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Hey

I've started learning canon. This is the sheet that i'm using.
http://www.free-scores.com/download-sheet-music.php?pdf=666

Is that sheet alright? Or is there some other popular and usual sheet that people use to learn canon? Can you point me towards some resource?

Mohan, there are lots and lots of arrangements of the Canon. Dan Coates has two versions, one very easy, which I like to recommend to beginner pianists because it sounds pretty good for being so easy, and then an advanced version. His easy version would be too easy for you, I think.

My favorite arrangement is George Winston's Variations on the Kanon. He transposes it into the key of C, and it's got a definite new age flair. It's hard; every few months I'll pick it up, play around a little, and decide to wait a bit longer. But I'll learn it some day, because it's so beautiful:

I really don't care for the Winston arrangement (sorry, Monica - it's probably poor taste on my part), but the Coates advanced one is very pretty and playable for me with a bit of work. It's in a book called Complete Advanced Piano Solos. The sheet you have looks pretty nice, too, Mohan.

It's very pretty indeed - but as you say, with the modern flair. It doesn't move me the way the original does. My favourite is the Deutsche Grammophon from 1982. I even had the Canon as my ring tone.

@Monika: Woah! Thats nice. Very nice feel, more like guitary . I'll try that once I get the original down ..

Ok! The problem with the sheet that I shared is that till page 2 i'm able to interpret it to the usual canons that I hear. But after that from page 3, it becomes something else. And a lot of what I hear in recitals (like ladypayne in last recital) isnt there. So I was wondering if what I've is very different from what people generally follow?

Is there a midi for the coates version? I want to listen to it before I buy and start learning from it!

Mohan,

The original Pachelbel Canon and Gigue was written for three violins and a basso continuo (usually played by a cello nowadays). It is not playable by a single piano player, probably two players could. If you want to see the original, go to Canon at IMSLP . Any version you will see for piano is either a reduction, an arangement, or theme and variations based on the Canon.

The version you posted to does not look very easy to play. There are portions where the stretch and distribution of notes between the two hands make it quite advanced and require the use of the pedal. Not a bad thing, but would not recreate the sound of four strings playing the original.

The version I've played is a Theme and Variations on the Canon.
Alfred's Masterworks Edition

Rich

You're forgiven, Dennis. Diff'rent strokes and all.

Mohan, here's a YouTube video of somebody playing what they claim to be the Dan Coates advanced version. I'm not at home and can't check it against my sheet music to confirm it's the right one. It sounds like it, but then again, most versions of the Canon sound pretty similar :

I'm pretty sure this is one of the Alfred editions, but he does not quite slow it down the way the score instructs. I'm not sure if it is the 4 page version or the 7 page version.

Yes, Monica's youtube link is definitely the Coates advanced arrangement. Rather poor sound quality on the recording, but you get the general idea of what it sounds like. It is challenging but doable for an old guy like me who considers himself a perpetual intermediate pianist.

I like Dragon's arrangement as well. It seems a bit easier to play than the Coates version - particularly in the left hand. Quite pretty, though, and rather challenging for the right hand in places. By the way, if the guy was playing from the sheets in front of him, it must be the 4 page version as he made no page turns and only 4 sheets are visible.

Oh! Those are precious. Thanks a lot! *Runs to nearby bookshop to order*

This is the one I like, arranged by Lee Galloway.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABBzejbplVQ

you can print out the sheet at
http://www.scribd.com/doc/6012303/Canon-in-D-Lee-Galloway

Thanks for those links - what a lovely arrangement. I have have been looking for a new piece to learn and this is perfect!

That is a beautiful arrangement indeed. Thanks for posting the links, fallapart. It also seems much more doable than Winston's arrangement. Maybe I'll give it a whirl.