Johann Pachelbel, born in Nuremberg in 1653, a generation before Bach, is one of Southern Germany’s most important post-Reformation organ composers. His compositions were already widely known at the time. The most popular work today is probably the canon with ensuing gigue in D major.

The canon – according to the source “a 3 Violinis con Basso c.” – is built up over an ostinato bass whose two bar figure is repeated a total of 28 times. The following short gigue is also in a strict contrapunta...