Johann Pachelbel: Life, Legacy, and the Canon in D Major

Biography of Johann Pachelbel

Johann Pachelbel was born in Nuremberg, Germany, in 1653. From a small age, he showed great musical talent, so his parents enrolled him in a music school. It seems that the composer was quite precocious and entered college at fifteen years old.

In 1673, he became the organist of the cathedral of Vienna. Further forward, he served as a musician in several German cities, until in 1695 he moved back to his natal city, Nuremberg, where he was an organist and composer until his death in 1706.

The Lutheran Reform and Chorales

In the 16th century, a very important religious movement occurred in the history of Germany: Martin Luther, a German priest, promoted the reform of Christian doctrine, causing a rupture with the Catholic Church and resulting in Lutheranism.

One of the characteristics of the Lutheran liturgical offices is the special importance given to music, specifically the chorale.

Artistic Legacy and Influence

Pachelbel was one of the composers of the 17th century who most influenced later composers. He was a leading composer of Lutheran chorales of his time. He was an excellent organist, mastering the technique of the instrument in his compositions and developing forms such as the Toccata, Fugue, and Passacaglia.

The Famous Canon in D Major

The Canon in D Major is a work performed by a bass on a theme that is repeated continuously (ostinato). Pachelbel contrasts 27 different variations, played by violins in the form of a canon.

Instrumental Uses and the String Quartet

• The string quartet is made up of 2 violins, a viola, and a cello.
• These instruments are generally accompanied by a duet with the piano.
• In addition, these instruments are part of the symphony orchestra.
• The cello and viola play an ample solo concert repertoire.
• The double bass is used in many styles of jazz.

Musical Theory: 4/4 Time and Rhythm

The pulsation is the internal rate of music, and the beat is the measure that divides musical parts into equal numbers of keystrokes. The 4/4 meter shows the equivalent of four quarter notes (black notes) in each measure. To separate them, there are bar lines.

Rhythmic Figures and Values

• Half Note (White): 2 strokes
• Quarter Note (Black): 1 touch
• Quaver (Eighth Note): ½ pulsation
• Sixteenth Note: ¼ touch

Key Musical Definitions

Ostinato

We call an ostinato a phrase or melodic/rhythmic theme that is repeated incessantly and accompanies another melody.

Chorale

Vocal music written for several voices.

Canon

A composition written for several voices where one voice introduces a topic that will be imitated by other voices at different times, creating a simultaneous but staggered effect.

Important Musical Concepts to Remember

The double-line replay shows that we repeat a fragment. An interval is the distance between two musical notes. If two notes are played simultaneously, it is a harmonic interval. If they sound successively, it is a melodic interval.