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It is commonly played at weddings.
The canon, which is in 4/4 time, uses a number of techniques: as well as an orthodox canon, the canon is given in inversion (that is, the following voice is upside-down compared to the leading voice), in retrograde (the follower is back-to-front), augmentation (with longer note values) and diminution (with shorter note values). It is an example of canon ad semibrevem (entry at the whole note).
The harmonic basis of the canon is a ground bass: the same four-bar bass line and harmonic sequence are repeated over and over, about 30 times in total. The chords of this sequence are: D major ( tonicThe tonic is the first note of a musical scale, and in the tonal method of music composition it is extremely important. The triad formed on the tonic note, the tonic chord, is thus the most important chord. More generally, the tonic is the pitch upon whic), A major ( dominantThe word dominant has several possible meanings: In music theory, the dominant or dominant note (second most important) of a key is that which is a perfect fifth above the tonic; in just intonation the note whose pitch is 1. 5 times the frequency of the t), B minor ( tonic parallelIn music theory, the tonic parallel is terminology used in German theory derived mainly from Hugo Riemann, Tp, in major, and tP, in minor, is the (US) relative to the tonic and is thus considered to have or fulfill the function of the tonic. In C major: T), F# minor ( dominant parallelIn music theory, the dominant parallel is terminology used in German theory derived mainly from Hugo Riemann, Dp, in major, and dP, in minor, is the (US) relative to the dominant and is thus considered to have or fulfill the function of the dominant.) G major ( subdominantIn music, the subdominant is the technical name for the fourth degree of the scale. It is called the subdominant because it is the same distance below the tonic that the dominant is above the tonic. In the C major scale (white keys on a piano), the subdom) D major (tonic), E minor ( subdominant parallelIn music theory, the subdominant parallel is terminology used in German theory derived mainly from Hugo Riemann, Sp, in major, and sP, in minor, is the (US) relative to the subdominant and is thus considered to have or fulfill the function of the subdomin) A major (dominant). Thus, all the notes of the D major scale appear at least once (excepting C#, which would be atonal for a work in D major).
The Pachelbel canon may represent the most extraordinary instance of the crossoverCrossover (music) Crossover Crossover is a term used with regard to music, generally when music of a certain style or genre crosses the boundaries of where the music of that style or genre is normally found. Crossover as people appreciating music they wou phenomenon in all of music. During a short period in the early 1970sMillennia: 1st millennium 2nd millennium 3rd millennium Centuries: 19th century 20th century 21st century Decades: 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s Years: 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 Events and trends it went from being a quite obscure work of early music to a universally familiar cultural item. It was played in countless versions in its original notes and instrumentation, as well as in arrangements for other instruments and in adaptations into other musical genres. The process shows no sign of abating.
The popularization is thought to have originated with the release of a 1970 recording of the work (Erato 98475) performed by the Paillard Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Jean-François Paillard .
The following are representative appearances of the canon in popular culture.
The canon was adapted musically in the The Farm's 1991 single " All Together Now", the 1996 hit "Hook" by Blues Traveler, the 1997 single "C U When You Get There" by Coolio and the 1999 hit by Vitamin C, "Graduation (Friends Forever)". Christine Lavin parodied it in her live album Sometimes Mother Really Does Know Best by wondering what if Pachelbel wrote songs for Taco Bell, renaming the composition "The Tacobel Canon" with lyrics about Taco Bell's food.
It is featured prominently in the anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion.
Those who grew up in southern California during the 1980s will recognize Pachelbel's canon as the background music to virtually every alcoholism and drug treatment center commercial of the period.
The second half of Brian Eno's pioneering 1975 ambient music recording Discreet Music consists of a series of versions of Pachelbel's canon to which various algorithmic transformations have been applied, rendering it almost unrecognisable.
In 1991, RCA released a compilation CD called Pachelbel's Greatest Hit . It contained eight different versions of the piece, including performances by James Galway, Isao Tomita, and the Canadian Brass. Also released that year was the P. D. Q. Bach album WTWP Classical Talkity-Talk Radio , a spoof of classical radio and the canon's ubiquity there (WTWP stands for "wall-to-wall Pachelbel").
During a stand-up comedy routine on the Dr. Demento basement tapes, comedian Rob Paravonian recognizes the popular music takeover of Pachelbel's canon.
Paravonian then goes on to note several songs in which he's recognized Pachelbel's influence, although this influence is likely coincidental, as many songs share the tonic-dominant-tonic parallel-dominant parallel pattern. He also characterizes Johann Pachelbel as the original one hit wonder.