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Johann Pachelbel

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Johann Pachelbel was a German Baroque composer, organist and music teacher. He was baptised in Nuremberg in 1653, the son of a wine merchant. From an early age he stood out for his musical and scholastic talent. After studies in Altdorf and Regensburg he worked as an organist in Vienna, Eisenach, Erfurt, Stuttgart and Gotha, and finally back in his home town, where he died in 1706.

Music and breakthrough

In his own day Pachelbel was known mainly as an organist and as a composer of Protestant church music. He wrote chorale preludes, fugues, variations for harpsichord and chamber music. His style was clear and orderly, with highly singable melodies. He had many pupils and his work became a model for composers in southern and central Germany. In Erfurt he taught Johann Christoph Bach, the elder brother and later teacher of Johann Sebastian Bach.

Influence

Today everyone knows him for one piece: the Canon in D, in full Canon and Gigue for three violins and basso continuo. When he wrote it is not certain. The piece is a canon, in which the violins follow one another with the same melody, above a bass line that is repeated over and over. In the twentieth century it became enormously popular. The chord sequence that goes with that bass line has since turned up in countless pop songs. In this way a Baroque composer lives on in the hit parade.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to the Canon in D and first follow only the bass, which keeps repeating the same eight notes. Then notice how the violins enter one by one with the same melody, each following the one before.

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

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Mentioned in other articles

See also

Categories: ArtistsGerman Baroque and Bach