Charles Theodore Pachelbel
Encyclopedia
Charles Theodore Pachelbel (baptised
Carl Theodorus, also Karl Theodor) (baptized November 24, 1690 buried September 15, 1750) was a German
composer, organist
and harpsichord
ist of the late Baroque
era. He was the son of the more famous Johann Pachelbel
, composer of the popular Canon in D. He was one of the first Europe
an composers to take up residence in the American colonies, and was the most famous musical figure in early Charleston, South Carolina
.
He was born in Stuttgart
and baptized in the Evangelische Kirchengemeinde (Protestant parish) there on the 24 of November 1690, son of Johann Pachelbel and his second wife Judith Drommer. The family moved to Gotha
in 1692, then to Nuremberg
in 1695. Nothing is known about Charles Theodore's life for 25 years after 1706, when his father died, except the fact that he probably lived in England
for some time (his name appears in a 1732 list of subscribers to a volume of harpsichord music published in London).
The colonies - 1733 to 1750
The circumstances of his immigration to the colonies are unknown. Pachelbel was living in Boston, Massachusetts by spring 1733, when he was asked to assist in the installation of the new organ of Trinity Church in Newport, Rhode Island
. The instrument was donated to Trinity by George Berkeley
, the famous philosopher. Pachelbel was subsequently hired as organist of the church and held the post until approximately mid-1735. In 1736 Pachelbel gave two public concerts in New York
: on 21 January and on 9 March. Both took place in Robert Todd's house, an important tavern. Pachelbel played the harpsichord
, accompanied by local musicians and singers.
Pachelbel soon left for Charleston, South Carolina
, where he spent the rest of his life. On 16 February 1737 he married Hanna Poitevin in St. Philip's Church
in Charleston. The couple had at least one child, Charles, born on 10 September 1739. This could have been Pachelbel's second marriage, because traces of an older daughter have been found. He actively participated in the musical life of the city: on 22 November 1737 he organized a concert of vocal and instrumental music, apparently the first public concert in the Charleston area, in February 1740 he succeeded John Salter as organist of St Philip's Church, and in 1749, one year before he died, he opened a singing school. Pachelbel's death in 1750 was apparently caused by some sort of illness, referred to as a "lameness in the hands" in the documents. His wife outlived him by 19 years and died on 6 September 1769. There is no further record of Pachelbel's children.
for double choir is performed with some frequency. The young Peter Pelham
studied with him since Newport and followed him to Charleston; some of Pachelbel's compositions survive in Pelham's partbooks. St. Philip's in Charleston later burned down and was rebuilt at a different location. Included in the list of Pachelbel's possessions compiled after his death are a harpsichord, a clavichord
and collections of sheet music, but none of these seem to have survived.
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
Carl Theodorus, also Karl Theodor) (baptized November 24, 1690 buried September 15, 1750) was a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
composer, organist
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
and harpsichord
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
ist of the late Baroque
Baroque music
Baroque music describes a style of Western Classical music approximately extending from 1600 to 1760. This era follows the Renaissance and was followed in turn by the Classical era...
era. He was the son of the more famous Johann Pachelbel
Johann Pachelbel
Johann Pachelbel was a German Baroque 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...
, composer of the popular Canon in D. He was one of the first Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an composers to take up residence in the American colonies, and was the most famous musical figure in early Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
.
Life
Early years - 1690 to 1732He was born in Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
and baptized in the Evangelische Kirchengemeinde (Protestant parish) there on the 24 of November 1690, son of Johann Pachelbel and his second wife Judith Drommer. The family moved to Gotha
Gotha (town)
Gotha is a town in Thuringia, within the central core of Germany. It is the capital of the district of Gotha.- History :The town has existed at least since the 8th century, when it was mentioned in a document signed by Charlemagne as Villa Gotaha . Its importance derives from having been chosen in...
in 1692, then to Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
in 1695. Nothing is known about Charles Theodore's life for 25 years after 1706, when his father died, except the fact that he probably lived in England
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
for some time (his name appears in a 1732 list of subscribers to a volume of harpsichord music published in London).
The colonies - 1733 to 1750
The circumstances of his immigration to the colonies are unknown. Pachelbel was living in Boston, Massachusetts by spring 1733, when he was asked to assist in the installation of the new organ of Trinity Church in Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
. The instrument was donated to Trinity by George Berkeley
George Berkeley
George Berkeley , also known as Bishop Berkeley , was an Irish philosopher whose primary achievement was the advancement of a theory he called "immaterialism"...
, the famous philosopher. Pachelbel was subsequently hired as organist of the church and held the post until approximately mid-1735. In 1736 Pachelbel gave two public concerts in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
: on 21 January and on 9 March. Both took place in Robert Todd's house, an important tavern. Pachelbel played the harpsichord
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
, accompanied by local musicians and singers.
Pachelbel soon left for Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
, where he spent the rest of his life. On 16 February 1737 he married Hanna Poitevin in St. Philip's Church
St. Philip's Episcopal Church (Charleston, South Carolina)
St. Philip's Episcopal Church is an historic Episcopal church in the French Quarter neighborhood of Charleston, South Carolina. Its National Historic Landmark description states: "Built in 1836 , this stuccoed brick church features an imposing tower designed in the Wren-Gibbs tradition...
in Charleston. The couple had at least one child, Charles, born on 10 September 1739. This could have been Pachelbel's second marriage, because traces of an older daughter have been found. He actively participated in the musical life of the city: on 22 November 1737 he organized a concert of vocal and instrumental music, apparently the first public concert in the Charleston area, in February 1740 he succeeded John Salter as organist of St Philip's Church, and in 1749, one year before he died, he opened a singing school. Pachelbel's death in 1750 was apparently caused by some sort of illness, referred to as a "lameness in the hands" in the documents. His wife outlived him by 19 years and died on 6 September 1769. There is no further record of Pachelbel's children.
Works
Only a handful of works by Charles Pachelbel survive; the most famous is an aria God of sleep, for whom I languish. His MagnificatMagnificat
The Magnificat — also known as the Song of Mary or the Canticle of Mary — is a canticle frequently sung liturgically in Christian church services. It is one of the eight most ancient Christian hymns and perhaps the earliest Marian hymn...
for double choir is performed with some frequency. The young Peter Pelham
Peter Pelham (composer)
Peter Pelham was an English-born American organist, harpsichordist, teacher and composer.Pelham was born in London. His father, also named Peter Pelham, was an engraver and an artist. Around 1730 the Pelhams immigrated to Boston, where the father apprenticed his son to Charles Theodore Pachelbel...
studied with him since Newport and followed him to Charleston; some of Pachelbel's compositions survive in Pelham's partbooks. St. Philip's in Charleston later burned down and was rebuilt at a different location. Included in the list of Pachelbel's possessions compiled after his death are a harpsichord, a clavichord
Clavichord
The clavichord is a European stringed keyboard instrument known from the late Medieval, through the Renaissance, Baroque and Classical eras. Historically, it was widely used as a practice instrument and as an aid to composition, not being loud enough for larger performances. The clavichord produces...
and collections of sheet music, but none of these seem to have survived.