Pachelbel's Canon

A Baroque chamber work by Johann Pachelbel, commonly performed in D major for three violins and basso continuo. Its repeating bass and harmonic pattern underlie a strict canon among the violins.

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Ground bass: A recurring bass line that supports successive variations or harmonies. The canon’s eight-note bass pattern anchors its changing violin lines.
Johann Pachelbel: A German Baroque composer and organist who lived from 1653 to 1706. He composed the chamber work, though its original occasion is unknown.
String ensemble: A group of performers playing bowed string instruments, often with multiple players on each part. The work is frequently expanded from three solo violins into a larger string ensemble.
Chaconne: A variation form built over a recurring harmonic progression or bass pattern. Like the canon, it repeats a foundation, but its defining texture is variation rather than imitative entries.
Canon (music): A contrapuntal form in which a melody is imitated by one or more voices after a delay. The three violins enter successively with the same melody at different times.
Baroque music: European art music from roughly 1600 to 1750, marked by elaborate counterpoint and expressive contrast. The piece’s counterpoint and continuo belong to Baroque musical practice.
Arrangement: An adaptation of a musical work for different instruments, voices, or performing forces. Its harmony and bass pattern make the piece readily adaptable to other instruments.
Passacaglia: A variation form commonly organized around a recurring bass line or harmonic pattern. It shares the canon’s repeating foundation but does not require a strict melodic canon.
Basso continuo: A Baroque accompaniment practice using bass instruments and chordal instruments to realize a bass line. It supplies the bass foundation and harmonic support beneath the violins.
Nuremberg: A city in Bavaria, Germany, that was a major center of Pachelbel’s life and work. Pachelbel spent his final years there, where he served as an organist.