Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706); DEU

Johann Pachelbel (1653–1706) was a German composer, organist, and teacher born in Nuremberg. After studies in Altdorf and Regensburg, he worked at St Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna and later held posts in Eisenach, Erfurt, Stuttgart, and Gotha. In 1695 he returned to Nuremberg as organist of St Sebaldus Church. His years in Thuringia brought him into close contact with the Bach family, and he taught Johann Christoph Bach, elder brother of Johann Sebastian Bach.

Pachelbel was a leading composer of the south German organ tradition, writing chorale preludes, fugues, toccatas, variations, sacred vocal music, and chamber works. His collections include Hexachordum Apollinis and Musicalische Ergötzung. Today he is overwhelmingly associated with the Canon in D, originally paired with a gigue, but his broader output played an important role in Protestant keyboard and chorale music before Bach.

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Pachelbel, Johann (b Nuremberg, 1653; d Nuremberg, 1706). Ger. organist and composer. Deputy org., St Stephen's Cath., Vienna, 1673-6. Court org. Eisenach 1677. Org., Protestant Predigerkirche, Erfurt, 1678-90. Court org., Stuttgart, 1690-2. Org., St Sebald, Nuremberg, 1695-1706. His comps. influenced Bach. Works incl. Hexachordum Apollinis (1699), 6 sets of airs and variations for hpd.; 78 chorale preludes (1693), incl. Ein' feste Burg, Nun komm der Heiden Heiland, Vom Himmel hoch, etc.; Aria Sebaldina, variations in F minor for hpd.; Canon and Gigue in D for 3 vns. and continuo; Chaconne and 13 variations for hpd., etc. His church music, for long disregarded, has been highly revalued, particularly his sacred concertos and his 13 settings of the Magnificat.

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