Final answer:
The 'Canon in D major' was composed by Johann Pachelbel and is characterized by a serene and graceful melody with a set of variations played by violins over a constant bass line, often associated with weddings and tranquility.
Step-by-step explanation:
Johann Pachelbel wrote Canon in D major, which is one of the most famous pieces of baroque music. The Canon's distinctive feature is its constant bass line with a set of variations played by three violins on top of it. It starts with a simple and soothing melody that's then imitated and passed around between the violins in a canon form.
The piece has a serene and graceful quality, building slowly over the persistent bass, which contributes to its enduring popularity. Financially, it has become a quintessential part of weddings and is often used to evoke a sense of elegance and tranquility.
Describing what Canon in D sounds like, it produces an ambience of calmness and reflective beauty, with a structure that's both repetitive and evolving, allowing listeners to anticipate the melodic lines as they are passed from one voice to the next. The progression of chords over the repeating bass line has a hypnotic effect and contains elements of suspense and resolution which many find pleasing.