Partita: Alle Menschen mussen sterben

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.

Pachelbel studied music at Altdorf and Regensburg and held posts as organist in Vienna, Stuttgart, and other cities.

In 1695 he was appointed organist at the St. Sebalduskirche in Nürnberg, where he remained until his death.

He also taught organ, and one of his pupils was Johann Christoph Bach, who in turn gave his younger brother Johann Sebastian Bach his first formal keyboard lessons.

All Pachelbel’s work is in a contrapuntally simple style. His organ compositions show a knowledge of Italian forms derived from Girolamo Frescobaldi through Johann Jakob Froberger.

Of special importance are his chorale preludes, which did much to establish the chorale melodies of Protestant northern Germany in the more lyrical musical atmosphere of the Catholic south.

This partita (and all other ones) show his mastery of the variation technique.

Front/Rear settings: Front:80 and Rear:70
(OAM recommended settings).