Pachelbel Progression

When I learn of a musician’s departure, I instantly hear his or her music in my head. Last week, I checked my phone and read “RIP George Winston” in my Facebook feed. His Pachelbel Canon Variations entered my sound space immediately. Although I was on my way out, I couldn’t resist but record a short video clip on my piano. Since then I have been noodling over how to introduce his music to my piano students. Today I will show the eight-chord progression as an exercise in block and broken chords and inversions in my piano harmonization class in Zoom.

Originally written in D major, Pachelbel’s famous one hit wonder is much easier to play in C major for the piano, the ukulele, and guitar. No need to watch out for black keys on the piano. No need for barre chords on the ukulele and guitar. For that reason, the canon in C was born.

Out of pure curiosity and obsession, I have been collecting different arrangements of Pachelbel’s greatest hit and popular songs based on his eight-chord progression.

The eight chords are wonderful to improvise to. I daresay, George Winston probably improvised on it first before writing down his variations to share with his audiences.

Johann Pachelbel (1653 – 1706) originally scored the canon in the key of D major for three violins and basso continuo (cello or other bass instrument). A round is an example of a canon, where each voice enters the piece with the same motif albeit not at the same time. This is illustrated in the opening below.

To add more harmonic depth, the canon can be accompanied by a harpsichord or other polyphonic instrument, playing the eight chord-progression, as shown below. This chord progression repeats for the entire piece in the exact order.

Today, Pachelbel is synonymous with his canon. In his lifetime, he was famous as an organist and keyboardist. The Canon was paired with a Gigue (a dance).

I was on my way to meet my future organ teacher when I learned of George Winston’s passing. The organ pulls me into a multi-dimensional world, taking me from two and a half octaves of the ukulele to more than four octaves of the immobile wind and keyboard giant. No longer cradling the light, portable four-string instrument in my arms, torso, and lap, I now sit on a large bench and try to balance myself without falling into the keys or pedals. I stare at the sheet music and command my left fingers not to follow my left foot while trying to move my other limbs in different directions.

Come to think of it, I have only introduced Pachelbel’s Canon in my ukulele classes, not yet piano. After tonight’s piano class, I will get my music theory melody class to analyze the different pop melodies that some say have “ripped off” Pachelbel’s one hit wonder.

To understand how the canon was constructed, it makes sense to analyze it first. I’m so glad someone else has beat me to it. [See full detailed analysis of Pachelbel’s Canon in D.]

Just to make sure I haven’t missed anything, I googled “Pachelbel Canon in C” and discovered that I had already arranged it with fingering for my piano class on Maui. That was over a decade ago. Now where is the 4-page sheet music?

Until I find it, my new 3-page PDF will get the students in Zoom a taste of improvisation – an idea for a new course.

Pachelbel Birthday Party

September 1, 2023 from Noon EDT to 1:30 PM EDT (90 minutes)

Read more about this free 90-minute workshop in Zoom and how to register to attend.

Johann Pachelbel, (baptized September 1, 1653, Nürnberg [Germany]—died March 3, 1706, Nürnberg), was known for his works for organ and one of the great organ masters of the generation before Johann Sebastian Bach. His Canon in D was his greatest hit.