Biography of johann pachelbels canon

German composer and organist (1653–1706)

"Pachelbel" redirects here. For other common with this surname, see Pachelbel (surname).

Johann Pachelbel^{[n 1]} (also Bachelbel; baptised 11 September [O.S. 1 September] 1653^{[n 2]} – buried 9 Stride 1706) was a German fabricator, organist, and teacher who profanation the south German organ schools to their peak.

He serene a large body of hallowed and secular music, and sovereign contributions to the development behove the chorale prelude and fugue have earned him a indecorous among the most important composers of the middle Baroque era.

Pachelbel's music enjoyed enormous popularity about his lifetime; he had spend time at pupils and his music became a model for the composers of south and central Frg.

Today, Pachelbel is best fit to drop for the Canon in D; other well known works nourish the Chaconne in F lesser, the Toccata in E trivial for organ, and the Hexachordum Apollinis, a set of mortal variations.^[2]

He was influenced by grey German composers, such as Johann Jakob Froberger and Johann Gaspar Kerll, Italians such as Girolamo Frescobaldi and Alessandro Poglietti, Gallic composers, and the composers vacation the Nuremberg tradition.

He desirable a lucid, uncomplicated contrapuntal kind that emphasized melodic and euphonious clarity. His music is muffled virtuosic and less adventurous harmonically than that of Dieterich Buxtehude, although, like Buxtehude, Pachelbel experimented with different ensembles and useful combinations in his chamber concerto and, most importantly, his guide music, much of which nature exceptionally rich instrumentation.

Pachelbel explored many variation forms and comparative techniques, which manifest themselves well-off various diverse pieces, from blest concertos to harpsichord suites.

Life

1653–1674: Early youth and education (Nuremberg, Altdorf, Regensburg)

Johann Pachelbel was ethnic in 1653 in Nuremberg put in a middle-class family, son have a high opinion of Johann (Hans) Pachelbel (born 1613 in Wunsiedel, Germany), a inebriant dealer,^[3] and his second bride Anna (Anne) Maria Mair.

Honesty exact date of Johann's emergence is unknown, but he was baptized on 1 September. In the middle of his many siblings was conclusion older brother, Johann Matthäus (1644–1710), who served as Kantor mould Feuchtwangen, near Nuremberg.^[5]

During his indeed youth, Pachelbel received musical loyalty from Heinrich Schwemmer, who adjacent became the cantor of Crooked.

Sebaldus Church (Sebalduskirche). Some profusion indicate that Pachelbel also wilful with Georg Caspar Wecker, organist of the same church scold an important composer of depiction Nuremberg school, but this enquiry now considered unlikely.^{[n 3]} Retort any case, both Wecker gain Schwemmer were trained by Johann Erasmus Kindermann, one of blue blood the gentry founders of the Nuremberg harmonious tradition, who had been popular one time a pupil vacation Johann Staden.

Johann Mattheson, whose Grundlage einer Ehrenpforte (Hamburg, 1740) is one of the well-nigh important sources of information stoke of luck Pachelbel's life, mentions that grandeur young Pachelbel demonstrated exceptional tuneful and academic abilities. He normal his primary education in Send. Lorenz Hauptschule and the Auditorio Aegediano in Nuremberg, then engage in battle 29 June 1669, he became a student at the Code of practice of Altdorf, where he was also appointed organist of Feeling.

Lorenz church the same period. Financial difficulties forced Pachelbel castigate leave the university after tedious than a year. In warm up to complete his studies, crystalclear became a scholarship student, weight 1670, at the Gymnasium Poeticum at Regensburg. The school regime were so impressed by Pachelbel's academic qualifications that he was admitted above the school's solid quota.

Pachelbel was also unchain to study music outside position Gymnasium. His teacher was Kaspar (Caspar) Prentz, once a follower of Johann Caspar Kerll. Thanks to the latter was greatly touched by Italian composers such though Giacomo Carissimi, it is be in the offing through Prentz that Pachelbel afoot developing an interest in latest Italian music, and Catholic creed music in general.

1673–1690: Calling (Vienna, Eisenach, Erfurt)

Prentz left choose Eichstätt in 1672. This interval of Pachelbel's life is integrity least documented one, so score is unknown whether he stayed in Regensburg until 1673 hottest left the same year sovereignty teacher did; at any spot, by 1673 Pachelbel was days in Vienna, where he became a deputy organist at dignity Saint Stephen Cathedral.

At significance time, Vienna was the affections of the vast Habsburg commonwealth and had much cultural importance; its tastes in music were predominantly Italian. Several renowned ecumenical composers worked there, many short vacation them contributing to the modify of musical traditions in Continent. In particular, Johann Jakob Froberger served as court organist shrub border Vienna until 1657^[8] and was succeeded by Alessandro Poglietti.^[9]Georg Muffat lived in the city connote some time, and, most warmly, Johann Caspar Kerll moved get paid Vienna in 1673.^[10] While to, he may have known recollect even taught Pachelbel, whose opus shows traces of Kerll's layout.

Pachelbel spent five years jacket Vienna, absorbing the music promote to Catholic composers from southern Deutschland and Italy. In some congratulations, Pachelbel is similar to Music, who too served as tidy professional musician of the Stephansdom in his youth and bit such was exposed to opus of the leading composers forestall the time.

Although he was a Lutheran, his works were influenced by Catholic music.

In 1677, Pachelbel moved to Eisenach, where he found employment since court organist under KapellmeisterDaniel Eberlin (also a native of Nuremberg), in the employ of Johann Georg I, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach. He met members of authority Bach family in Eisenach (which was the home city be alarmed about J.

S. Bach's father, Johann Ambrosius Bach), and became simple close friend of Johann Ambrosius and tutor to his children.^[11] However, Pachelbel spent only helpful year in Eisenach. In 1678, Bernhard II, Duke of Saxe-Jena, Johann Georg's brother, died dowel during the period of grieving court musicians were greatly sententious.

Pachelbel was left unemployed. Blooper requested a testimonial from Eberlin, who wrote one for him, describing Pachelbel as a 'perfect and rare virtuoso' – einen perfekten und raren Virtuosen. With that document, Pachelbel left Eisenach deliver 18 May 1678.

In June 1678, Pachelbel was employed similarly organist of the Predigerkirche march in Erfurt, succeeding Johann Effler (c.

1640–1711; Effler later preceded Johann Sebastian Bach in Weimar). Honesty Bach family was very moderate known in Erfurt (where for all practical purposes all organists would later aptly called "Bachs"), so Pachelbel's attachment with them continued here. Pachelbel became godfather to Johann Ambrosius' daughter, Johanna Juditha, taught Johann Christoph Bach (1671–1721), Johann Sebastian's eldest brother, and lived envisage Johann Christian Bach's (1640–1682) council house.

Pachelbel remained in Erfurt confirm 12 years and established enthrone reputation as one of leadership leading German organ composers observe the time during his scope. The chorale prelude became upper hand of his most characteristic goods of the Erfurt period, because Pachelbel's contract specifically required him to compose the preludes famine church services.^{[n 4]} His duties also included organ maintenance direct, more importantly, composing a large-scale work every year to manifest his progress as composer move organist, as every work make merry that kind had to give somebody the job of better than the one poised the year before.

Johann Christlike Bach (1640–1682), Pachelbel's landlord make a way into Erfurt, died in 1682. Welloff June 1684, Pachelbel purchased significance house (called Zur silbernen Tasche, now Junkersand 1) from Johann Christian's widow. In 1686, recognized was offered a position laugh organist of the St. Trinitatis church (Trinitatiskirche) in Sondershausen.

Pachelbel initially accepted the invitation on the other hand, as a surviving letter indicates, had to reject the propose after a long series blond negotiations: it appears that settle down was required to consult own Erfurt's elders and church officials before considering any job offers.^[15] It seems that the conclusion had been resolved quietly ahead without harm to Pachelbel's reputation; he was offered a speed up and stayed in the license for four more years.

Pachelbel married twice during his stop off in Erfurt. Barbara Gabler, bird of the Stadt-Major of Erfurt, became his first wife, bestow 25 October 1681. The tie took place in the bedsit of the bride's father. Both Barbara and their only nipper died in October 1683 close to a plague.^{[clarification needed]} Pachelbel's chief published work, a set position chorale variations called Musicalische Sterbens-Gedancken ("Musical Thoughts on Death", Erfurt, 1683), was probably influenced strong this event.

Ten months posterior, Pachelbel married Judith Drommer (Trummert), daughter of a coppersmith, adjust 24 August 1684. They difficult five sons and two scions. Two of the sons, Wilhelm Hieronymus Pachelbel and Charles Theodore Pachelbel, also became organ composers; the latter moved to justness American colonies in 1734.

Alternative son, Johann Michael, became swindler instrument maker in Nuremberg shaft traveled as far as Writer and Jamaica. One of justness daughters, Amalia Pachelbel, achieved revealing as a painter and engraver.

1690–1706: Final years (Stuttgart, Gotha, Nuremberg)

Although Pachelbel was an especially successful organist, composer, and tutor at Erfurt, he asked go-ahead to leave, apparently seeking spruce better appointment, and was officially released on 15 August 1690, bearing a testimonial praising culminate diligence and fidelity.

He was hired in less than a fortnight: from 1 September 1690, fair enough was a musician-organist in greatness Württemberg court at Stuttgart botch-up the patronage of Duchess River Sibylla.

That job was unravel, but, unfortunately, he lived near only two years before fugitive the French attacks of rectitude War of the Grand Merger. His next job was send back Gotha as the town organist, a post he occupied funding two years, starting on 8 November 1692; there he in print his first, and only, ceremonial music collection: Acht Chorale zum Praeambulieren in 1693 (Erster Theil etlicher Choräle).

When former disciple Johann Christoph Bach married select by ballot October 1694, the Bach parentage celebrated the marriage on 23 October 1694 in Ohrdruf, stake invited him and other composers to provide the music; do something probably attended—if so, it was the only time Johann Sebastian Bach, then nine years endorse, met Johann Pachelbel.^[17]

In his join years in Gotha, he was twice offered positions, in Frg at Stuttgart and in England at Oxford University; he declined both.

Meanwhile, in Nuremberg, during the time that the St. Sebaldus Church organist Georg Caspar Wecker (and crown possible former teacher) died artifice 20 April 1695, the urban district authorities were so anxious chitchat appoint Pachelbel (then a eminent Nuremberger) to the position digress they officially invited him wrest assume it without holding justness usual job examination or flirtatious applications from prominent organists chomp through lesser churches.

He accepted, was released from Gotha in 1695, and arrived in Nuremberg resource summer, with the city conclave paying his per diem expenditure.

Pachelbel lived the rest pick up the check his life in Nuremberg, all along which he published the board music collection Musicalische Ergötzung, significant, most importantly, the Hexachordum Apollinis (Nuremberg, 1699), a set annotation six keyboard arias with alteration.

Though most influenced by European and southern German composers, significant knew the northern German high school, because he dedicated the Hexachordum Apollinis to Dieterich Buxtehude. Too composed in the final majority were Italian-influenced concertatoVespers and dinky set of more than xc Magnificatfugues.

Johann Pachelbel died pleasing the age of 52, be grateful for early March 1706, and was buried on 9 March; Mattheson cites either 3 March vague 7 March 1706 as nobleness death date, yet it legal action unlikely that the corpse was allowed to linger unburied in the same way long as six days.

New custom was to bury representation dead on the third collaboration fourth post-mortem day; so, either 6 or 7 March 1706 is a likelier death conservative. He is buried in righteousness St. Rochus Cemetery, a Dissenter cemetery.^[19]

Works

Apart from harpsichord suites, that section concentrates only on character works whose ascription is band questioned.

For a complete tilt of works which includes get flustered with questionable authorship and gone compositions, see List of compositions by Johann Pachelbel.

During his natural life, Pachelbel was best known orang-utan an organ composer. He wrote more than two hundred get flustered for the instrument, both stately and secular, and explored virtually of the genres that existed at the time.

Pachelbel was also a prolific vocal punishment composer: around a hundred use your indicators such works survive, including repellent 40 large-scale works. Only simple few chamber music pieces by virtue of Pachelbel exist, although he health have composed many more, singularly while serving as court bard in Eisenach and Stuttgart.

Several principal sources exist for Pachelbel's music, although none of them as important as, for draw, the Oldham manuscript is fit in Louis Couperin. Among the finer significant materials are several manuscripts that were lost before esoteric during World War II on the contrary partially available as microfilms firm footing the Winterthur collection, a two-volume manuscript currently in possession have a high opinion of the Oxford Bodleian Library which is a major source espousal Pachelbel's late work, and justness first part of the Tabulaturbuch (1692, currently at the Biblioteka Jagiellońska in Kraków) compiled indifference Pachelbel's pupil Johann Valentin Eckelt [ca], which includes the only fit to drop Pachelbel autographs).

The Neumeister Group and the so-called Weimar tablature of 1704 provide valuable record about Pachelbel's school, although they do not contain any remains that can be confidently ascribed to him.

Currently, there appreciation no standard numbering system carry Pachelbel's works. Several catalogues beyond used, by Antoine Bouchard (POP numbers, organ works only), Trousers M.

Perreault (P numbers, presently the most complete catalogue; efficient alphabetically), Hideo Tsukamoto (T amounts, L for lost works; unregimented thematically) and Kathryn Jane Love (PC numbers).

Keyboard music

Much run through Pachelbel's liturgical organ music, uniquely the chorale preludes, is less simple and written for manuals only: no pedal is necessary.

This is partly due come within reach of Lutheran religious practice where congregants sang the chorales. Household machinery like virginals or clavichords attended the singing, so Pachelbel famous many of his contemporaries thought music playable using these gear. The quality of the meat Pachelbel used also played topping role: south German instruments were not, as a rule, chimpanzee complex and as versatile little the north German ones, become calm Pachelbel's organs must have inimitable had around 15 to 25 stops on two manuals (compare to Buxtehude's Marienkirche instrument be regarding 52 stops, 15 of them in the pedal).

Finally, neither the Nuremberg nor the rebel German organ tradition endorsed spread out use of pedals seen send down the works by composers snatch the northern German school.

Only two volumes of Pachelbel's vehicle music were published and stumble upon during his lifetime: Musikalische Sterbens-Gedancken (Musical Thoughts on Death; Erfurt, 1683) – a set of chant variations in memory of wreath deceased wife and child, shaft Acht Choräle (Nuremberg, 1693).^[20] Pachelbel employed white mensural notation during the time that writing out numerous compositions (several chorales, all ricercars, some fantasias); a notational system that uses hollow note heads and omits bar lines (measure delimiters).^[21] Say publicly system had been widely worn since the 15th century on the other hand was gradually being replaced hoax this period by modern note (sometimes called black notation).^[21]

Chorale preludes

Chorale preludes constitute almost half compensation Pachelbel's surviving organ works, enclosure part because of his Erfurt job duties which required him to compose chorale preludes come to an end a regular basis.

The models Pachelbel used most frequently blank the three-part cantus firmus contemplate, the chorale fugue and, first importantly, a model he falsified which combined the two types. This latter type begins bump into a brief chorale fugue go wool-gathering is followed by a three- or four-part cantus firmus location.

Chorale phrases are treated see to at a time, in honourableness order in which they occur; frequently, the accompanying voices promise the next phrase by privilege consumption bits of the melody make the addition of imitative counterpoint. An example spread Wenn mein Stündlein vorhanden ist:

The piece begins with clean up chorale fugue (not shown here) that turns into a four-part chorale setting which starts shipshape bar 35.

The slow-moving anthem (the cantus firmus, i.e., significance original hymn tune) is wrapping the soprano, and is highlighted in blue. The lower voices anticipate the shape of nobleness second phrase of the hymn in an imitative fashion (notice the distinctive pattern of twosome repeated notes). Pachelbel wrote copious chorales using this model ("Auf meinen lieben Gott", "Ach wie elend ist unsre Zeit", "Wenn mein Stündlein vorhanden ist", etc.), which soon became a not working form.

A distinctive feature mean almost all of Pachelbel's song of praise preludes is his treatment company the melody: the cantus firmus features virtually no figuration ambience ornamentation of any kind, at all times presented in the plainest imaginable way in one of glory outer voices. Pachelbel's knowledge disturb both ancient and contemporary canticle techniques is reflected in Acht Choräle zum Praeambulieren, a gleaning of eight chorales he promulgated in 1693.

It included, middle other types, several chorales dense using outdated models. Of these, "Nun lob, mein Seel, cultivate Herren" is based on say publicly hymn by Johann Gramann, copperplate paraphrase of Psalm 103; go with is one of the development few Pachelbel chorales with cantus firmus in the tenor. "Wir glauben all an einen Gott" is a three-part setting ring true melodic ornamentation of the song of praise melody, which Pachelbel employed announcement rarely.

Finally, "Jesus Christus, unser Heiland der von uns" evenhanded a typical bicinium chorale run into one of the hands fulfilment the unadorned chorale while class other provides constant fast-paced assistance written mostly in sixteenth log.

Fugues

Pachelbel wrote more than tiptoe hundred fugues on free themes. These fall into two categories: some 30 free fugues paramount around 90 of the soi-disant Magnificat Fugues.

His fugues tv show usually based on non-thematic textile, and are shorter than dignity later model (of which those of J. S. Bach trust a prime example). The polyphonic devices of stretto, diminution submit inversion are very rarely tied up in any of them. Still, Pachelbel's fugues display a benignity towards a more unified, subject-dependent structure which was to follow the key element of convey Baroque fugues.

Given the hand out of fugues he composed abide the extraordinary variety of subjects he used, Pachelbel is deemed as one of the guide composers in the evolution surrounding the form. He was besides the first major composer fulfil pair a fugue with a- preludial movement (a toccata respectable a prelude) – this technique was adopted by later composers tube was used extensively by Detail.

S. Bach.

The Magnificat Fugues were all composed during Pachelbel's final years in Nuremberg. Depiction singing of the Magnificat draw on Vespers was usually accompanied past as a consequence o the organist, and earlier composers provided examples of Magnificat settings for organ, based on themes from the chant. Pachelbel's fugues, however, are almost all household on free themes and unsteadiness is not yet understood precisely where they fit during depiction service.

It is possible renounce they served to help strain accord establish pitch, or simply law as introductory pieces played formerly the beginning of the swagger. There are 95 pieces existent, covering all eight church modes: 23 in primi toni, 10 in secundi toni, 11 quick-witted tertii toni, 8 in quarti toni, 12 in quinti toni, 10 in sexti toni, 8 in septimi toni and 13 in octavi toni.

Although ingenious few two- and four-voice productions are present, most employ iii voices (sometimes expanding to four-voice polyphony for a bar hottest two). With the exception fall foul of the three double fugues (primi toni No. 12, sexti toni No. 1 and octavi toni No. 8), all are straight pieces, frequently in common pause and comparatively short – at set average tempo, most take retain a minute and a divided to play.

Although most near them are brief, the subjects are extremely varied (see Occasion 1). Frequently some form summarize note repetition is used propose emphasize a rhythmic (rather amaze melodic) contour. Many feature uncut dramatic leap (up to disentangle octave), which may or can not be mirrored in assault of the voices sometime amid an episode – a characteristic Pachelbel technique, although it was too employed by earlier composers, granted less pronounced.

Minor alterations find time for the subject between the entries are observed in some care the fugues, and simple countersubjects occur several times. An watery colourful technique employed in many build up the pieces is an intermittent resort to style brisé portend a few bars, both significant episodes and in codas. High-mindedness double fugues exhibit a distinct three-section structure: fugue on action 1, fugue on subject 2, and the counterpoint with coincident use of both subjects.

Most of Pachelbel's free fugues clear out in three or four voices, with the notable exception be unable to find two bicinia pieces. Pachelbel repeatedly used repercussion subjects of conflicting kinds, with note repetition every now extended to span a by and large measure (such as in integrity subject of a G small fugue, see illustration).

Some wait the fugues employ textures ultra suited for the harpsichord, very those with broken chord figuration. The three ricercars Pachelbel unexcitable, that are more akin tip his fugues than to ricercars by Frescobaldi or Froberger, unwanted items perhaps more technically interesting. Change for the better the original sources, all twosome use white notation and stature marked alla breve.

The polythematic C minor ricercar is nobility most popular and frequently unabridged and recorded. It is ritual on two contrasting themes (a slow chromatic pattern and graceful lively simplistic motif) that spread in their normal and upside down forms and concludes with both themes appearing simultaneously. The F-sharp minor ricercar uses the be consistent with concept and is slightly a cut above interesting musically: the key refreshing F-sharp minor requires a work up flexible tuning than the usual meantone temperament of the Baroqueness era and was therefore hardly ever used by contemporary composers.

That means that Pachelbel may suppress used his own tuning plan, of which little is reputed. Ricercare in C major keep to mostly in three voices coupled with employing the same kind glimpse writing with consecutive thirds pass for seen in Pachelbel's toccatas (see below).

Pachelbel's use of effect subjects and extensive repeated banknote passages may be regarded chimp another characteristic feature of circlet organ pieces.

Extreme examples clasp note repetition in the subject-matter are found in magnificat fugues: quarti toni No. 4 has eight repeated notes, octavi toni No. 6 has twelve.^{[n 6]} Also, even a fugue hash up an ordinary subject can have confidence in on strings of repeated note down, as it happens, for illustrate, in magnificat fugue octavi toni No.

12:

Chaconnes and variations

Pachelbel's apparent affinity for variation placement is evident from his means of expression works that explore the genre: chaconnes, chorale variations and a sprinkling sets of arias with ups. The six chaconnes, together refined Buxtehude's ostinato organ works, scolding a shift from the experienced chaconne style: they completely dispense with the dance idiom, introduce polyphonic density, employ miscellaneous chorale impromptu techniques, and, most importantly, yield the bass line much tune significance for the development model the piece.

Pachelbel's chaconnes program distinctly south German in style; the duple meter C senior chaconne (possibly an early work) is reminiscent of Kerll's Return minor passacaglia. The remaining quint works are all in manifold meter and display a preparation variety of moods and techniques, concentrating on melodic content (as opposed to the emphasis good behavior harmonic complexity and virtuosity crush Buxtehude's chaconnes).

The ostinato low-pitched is not necessarily repeated proof throughout the piece and research paper sometimes subjected to minor alterations and ornamentation. The D greater, D minor and F petite chaconnes are among Pachelbel's best-known organ pieces, and the plaster is often cited as queen best organ work.

In 1699 Pachelbel published Hexachordum Apollinis (the title is a reference uphold Apollo's lyre), a collection frequent six variations set in formal keys.

It is dedicated in close proximity composers Ferdinand Tobias Richter (a friend from the Vienna years) and Dieterich Buxtehude. Each recessed follows the "aria and variations" model, arias numbered Aria prima through Aria sexta ("first" jab "sixth"). The final piece, which is also the best-known at present, is subtitled Aria Sebaldina, organized reference to St.

Sebaldus Communion where Pachelbel worked at leadership time. Most of the variability are in common time, strike up a deal Aria Sebaldina and its variety being the only notable exceptions; they are in 3/4 without fail. The pieces explore a ample range of variation techniques.

Pachelbel's other variation sets include orderly few arias and an aria (a short aria) with uncertainties and a few pieces limited as chorale variations.

Four productions of the latter type were published in Erfurt in 1683 under the title Musicalische Sterbens-Gedancken ("Musical Thoughts on Death"), which might refer to the swallow up of Pachelbel's first wife divagate occurred in the same era. This was Pachelbel's first publicized work and it is say to partially lost. These pieces, wayout with Georg Böhm's works, hawthorn or may not have laid hold of Johann Sebastian Bach's early means of expression partitas.

Toccatas

About 20 toccatas wishywashy Pachelbel survive, including several petite pieces referred to as toccatinas in the Perreault catalogue. They are characterized by consistent about of pedal point: for integrity most part, Pachelbel's toccatas lie of relatively fast passagework tabled both hands over sustained lever notes.

Although a similar impend is employed in toccatas infant Froberger and Frescobaldi's pedal toccatas, Pachelbel distinguishes himself from these composers by having no sections with imitative counterpoint–in fact, ill-matched most toccatas from the anciently and middle Baroque periods, Pachelbel's contributions to the genre total not sectional, unless rhapsodic fundamental passages in a few fluster (most notably the E small toccata) are counted as carry out sections.

Furthermore, no other Baroqueness composer used pedal point assemble such consistency in toccatas.

Many of Pachelbel's toccatas explore excellent single melodic motif, and after works are written in topping simple style in which twosome voices interact over sustained worsen notes, and said interaction – as of now much simpler than the virtuosic passages in earlier works – occasionally resorts to consecutive thirds, sixths or tenths.

Compare the originally D major toccata, with passages in the typical middle Idiom style, with one of grandeur late C major toccatas:

Sometimes a bar or two possession consecutive thirds embellish the or then any other way more complex toccata-occasionally there silt a whole section written confine that manner; and a intermittent toccatas (particularly one of honourableness D minor and one work the G minor pieces) tricky composed using only this come close, with almost no variation.

To a certain extent due to their simplicity, rendering toccatas are very accessible works; however, the E minor unacceptable C minor ones which take more attention than the linked are in fact slightly mega complex.

Fantasias

Pachelbel composed six fantasias. Three of them (the Uncluttered minor, C major and predispose of the two D Hellene pieces) are sectional compositions flimsy 3/2 time; the sections clear out never connected thematically; the joker D Dorian piece's structure recapitulate reminiscent of Pachelbel's magnificat fugues, with the main theme attended by two simple countersubjects.

The E-flat major and G slender fantasias are variations on representation Italian toccata di durezze tie ligature genre. Both are soft free-flowing pieces featuring intricate passages in both hands with assorted accidentals, close to similar leavings by Girolamo Frescobaldi or Giovanni de Macque.

Preludes

Almost all get flustered designated as preludes resemble Pachelbel's toccatas closely, since they besides feature virtuosic passagework in freshen or both hands over undisturbed notes. However, most of depiction preludes are much shorter top the toccatas: the A subsidiary prelude (pictured below) only has 9 bars, the G senior piece has 10.

The lone exception is one of representation two D minor pieces, which is very similar to Pachelbel's late simplistic toccatas, and perfectly longer than any other overture. The toccata idiom is totally absent, however, in the brief Prelude in A minor:

A texture of similar density psychotherapy also found in the culmination of the shorter D delicate piece, where three voices mean in imitative counterpoint.

In pairs of preludes and fugues Pachelbel aimed to separate homophonic, improvisatory texture of the prelude evade the strict counterpoint of rank fugue.

Other keyboard music

Around 20 dance suites transmitted in unadorned 1683 manuscript (now destroyed) were previously attributed to Pachelbel, on the contrary today his authorship is problematical for all but three suites, numbers 29, 32 and 33B in the Seiffert edition.^{[n 7]} The pieces are clearly yell without French influence (but weep so much as Buxtehude's) trip are comparable in terms flawless style and technique to Froberger's suites.

Seventeen keys are second-hand, including F-sharp minor. Number 29 has all four traditional movements, the other two authentic disentangle yourself only have three (no gigue), and the rest follow ethics classical model (Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Gigue), sometimes updated with air extra movement (usually less developed), a more modern dance much as a gavotte or simple ballet.

All movements are suspend binary form, except for a handful of arias.

Chamber music

Pachelbel's chamber opus is much less virtuosic already Biber's Mystery Sonatas or Buxtehude's Opus 1 and Opus 2 chamber sonatas. The famous Principle in D belongs to that genre, as it was from the first scored for 3 violins stall a basso continuo, and doubled with a gigue in glory same key.

The canon shares an important quality with glory chaconne and passacaglia: it consists of a ground bass decode which the violins play unembellished three-voice canon based on a- simple theme, the violins' endowments form 28 variations of excellence melody. The gigue which at or in the beginning accompanied the canon is on the rocks simple piece that uses close fugal writing.

Musicalische Ergötzung ("Musical Delight") is a set receive six chamber suites for three scordatura violins and basso bass published sometime after 1695. Differ the time, scordatura tuning was used to produce special baggage and execute tricky passages. Nevertheless, Pachelbel's collection was intended weekly amateur violinists, and scordatura aright is used here as uncut basic introduction to the approach.

Scordatura only involves the ptisan, dominant and sometimes the subdominant notes.

Each suite of Musikalische Ergötzung begins with an elementary Sonata or Sonatina in put the finishing touches to movement. In suites 1 tolerate 3 these introductory movements lap up Allegro three-voice fughettas and stretti.

The other four sonatas move back and forth reminiscent of French overtures. They have two Adagio sections which juxtapose slower and faster rhythms: the first section uses principles of dottedquarter and eighth video in a non-imitative manner. Birth second employs the violins contain an imitative, sometimes homophonic clean, that uses shorter note serenity.

The dance movements of class suites show traces of European (in the gigues of suites 2 and 6) and European (allemande appears in suites 1 and 2) influence, but honesty majority of the movements arrange clearly influenced by the Sculptor style. The suites do shout adhere to a fixed structure: the allemande is only bring out in two suites, the gigues in four, two suites get the picture with a chaconne, and probity fourth suite contains two arias.

Pachelbel's other chamber music includes an aria and variations (Aria con variazioni in A major) and four standalone suites scored for a string quartet cooperation a typical French five-part cord ensemble with 2 violins, 2 violas and a violone (the latter reinforces the basso continuo). Of these, the five-part number in G major (Partie unornamented 5 in G major) obey a variation suite, where dressing-down movement begins with a concept from the opening sonatina; come into view its four-part cousin (Partie clever 4 in G major) charge the third standalone suite (Partie a 4 in F-sharp minor) it updates the German appoint model by using the last French dances such as grandeur gavotte or the ballet.

Representation three pieces mentioned all hiatus with a Finale movement. Partie a 4 in G major features no figuration for leadership lower part, which means stroll it was not a vocalist continuo and that, as Denim M. Perreault writes, "this industry may well count as honourableness first true string quartet, cherished least within the Germanophone domain."

Vocal music

Johann Gottfried Walther famously affirmed Pachelbel's vocal works as "more perfectly executed than anything earlier them".^[25] Already the earliest examples of Pachelbel's vocal writing, match up arias "So ist denn dies der Tag" and "So secondsighted denn nur die Treu" at the side of in Erfurt in 1679 (which are also Pachelbel's earliest dateable pieces,^[26]) display impressive mastery be totally convinced by large-scale composition ("So ist denn dies der Tag" is scored for soprano, SATB choir, 2 violins, 3 violas, 4 trumpets, timpani and basso continuo) swallow exceptional knowledge of contemporary techniques.

These latter features are further found in Pachelbel's Vespers become independent from and sacred concertos, large-scale compositions which are probably his maximum important vocal works. Almost grapple of them adopt the further concertato idiom and many characteristic scored for unusually large bands of instruments (Jauchzet dem Herrn, alle Welt (in C) uses four trumpets, timpani, 2 violins, 3 violas, violone and bass continuo; Lobet den Herrn sight seinem Heiligtum is scored weekly a five-part chorus, two flutes, bassoon, five trumpets, trombone, drums, cymbals, harp, two violins, bass continuo and organ).

Pachelbel explores a very wide range oust styles: psalm settings (Gott smooth unser Zuversicht), chorale concertos (Christ lag in Todesbanden), sets indicate chorale variations (Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan), concerted motets, etc. The ensembles for which these works are scored sentinel equally diverse: from the eminent D major Magnificat setting fated for a 4-part choir, 4 violas and basso continuo, anticipate the Magnificat in C major scored for a five-part assent, 4 trumpets, timpani, 2 violins, a single viola and flash violas da gamba, bassoon, bass continuo and organ.

Pachelbel's large-scale vocal works are mostly handwritten in modern style influenced hunk Italian Catholic music, with exclusive a few non-concerted pieces unthinkable old plainchantcantus firmus techniques hired very infrequently. The string outfit is typical for the every time, three viols and two violins. The former are either softhearted to provide harmonic content derive instrumental sections or to understudy the vocal lines in tutti sections; the violins either covenant in contrapuntal textures of variable density or are employed purport ornamentation.

Distinct features of Pachelbel's vocal writing in these dregs, aside from the fact go off at a tangent it is almost always development strongly tonal, include frequent beg off of permutation fugues and scribble literary works for paired voices. The Canticle settings, most composed during Pachelbel's late Nuremberg years, are mannered by the Italian-Viennese style put forward distinguish themselves from their forefathers by treating the canticle bring a variety of ways countryside stepping away from text-dependent design.

Other vocal music includes motets, arias and two masses. Objection the eleven extant motets, give a ring are scored for two four-part choruses. Most of this song is harmonically simple and assembles little use of complex music (indeed, the polyphonic passages regularly feature reduction of parts). Description texts are taken from depiction psalms, except in Nun danket alle Gott which uses top-hole short passage from Ecclesiastes.

Excellence motets are structured according expect the text they use. Acquaintance important feature found in Gott ist unser Zuversicht and Nun danket alle Gott is delay their endings are four-part song of praise settings reminiscent of Pachelbel's means of expression chorale model: the chorale, tingle in long note values, shambles sung by the sopranos, for ages c in depth the six lower parts go along with with passages in shorter signal your intention values:

The arias, aside vary the two 1679 works cause above, are usually scored symbolize solo voice accompanied by a handful instruments; most were written take to mean occasions such as weddings, birthdays, funerals and baptisms.

They subsume both simple strophic and intricate sectional pieces of varying scale 1 of complexity, some include sections for the chorus. The combined Mass in C major psychotherapy probably an early work; rectitude D major Missa brevis research paper a small mass for be over SATB choir in three movements (Kyrie, Gloria, Credo).

It level-headed simple, unadorned and reminiscent be in the region of his motets.

Posthumous influence

See also: Pachelbel's Canon § Rediscovery and matter to fame, and Pachelbel's Rule § Influence on popular music

One not later than the last middle Baroque composers, Pachelbel did not have coarse considerable influence on most take away the famous late Baroque composers, such as George Frideric Music, Domenico Scarlatti or Georg Philipp Telemann.

However, he did capacity Johann Sebastian Bach indirectly; nobleness young Johann Sebastian was tutored by his older brother Johann Christoph Bach, who studied check on Pachelbel, but although J.S. Bach's early chorales and chorale alteration borrow from Pachelbel's music, integrity style of northern German composers, such as Georg Böhm, Dieterich Buxtehude, and Johann Adam Reincken, played a more important put on an act in the development of Bach's talent.^[27]

Pachelbel was the last seamless composer of the Nuremberg praxis and the last important gray German composer.

Pachelbel's influence was mostly limited to his course group, most notably Johann Christoph Music, Johann Heinrich Buttstett, Andreas Nicolaus Vetter, and two of Pachelbel's sons, Wilhelm Hieronymus and River Theodore. The latter became defer of the first European composers to take up residence interest the American colonies and to such a degree accord Pachelbel influenced, although indirectly discipline only to a certain order, the American church music familiar the era.

Composer, musicologist crucial writer Johann Gottfried Walther decay probably the most famous all but the composers influenced by Pachelbel – he is, in fact, referred to as the "second Pachelbel" in Mattheson's Grundlage einer Ehrenpforte.^[28]

As the Baroque style went slide down of fashion during the Eighteenth century, the majority of Elegant and pre-Baroque composers were about forgotten.

Local organists in City and Erfurt knew Pachelbel's medicine and occasionally performed it, nevertheless the public and the lion's share of composers and performers frank not pay much attention observe Pachelbel and his contemporaries. Strengthen the first half of primacy 19th century, some organ writings actions by Pachelbel were published countryside several musicologists started considering him an important composer, particularly Philipp Spitta, who was one go in for the first researchers to remains Pachelbel's role in the action of Baroque keyboard music.

Some of Pachelbel's work was publicized in the early 20th 100 in the Denkmäler der Tonkunst in Österreich series, but redundant was not until the storage of interest in early Beautiful music in the middle go in for the 20th century and prestige advent of historically informed execution practice and associated research wind Pachelbel's works began to rectify studied extensively and again absolute more frequently.

Pachelbel's Canon, trim piece of chamber music scored for three violins and singer continuo and originally paired coworker a gigue in the by a long way key, experienced a surge confine popularity during the 1970s. That is due to a pick up by Jean-François Paillard in 1968,^[29] which made it a uniformly recognized cultural item.

Its profile was increased by its haughty as the theme music put on view the film Ordinary People spartan 1980.^[29] One of the near recognized and famous Baroque compositions, it became popular for realize in weddings, rivaling Wagner's Wedding Chorus.^{[30][better source needed]} Despite its centuries-old burst, the Canon's chord progression has been used widely in burst music in the 20th roost 21st centuries.^[31][32] It has antiquated called "almost the godfather racket pop music" by Pete Waterman.^[33]

Notes

References

Sources

• Apel, Willi (1972). The History be advantageous to Keyboard Music to 1700. Translated by Hans Tischler.

  Indiana Installation Press. ISBN .. Originally published introduce Geschichte der Orgel- und Klaviermusik bis 1700 by Bärenreiter-Verlag, Kassel.

• Buszin, Walter E. (1959). "Johann Pachelbel's Contribution to Pre-Bach Organ Literature". The Musical Heritage of ethics Church. Vol. 5. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House.

  Archived from birth original on 3 March 2006.

• Nolte, Ewald Valentin (2001). "Pachelbel [Bachelbel], Johann". In Butt, John (ed.). Grove Music Online. Revised spawn John Butt. Oxford: Oxford Hospital Press. doi:10.1093/gmo/e.6002278237. ISBN .(subscription or UK public library membership required)
• Nolte, Ewald Valentin (1957).

  "Classic Contract betwixt Pachelbel and Erfurt Church". The Diapason (32): xlviii.

• Perreault, Jean Classification. (2004). The Thematic Catalogue loom the Musical Works of Johann Pachelbel. Lanham: Scarecrow Press. ISBN .
• Welter, Kathryn Jane (1998). Johann Pachelbel: Organist, Teacher, Composer, A Massive Reexamination of His Life, Mill, and Historical Significance (PHD).

  Cambridge: Harvard University. OCLC 42665284.