Pachelbel Estravagante

I was about to begin this text with something like this: "True minimalists lived in the 16 th – 17 th centuries." And then I thought you might say: "Hmm, there he goes again talking about that minimalism." And it’s true: the word is so unfit. Human language is very limited, and every time we attempt to express something important we discover that our language simply doesn't work.

The present recording spreads out before us the rich musical panorama covered by Pachelbel’s Magnificat compositions. We do not know what we should admire more about these works: the complexity of the contrapuntal and concerto textures or the naturalness and cantability of the part writing. In addition, we have Pachelbel’s great variation artistry, which constantly brings forth new formal designs, instrumental combinations, and focal points on the basis of one and the same text. Moreover, the natural flow of Pachelbel’s music includes a steady stream of musical rhetorical interpretations, and the richly pictorial Magnificat text offers plenty of opportunities for them. On this recording two sacred concertos and a Mass in three movements complement the four very different Magnificat settings and serve as contrasts to them.

Johann Pachelbel - Canon & Gigue - T. Pinnock, The English Concert
Baroque | Easy CD-DA, APE, Cue | No Log | 1 CD, covers, booklet | 329 MB | RS
ARCHIV Produktion 415 518-2 | 1985

Johann Pachelbel was born in Nuremberg and was both a gifted organist and composer. He wrote prolifically not only for his own instrument but also for chamber ensembles of various kinds. His celebrated Canon and Gigue in D major for three violins and basso continuo come from a manuscript collection preserved in Berlin.