
. More likely, this famous Christmas carol
Christmas carol
A Christmas carol is a carol whose lyrics are on the theme of Christmas or the winter season in general and which are traditionally sung in the period before Christmas.-History:...
was written by Cappeau in the usual way. Despite Adolphe Adam
Adolphe Adam
Adolphe Charles Adam was a French composer and music critic. A prolific composer of operas and ballets, he is best known today for his ballets Giselle and Le corsaire , his operas Le postillon de Lonjumeau , Le toréador and Si j'étais roi , and his Christmas...
calling his tune "la Marseillaise religieuse" (The religious Marseillaise), Placide Cappeau held socialist, republican
Republicanism
Republicanism is the ideology of governing a nation as a republic, where the head of state is appointed by means other than heredity, often elections. The exact meaning of republicanism varies depending on the cultural and historical context...
and anti-clerical (secular) views. (see French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
)
Other writings include Le château de Roquemaure, which was published in 1876, Le roi de la fève, La poésie, Le papillon and La rose.
He was a friend of some of the great writers of the Félibrige
Félibrige
The Félibrige is a literary and cultural association founded by Frédéric Mistral and other Provençal writers to defend and promote Occitan language and literature...
like Frédéric Mistral
Frédéric Mistral
Frédéric Mistral was a French writer and lexicographer of the Occitan language. Mistral won the Nobel Prize in literature in 1904 and was a founding member of Félibrige and a member of l'Académie de Marseille...
, Joseph Roumanille
Joseph Roumanille
Joseph Roumanille was a Provençal poet. He was born at Saint-Rémy-de-Provence , and is commonly known in southern France as the father of the Félibrige, for he first conceived the idea of raising his regional language to the dignity of a literary language.-Biography:Joseph Roumanille was the son...
, Alphonse Daudet
Alphonse Daudet
Alphonse Daudet was a French novelist. He was the father of Léon Daudet and Lucien Daudet.- Early life :Alphonse Daudet was born in Nîmes, France. His family, on both sides, belonged to the bourgeoisie. The father, Vincent Daudet, was a silk manufacturer — a man dogged through life by misfortune...
. He knew Alphonse de Lamartine
Alphonse de Lamartine
Alphonse Marie Louis de Prat de Lamartine was a French writer, poet and politician who was instrumental in the foundation of the Second Republic.-Career:...
as well.
He died on 8 August 1877 in Roquemaure, at the age of 69.
Bibliography : Durieu (abbé René), L'auteur du "Minuit chrétiens", Placide Cappeau, Nîmes, Lacour, 1996.