Editing Johann Pachelbel (section)

===1673–1690: Career (Vienna, Eisenach, Erfurt)===
Prentz left for [[Eichstätt]] in 1672. This period of Pachelbel's life is the least documented one,{{sfn|Welter|1998|loc=12}} so it is unknown whether he stayed in Regensburg until 1673 or left the same year his teacher did; at any rate, by 1673 Pachelbel was living in Vienna, where he became a deputy organist at the [[St. Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna|Saint Stephen Cathedral]]. At the time, Vienna was the center of the vast [[Austro-Hungarian Empire|Habsburg]] empire and had much cultural importance; its tastes in music were predominantly Italian. Several renowned [[Cosmopolitanism|cosmopolitan]] composers worked there, many of them contributing to the exchange of musical traditions in Europe. In particular, [[Johann Jakob Froberger]] served as court organist in Vienna until 1657<ref>{{Cite Grove |last=Schott |first=Howard |title=Froberger, Johann Jacob: 1. Life}}</ref> and was succeeded by [[Alessandro Poglietti]].<ref>{{Cite Grove |last=Riedel |first=Friedrich W. |title=Poglietti, Alessandro}}</ref> [[Georg Muffat]] lived in the city for some time, and, most importantly, [[Johann Caspar Kerll]] moved to Vienna in 1673.<ref>{{Cite Grove |last=Harris |first=C. David |last2=Gieberl |first2=Albert C. |title=Kerll, Johann Caspar, §1: Life}}</ref> While there, he may have known or even taught Pachelbel, whose music shows traces of Kerll's style. Pachelbel spent five years in Vienna, absorbing the music of Catholic composers from southern Germany and Italy. In some respects, Pachelbel is similar to [[Joseph Haydn|Haydn]], who too served as a professional musician of the ''Stephansdom'' in his youth and as such was exposed to music of the leading composers of the time. Although he was a Lutheran, his works were influenced by Catholic music.

In 1677, Pachelbel moved to [[Eisenach]], where he found employment as court organist under [[Kapellmeister]] [[Daniel Eberlin]] (also a native of Nuremberg), in the employ of [[John George I, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach|Johann Georg I]], Duke of [[Saxe-Eisenach]]. He met members of the [[Bach family]] in Eisenach (which was the home city of [[Johann Sebastian Bach|J. S. Bach's]] father, [[Johann Ambrosius Bach]]), and became a close friend of Johann Ambrosius and tutor to his children.<ref>Hans T. David, "A Lesser Secret of J. S. Bach Uncovered", ''Journal of the American Musicological Society'', Vol. 14, No. 2. (Summer, 1961), p.&nbsp;200</ref> However, Pachelbel spent only one year in Eisenach. In 1678, [[Bernhard II, Duke of Saxe-Jena]], Johann Georg's brother, died and during the period of mourning court musicians were greatly curtailed.{{sfn|Nolte|2001|loc="1. Life"}} Pachelbel was left unemployed. He requested a testimonial from Eberlin, who wrote one for him, describing Pachelbel as a 'perfect and rare virtuoso'&nbsp;– ''einen perfekten und raren Virtuosen''.{{sfn|Nolte|2001|loc="1. Life"}} With this document, Pachelbel left Eisenach on 18 May 1678.

[[File:04 Erfurt Predigerkirche 010.jpg|thumb|[[Predigerkirche (Erfurt)|Predigerkirche]], the [[Erfurt]] church, where Pachelbel worked for 12 years, starting in 1678]]

In June 1678, Pachelbel was employed as organist of the [[Predigerkirche (Erfurt)|Predigerkirche]] in [[Erfurt]], succeeding Johann Effler (c. 1640–1711; Effler later preceded [[Johann Sebastian Bach]] in [[Weimar]]). The Bach family was very well known in Erfurt (where virtually all organists would later be called "Bachs"), so Pachelbel's friendship with them continued here. Pachelbel became [[Godparent|godfather]] to Johann Ambrosius' daughter, Johanna Juditha, taught [[Johann Christoph Bach (1671–1721)|Johann Christoph Bach]] (1671–1721), Johann Sebastian's eldest brother, and lived in Johann Christian Bach's (1640–1682) house.{{sfn|Welter|1998|loc=15}} Pachelbel remained in Erfurt for 12 years and established his reputation as one of the leading German organ composers of the time during his stay. The [[chorale prelude]] became one of his most characteristic products of the Erfurt period, since Pachelbel's contract specifically required him to compose the preludes for [[church service]]s.{{refn|For the discussion of the contract in question, see {{harvnb|Nolte|1957|p=xlviii}}. The text of the contract is also given in {{harvnb|Welter|1998|pp=27–29}}, and [[Hugo Botstiber|Botstiber]]'s introduction to ''[[Denkmäler der Tonkunst in Österreich|DTÖ]]'', xvii, Jg.viii/2 (1901/R).|group=n}} His duties also included organ maintenance and, more importantly, composing a large-scale work every year to demonstrate his progress as composer and organist, as every work of that kind had to be better than the one composed the year before.

Johann Christian Bach (1640–1682), Pachelbel's landlord in Erfurt, died in 1682. In June 1684, Pachelbel purchased the house (called ''Zur silbernen Tasche'', now Junkersand 1) from Johann Christian's widow.{{sfn|Welter|1998|loc=16}} In 1686, he was offered a position as organist of the St. Trinitatis church (''Trinitatiskirche'') in [[Sondershausen]]. Pachelbel initially accepted the invitation but, as a surviving letter indicates, had to reject the offer after a long series of negotiations: it appears that he was required to consult with Erfurt's elders and church authorities before considering any job offers.<ref>{{harvnb|Welter|1998|loc=18}}. The letter in question is reproduced and translated in the same dissertation, see pp. 31–32.</ref> It seems that the situation had been resolved quietly and without harm to Pachelbel's reputation; he was offered a raise and stayed in the city for four more years.

Pachelbel married twice during his stay in Erfurt. Barbara Gabler, daughter of the Stadt-Major of Erfurt, became his first wife, on 25 October 1681. The marriage took place in the house of the bride's father. Both Barbara and their only son died in October 1683 during a plague.{{clarify|date=October 2021|reason = A plague, THE plague or what? Reads vaguely, can we specify?}} Pachelbel's first published work, a set of chorale [[Variation (music)|variations]] called ''[[Musicalische Sterbens-Gedancken]]'' ("Musical Thoughts on Death", Erfurt, 1683), was probably influenced by this event.

Ten months later, Pachelbel married Judith Drommer (Trummert), daughter of a [[coppersmith]],{{sfn|Buszin|1959}} on 24 August 1684. They had five sons and two daughters. Two of the sons, [[Wilhelm Hieronymus Pachelbel]] and [[Charles Theodore Pachelbel]], also became organ composers; the latter moved to the [[Thirteen Colonies|American colonies]] in 1734. Another son, Johann Michael, became an instrument maker in Nuremberg and traveled as far as London and [[Jamaica]].{{sfn|Nolte|2001|loc="1. Life"}} One of the daughters, [[Amalia Pachelbel]], achieved recognition as a painter and [[Etching|engraver]].