PACHELBEL’S GREATEST HIT
At a party several years ago, a musician confessed she was sick to death of playing Canon in D at every wedding. It’s a common complaint, I’ve found. Since its rediscovery in 1919, Johann Pachelbel’s chamber piece has faithfully served as the soundtrack to the tying of many knots. And if the next performance will have you tied in knots, perhaps you should listen to this humorous and affectionate new take on an old theme.
Now I confess to enjoying Pachelbel’s Canon in D {played properly, please—no soaring orchestrations, thank you}. I haven’t been to that many weddings. Still, every once in awhile I enjoy listening to the Canon turned loose to play in other musical genres.
Watch the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet perform live as they translate the Baroque theme into bluegrass, reggae, dumbae and more. They call it ‘Pachelbel’s Loose Canon.’ What say you? Genius or sacrilege?
You might also enjoy this comedian’s rant on the omnipresence of Pachelbel’s catchy chords. I only recognized a few of the songs he gave as examples, but still thought it was funny. {Note that his rant includes some of what might delicately be called language.}
The next video on the playlist is also worth seeing, if you are like me and can’t listen to songs without actually hearing the words. Have you ever noticed how much poor grammar, bad rhyming, unnatural pronunciation, and downright confusion there is in so many popular songs?
{And is it just me, or does anyone else hear Pachelbel’s Canon in the second song of this video? I am now doomed.}
• I wouldn’t trust that cannon, if I were you. •
February 7, 2014