Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706) was a German composer, organist, and teacher who brought the south German organ tradition to its peak. He composed a large body of sacred and secular music, and his contributions to the development of the chorale prelude and fugue have earned him a place among the most important composers of the middle Baroque era.
The Ricercare in F-sharp minor is a work written in a dense counterpoint, rich of dissonances. The tone of F-sharp minor was very unusual in the Baroque era.