Kapsberger was a German-Italian virtuoso performer and composer of the early Baroque period. A prolific and highly original composer, Kapsberger is chiefly remembered today for his lute, theorbo and chitarrone music, which was seminal in the development of these as solo instruments.

Nothing is known about Kapsberger's date and place of birth.
After 1605 Kapsberger moved to Rome, where he quickly attained a reputation of a brilliant virtuoso. He cultivated connections with various powerful individuals and organizations; and himself organized "academies" in his house, which were counted among the "wonders of Rome".

 He started publishing his music, with more than a dozen collections of music appearing during the next ten years. These included the celebrated Libro I d'intavolatura di lauto (1611), Kapsberger's only surviving collection of music for lute.

Kapsberger is best remembered as a composer for lute and chitarrone. At least six collections were published during his lifetime, two of which are currently lost. Kapsberger's writing is characterized, especially in toccatas, by spontaneous changes, sharp contrasts, unusual rhythmic groupings and, sometimes, passages that do not conform to the rules of counterpoint that were in use at the time. The vast majority of contemporary critics praised Kapsberger's compositional skill and innovations. Among them was Athanasius Kircher, who described Kapsberger as a "superb genius" and attested that he has "successfully penetrated the secrets of music." One notable exception was the critic Giovanni Battista Doni, who was initially supportive of the composer, but then turned against him for unclear reasons and criticised his music in print. Also, Kapsberger's toccatas may have influenced those of Girolamo Frescobaldi,[4] much like French lute music would, some years later, influence Johann Jakob Froberger's suites.

This list only includes works published during the composer's lifetime; the few pieces that survive in manuscripts, as well as pieces of questionable attribution, are not included.

Lute and chittarone
Libro primo d'intavolatura di chitarrone (1604): 6 toccatas, 7 sets of variations, 12 gagliards, Tenore del Kapsberger
Libro primo d'intavolatura di lauto (1611): 8 toccatas, 12 gagliards, 12 correntes
Libro terzo d'intavolatura di chitarrone (1626), a recently rediscovered collection[7]
Libro quarto d'intavolatura di chitarrone (1640): 12 toccatas, 16 preludes, 10 passacaglias, 5 chaconnes, and numerous other pieces, including dances, variations, canzonas,