大象传媒

Donald Macleod looks at the life and music of this little-known German composer, whose life and music, aside from his world-famous Canon, remain obscure.

Donald Macleod examines how history has treated Pachelbel, given that there is only a handful of documents from which to re-construct his life story. In his music, Donald considers how in the 17 century, Pachelbel's position in the central region of Germany allowed him to blend the intellectual style of the north with the lyrical mode of the south. Donald follows Pachelbel's swift progression to the city of Vienna, where Italian music was all the rage at the imperial court - and thence to his first professional appointments in provincial central Germany, where he was constantly striving for greater recognition.

Donald Macleod also examines the composer's relationship with the Bach family, which led to his becoming godfather to Johann Sebastian's sister, and a shared tragedy when disaster visits the town of Erfurt. With a growing family to support, Pachelbel strove to improve his circumstances, travelling to Stuttgart and Gotha in search of the perfect position, before a dream job suddenly became available in his hometown of Nuremburg.

Finally, Donald Macleod looks at the achievements of Pachelbel's final years, as the most important musician in the city of Nuremberg and the whole of central Germany. Some of Pachelbel's finest music was written during this period, which is only today being rescued from obscurity.

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