While attending the Realschule in Mitava, Jāzeps Vītols studied music under the guidance of Carl Rapp, who was the leading music teacher in the city. Rapp served as one of Vītols' first teachers, specifically instructing him in music theory and violin playing.
In his later memoirs, Vītols described Rapp as an undoubtedly gifted musician, a good violinist, an agile pianist, and a composer not devoid of ingenuity and taste, though he noted that Rapp did not distinguish himself with specific pedagogical talents.
