Johann Pachelbel

Johann Pachelbel was a German composer, organist, and teacher who brought the south German organ tradition to its peak. He composed a large body of sacred and secular music, and his contributions to the development of the chorale prelude and fugue have earned him a place among the most important composers of the middle Baroque era. Pachelbel was baptized on September 1, 1653, in Nuremberg, Germany. He studied music at Altdorf and Regensburg and held posts as organist in Vienna, Stuttgart, and other cities. In 1695 he was appointed organist at the St. Sebalduskirche in Nuremberg, where he remained until his death. During his lifetime he also taught organ and influenced many younger composers, including Johann Sebastian Bach. Pachelbel's music enjoyed enormous popularity during his lifetime; he had many pupils and his music became a model for the composers of south and central Germany. Today, Pachelbel is best known for the Canon in D, a piece of chamber music that is often played at weddings and other occasions. Other well-known works include the Chaconne in F minor, the Toccata in E minor for organ, and the Hexachordum Apollinis, a set of keyboard variations. ² Pachelbel's style is characterized by clarity, simplicity, and elegance. He used a variety of forms and techniques, such as canon, fugue, chorale prelude, variation, toccata, fantasia, and ricercar. He also wrote vocal music, such as motets, cantatas, arias, and magnificats. His music reflects his Lutheran faith and his deep knowledge of Italian and French music. ² Pachelbel died on March 3, 1706, in Nuremberg, Germany. He was buried at the St. Rochus Cemetery. His music was largely forgotten until the 20th century, when it was rediscovered and appreciated by scholars and performers. His Canon in D became especially popular after it was recorded by Jean-François Paillard in 1968. Since then, Pachelbel's music has been performed and recorded by many artists and has influenced various genres of music. ²