Pachelbel

Johann Pachelbel (1653–1706) was a German composer, organist, and teacher of the Baroque era. He is regarded as a central figure in the development of the German organ school and a prolific contributor to late 17th‑century sacred and instrumental music.

Born in Nuremberg, Pachelbel held a number of organist and teaching posts in various German cities. His career helped shape the South German musical style, characterized by ornate counterpoint, clear musical structures, and expressive chorale writing. He composed extensively for organ and other keyboard instruments, as well as vocal works and chamber pieces.

Among his important publications is Musicalische Erfindungen (Musical Inventions), a collection of keyboard pieces (1693) that demonstrates his mastery of variation form, counterpoint, and elegant melodic lines. He also wrote a large body of sacred music, including cantatas, motets, and chorale preludes, often used in church services.

His best-known work is the Canon in D major, a three-voice canon over a repeating bass line, popularly called Pachelbel's Canon. It gained enduring popularity in the modern era and is frequently performed at weddings and in concert settings. The Canon is part of a larger work for three violins and basso continuo that also includes a gigue.

Legacy: Pachelbel's music helped establish formal procedures for chorale-based fugues and the orchestration of small ensembles; his melodic and harmonic language influenced the German Baroque tradition and later composers who studied under his students. His Canon in D remains his most enduring legacy, illustrating his skill in combining strict counterpoint with memorable harmonic progressions.