Johann Pachelbel was a German Baroque era composer, teacher, and organist. He was born on September 1, 1653 in Nuremberg, and died on March 9, 1706. During his lifetime, his music enjoyed great popularity. Though, today Pachelbel is mainly known for the Canon in D. He was influenced by German composers like Johann Kaspar Kerl, Italian composers like Alessandro Poglietti, and the composers of the Nuremberg tradition.
As a young man he recieved musical education from Heinrich Schwemmer. In 1667, Pachelbel moved to Eisenach and found a job as a court organist. He later moved to Erfurt, where he became friends with the Bach family. By this time he was one of the most respected organists in Germany. He was married several times over his life. He died at age 52.Although he did not greatly influence many other Baroque composers, he was an influence on Johann Sebastian Bach, arguably the most famous composer from that era.
Pachelbel's most famous work, Canon in D, remains hugely influencial in the world of music to this day. It experienced a strong surge in popularity in the 1970s and has since been used in many popular songs since.
