The Canon in D major (full German title: Kanon und Gigue in D-Dur für drei Violinen und Basso Continuo) is the most famous piece by the composer Johann Pachelbel. The Canon in D is the only canon Pachelbel wrote. The music can be found on many classical CDs, together with works such as the Air on the G-string by Johann Sebastian Bach.

The main theme in this piece is played by the bass. This is a basso ostinato (ostinato = stubborn). At the beginning of the piece, this theme is played 'barely' (without accompanying upper voices) by the bass. This theme is repeated 'ostinato' (without any change) throughout the rest of the piece. The three upper voices provide the necessary variation. With each subsequent repetition of the theme in the bass, a change of melodic motifs and/or rhythmic patterns occurs in the upper voices. In Baroque music, the musical form involving a basso ostinato is called a chaconne.