Yeah, Pachelbel's first name IS Johann. Actually, his canon is a lovely, tranquil sounding piece of music, but I can see how someone who plays the bass instrument in the ensemble, laying down the (technical term alert!!) "ground bass" (no relation to "ground chuck"), which consists of the same two measures played over and over and over and over and over—could wind up losing any sense of tranquility and start trying to juggle his or her own head.

For those who are not sure exactly what a canon is (not a large, heavy gun on wheels), suffice it to say that a round (e.g., "Frère Jacques" or " Row, Row, Row Your Boat") is a simple form of canon.

There was a fellow in the Seattle Song Circle some years ago who worked Pachelbel' Canon out on a dulcimer. Since it consists of four parts (three violins and a cello, as written) and the Appalachian dulcimer has only three strings, toward the end, he got kinda busy. But it sounded pretty good.

Here is the Canon in D as Pachelbel intended it should sound. Actually, nice piece of music.

Try this on your nose flute.

Don Firth