Baroque · 1680
Canon in D
J. Pachelbel
- Key
- D
- Time
- 4/4
- Tempo
- ♩=64
- AO focus
- AO3
Incipit
Form
Canon — three violins enter in turn over an 8-note ground bass. The bass progression (I–V–vi–iii–IV–I–IV–V) repeats 28 times, supporting increasingly elaborate violin variations.
Teaching points
- Ground bass: D–A–Bm–F♯m–G–D–G–A — the most-imitated chord progression in pop music
- Three-voice canon at the unison, two beats apart
- AO3: how does Pachelbel sustain interest over 28 repetitions of the same bass? (Texture, register, rhythm)
Full score ↓Public domain
Score: IMSLP (multiple editions, all public domain).