Baroque Piece Chosen: Pachelbel\'s Cannon

Baroque

Piece Chosen: Pachelbel's Cannon in D Major

Genre: Canon

Composer: Johann Pachelbel

Era: Baroque -- composed around 1680

Composer's dates (born-died): 1653-1706

What country is the composer/piece from? Austria

Tell something interesting about this composer's life or compositional style

This piece is well-known for its chord progressions. Pachelbel was a very popular composer during his day, perhaps because his music was clearer and less complicated than other Baroque composers who have since eclipsed him in his fame after his death, like Bach ("Canon in D," Answers.com, 2007). A canon "is when a piece of music is imitated and repeated. First one instrument or vocal starts with a piece of the melody," and the other instruments take up this melody and repeat the musical sequence throughout the work (Helander, 2007).

Was this piece composed for a particular event? For a particular person? Other reason?

This piece is often played at weddings today, although it was not composed for this purpose. Also, "the progression chords of Pachelbel's Canon can be found in many modern songs" including "Let it Be" by the Beatles and "We're not gonna take it," by Twisted Sister (Helander, 2007).

Musical Description

Description of musical elements from your chosen piece/movement:

Melody: Stately, repetitive

Rhythm, Meter: The same sequences are repeated rhythmically.

Harmony: The same two-bar bass line and harmonic sequences are repeated over and over throughout the piece, with variations.

Texture: The canon makes use of no counterpoint like inversion, diminution, and augmentation ("Canon in D," Answers.com, 2007).

Tempo: Fairly consistent

Dynamics: Little marked dynamics

Instruments: Composed for three violins and a basso continuo and an instrument known as a gigue, now no longer used.

Mood: Calming, restful.

Sources of information, stated in complete citation form

Canon in D." Answers.com. 11 May 2007. http://www.answers.com/topic/canon-in-d

Helander, Stefan. www.last.fm11 May 2007. http://www.helander.se/stefan/pachelbel/

The Concert Experience

What was your overall reaction to the music/concert?

__ enjoyed it a lot

__X_ enjoyed it somewhat

__ did not enjoy it much

__ did not enjoy it at all

What did you like about it?

It was interesting to see contemporary musicians play such an old piece, with a very archaic arrangement but show such respect and enthusiasm for the Baroque work. Also, the crowd seemed to enjoy the canon, since its melody is so familiar.

What did you not like about it?

Although the piece is enjoyable to listen to, even in performance it does not stir up strong emotions within me.

Assessment

Does learning something about a concert piece before the concert affect the concert experience? If so, how?

Absolutely! I felt that this historical composition was much more accessible, and I had much more respect for the work, when I saw how many modern arrangements had been inspired by the cannon -- including some tunes from popular music, television theme songs, and even some themes to video games! Even if the original work does not set my toes tapping, it has inspired many works and pieces that I love or are a part of my culture.