Pachelbel’s Canon

Pachelbel’s Canon, musical work for three violins and ground bass (basso continuo) by German composer Johann Pachelbel, admired for its serene yet joyful character. It is Pachelbel’s best-known composition and one of the most widely performed pieces of Baroque music. Although it was composed about 1680–90, the piece was not published until the early 20th century.

Pachelbel’s Canon uses a musical form—the canon—that is similar to that of the French folk song “Frère Jacques” though more complicated in design. The piece begins with one melody in the ground bass—typically performed by a cello and a harpsichord or organ. That melody is then repeated in different registers and instrumental parts while other melodies are added, usually in the upper registers. In an intricate canon such as Pachelbel’s, the basic melody gradually grows and evolves, becoming more and more elaborate each time it returns. The work’s accompanying gigue, a lively Baroque dance, was created in the same key and intended to be played immediately after the canon, but it is largely forgotten today.

Pachelbel’s Canon was relatively obscure until the late 20th century, when it experienced a surge in popularity. It was included in numerous television and film sound tracks—notably that of the 1980 film Ordinary People—and became a standard in general collections of classical music. It also became a common feature of wedding celebrations, especially in the United States. By the 21st century Pachelbel’s Canon had been transcribed for a full array of instruments, both acoustic and electronic, and it was rarely heard performed by the instruments for which it was originally written.