Johann Pachelbel

Johann Pachelbel

Source: Ukulele Club

Born 1 September 1653 in Nuremberg, Johann Pachelbel's career coincided with Germany's increasing approach toward a monopoly on the baroque period as it spread from Italy where it began around 1600 toward northern Europe. A prolific composer, Pachelbel's demon was solo keyboard, organ in particular, whilst addressing a variety of genres including chorales (variations and preludes), toccatas, fantasias, Magnificats, Magnificat fugues and suites amidst more than 530 compositions. Well to here preface this presentation with mention of the several Pachelbel cataloguing systems that are used herein. All are thematic rather than chronological. These are the "PC" (or "WPC") of Kathryn Welter appearing in 1998, the "P" of Jean Perreault published in 2001, the "T" directory of Hideo Tsukamoto arriving in 2002, and the "PWV" by Katharina Paech in 2006. The "POP" directory by Antoine Bouchard of 1998–2001 catalogs organ works only as performed by Bouchard in eleven volumes of 'The Complete Organ Works'. PC, P, T and POP numbers were compiled by Klas Grönqvist in 2010. See also Wikipedia. PC, P, T and PWV numbers are listed at Musique et Musiciens. Pachelbel's fame rests largely on a single work, his 'Canon in D major'. Works for solo organ which fill the remainder of this presentation suitably emphasize Pachelbel's preoccupation with the keyboard. Though he isn't well-known for such they are hardly to be despised.

Pachelbel received training in his youth from composer, Heinrich Schwemmer. He matriculated into the University of Altdorf in 1669, the same year he took a position as organist at St. Lorenz Church. Pachelbel entered the Gymnasium Poeticum at Regensburg with a scholarship in 1670. In 1673 he was in Vienna working as a deputy organist at Saint Stephen's Cathedral.

Nice as Habsburg Vienna was at the time, Pachelbel left for Eisenach in Habsburg Germany in 1677, there appointed court organist to Duke Johann Georg I, also making acquaintance with some of the Bach family. In 1678 he was employed at the Predigerkirche in Erfurt where his association with the Bach family continued. During his twelve years in Erfurt where he made his name he taught Johann Christoph Bach (1671–1721, elder brother to Johann Sebastian; not Johann Christoph Bach 1642-1703). Pachelbel further had Johann Christian Bach (1640-1682) for a landlord (not Johann Christian Bach of 1735-1782).

Pachelbel's first datable works arrived in 1679 in Erfurt. It was at the Predigerkirche that Pachelbel was tasked to write his many preludes for chorales which would become his major body of work. Pachelbel also composed his famous work, 'Canon and gigue for 3 violins and basso continuo' in D major, in Erfurt perhaps as early as 1680, also known as 'Pachelbel's Canon' or 'Canon in D major'. A canon is a melody imitated in successive rounds, 'Row, Row, Row Your Boat' or 'Frère Jacques' good examples.

'Canon in D major'   Johann Pachelbel

PC 358   P 37   T 337   Comp for 3 violins w continuo possibly as early as 1680 in Erfurt

Voices of Music

In 1690 Pachelbel found patronage in Duchess Magdalena Sibylla as musician and organist to the court of Württemberg in Stuttgart. Unfortunately, he had to flee that position two years later. Stuttgart had already been subjected to the horrendous Thirty Years War between France and the Habsburgs which Johann Froberger had survived. That misery ending in 1648, now it was for Pachelbel the Nine Years War between France and the Grand Alliance begun in 1688. Removing himself to Gotha, Pachelbel became town organist there for a couple years, publishing the liturgical collection, 'Acht Chorale zum Praeambulieren', in 1693. Of Pachelbel's surviving works nigh half are chorale (hymn) variations and chorale preludes. The Lutheran chorale originating with Martin Luther in the early 16th century replaced the Roman Catholic Latin hymn with Deutsch that common people could understand. One very famous instance of an early chorale is Luther's 'A Mighty Fortress' written about 1528 for which he also supplied the lyrics. 'Vom Himmel hoch, da komm' ich her' in D major below is an organ prelude to that hymn written by Martin Luther in 1534. Pachelbel's compositions don't come with a specific chronology. Chorale preludes were requisite to his position in Erfurt during the eighties and were conservative in comparison to his secular works.

Prelude to 'Vom Himmel hoch, da komm' ich her'    D major   Johann Pachelbel

  'From Heaven to Earth I Come'

 No.8 of 8 in 'Acht Chorale zum Praeambulieren' pub 1693 in Nuremberg

 PC 8    P 52 No.1    POP 79   T 6   Chorale composed by Martin Luther 1534

Organ: Simone Stella

Prelude to 'Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ'   G major  Johann Pachelbel

 'Praise be to You, Jesus Christ'

 PC 44    P 166 No.1    POP 50   T 38

Chorale composed by Martin Luther 1524

From traditional melody perhaps in collaboration w Luther's publisher, Johann Walter (Walther)

Organ: Edgar Krapp

In 1695 Pachelbel was invited to become organist at St. Sebaldus Church in Nuremberg. His thirteen Magnificats and ninety Magnificat fugues were authored during the last decade of his life. After the numerous preludes of his early career, Pachelbel's fugues amount to his next major body of works. Like the canon, the fugue is imitative counterpoint.

'Magnificat primi toni'   Fugue I-1 in D minor  Johann Pachelbel

PC 259    P 257    POP 151   T 101

Organ: Joseph Payne   1996

Pachelbel was at St. Sebaldus when he published 'Musicalische Ergötzung', a collection of chamber music, as early as 1699. He also published 'Hexachordum Apollinis' in 1699, a set of six keyboard arias. It isn't known when he composed his 'Toccata in C minor', though it is thought to be a later work on grounds of its complexity in comparison to others. The toccata is a genre developed to the purpose of virtuosity contemporaneous to the arrival of baroque.

'Toccata in C minor'   Johann Pachelbel

PC 167    P 459    POP 279   T 236

Organ: Wolfgang Rübsam

Nor is it known when Pachelbel finished his 'Chaconne in F minor', though also thought to be a later work. The chaconne originated in Spanish colonial South America to migrate to Europe and become a major musical form contemporary to baroque. I wrap this presentation of Pachelbel with 'Chaconne in F minor' not because it follows chronologically, but due that of all his works for organ some estimate it to be his finest piece.

'Chaconne in F minor'   Johann Pachelbel

PC 149    P 43    POP 16   T 206

Organ: Helmut Wlacha

Upon his death in 1706 Pachelbel was buried on 9 March in Nuremberg. Though well esteemed during his career he largely fell into neglect thereafter, his great fame during these times occurring of renewed interest in the 20th century.