Pachelbel: Canon for Tuba & Piano

Digital Sheet Music

By Johann Pachelbel

Tuba & Piano - Intermediate - Digital Download
Composed by Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706). Arranged by James M. Guthrie, ASCAP. Baroque Period, Repertoire, Technique Training, Wedding. Score, Solo Part. 8 pages. Published by jmsgu3 (S0.288361).

Pachelbel's Canon

Pachelbel's Canon is, in fact, the traditional title for acomposition by the German composer Johann Pachelbel. Other namesfor the work include namely: Canon and Gigue for 3 violins and basso continuo,Canon and Gigue in D, and of course Canon in D. We donot know when or why in particular it was written. The oldest copy is surprisinglyfrom the 19th century. It is important to realize that it was a common routinefor organists to practice improvisation on the chord progression underlying thecanon. Pachelbel originally scored the Canon notably for three violinsand continuo. He also in fact paired the Canon with a gigue. The movements arehomotonal, to clarify, both are in the key of D major.

History

In due time, Pachelbel's Canon went out ofstyle and remained in virtual oblivion for centuries. The Jean-FrançoisPaillard chamber orchestra, however, recorded an arrangement of it in 1968.As a result, it gained approval.  Manyensembles began likewise to record the piece in the 1970s and by the 1980s becameubiquitous as background music. From the 1970s to the early 2000s, pop songs correspondinglyused elements of the piece. The chord progression, in particular, was used thisway. Also, since the 1980s, it has been not only wildly popular for weddings,but also for funeral ceremonies in the USA and Europe.

Pachelbel Background

Johann Pachelbel (1653 –1706) wasa German composer, as well as an organist. He was furthermoreinstrumental in bringing the south German organ school to its apex.He wrote a large body of music, both sacred and, equally important, secular. Inparticular, he uniquely helped develop the chorale prelude and fugue.For this, he has, in fact, earned a rightful place in the company of the most significantcomposers of the mid-Baroque period.

Works

Pachelbel's music was certainly popular. Withthis in mind, he also consequently had many pupils. His music expressly developedinto a model for the south German composers. Nowadays, Pachelbel is most famousparticularly for the Canon in D, as well as the F minor Chaconne, theToccata in E minor, and of course the Hexachordum Apollinis, a setof variations for the keyboard.

Influences

Johann Jakob Froberger and JohannCaspar Kerll were south German composers who significantly influencedPachelbel. Furthermore, he was especially influenced by Italians such as Frescobaldi and Poglietti.He frequently preferred an articulate, simple contrapuntal style thathighlighted clarity. His music is markedly less extravagant and harmonically adventurousthan that of DieterichBuxtehude. However, as a point often overlooked, like Buxtehude, Pachelbelexperimented with different instrumental combinations in his chamber music.

Legacy

All in all, Pachelbel was mostfamous as a composer for the keyboard. He composed over two hundred pieces specificallyfor the instrument. Pachelbel was also surprisingly a prolific composer of vocalmusic. All in all, about a hundred vocal works survive, including 40 or so large-scaleworks.