Pachelbel’s Canon in D – Arranged for 22-string Harp Tuned G-G

The sheet music here is for the very famous Canon in D composed by Johann Pachelbel in the 1600s. This arrangement was so that I can play it on a 22-string lap harp tuned G-G in key of D, so obviously throw those C and F levers at the start! My original goal in writing this out was to make sure I could play it without needing any one string for both hands at the same moment while keeping the general musical shape. The only time I performed it, I believe I threw in ad libitum or dropped a note here and there when accidentals came up, so this arrangement could use a lot more markings and a proper go-through for lever planning. Alternatively, take the tempo even slower.

The original Canon in D was for three violins and one continuo. I had to sacrifice some things given there are only 22 strings and 2 hands.

Pachelbel was not the only German Baroque composer to write a “Canon in D”, but I believe his is the most famous of all those Canons in D. (D was a popular key in the Baroque era.) Funnily, this piece was not popular or well-regarded back when it was composed.

To download free sheet music for Pachelbel’s Canon arranged for a 22-string G-G harp, click here:

Pachelbels-Canon-Lap-Harp-Arrangement-Full-Score

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