The greatest of the Nuremberg organists and one of the most celebrated of the seventeenth century was Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706). After holding the position of organist at various places (among them Erfurt in 1676, where he taught Christopher Bach, Sebastian’s older brother and first teacher), he returned to his native city in 1695 as organist at St. Sebald’s. His organ compositions were very important and influential, among them seventy-eight chorale-preludes--many of merit and long-standing popularity--several chaconnes, brilliant toccatas, and chorale-fugues. He was the inventor of this last-named form, the subject being the first line of a chorale in diminution. This form was perfected by Sebastian Bach and in the present day has inspired Max Reger to the composition of his great _chorale-fantasias_, for example, _Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme_. Augsburg became the chief centre of activity among the South German Catholic organists as Nuremberg was the most influential centre of the Protestant branch. Christian Erbach (1573-1628), organist of the Augsburg Cathedral, wrote organ pieces in the style of Merulo and Gabrieli, but in his ritual-music was much influenced by the Protestant chorale-preludes, except that he employed modal harmonies. An important Augsburg publication was _Ars magna Consoni et Dissoni_ (‘The Great Art of Consonance and Dissonance’) by Johann Speth, the cathedral organist, containing the best contemporary toccatas and magnificats, and some important airs with variations. The first great name of this group is Johann Jacob Froberger (about 1610-1667), who passed much of his life in Vienna as court-organist. Ferdinand III sent him to Rome (1637-1641) to study under Frescobaldi and he became one of the most famous German organists and instrumental composers of the century. His organ works--25 toccatas, 8 fantasias, 6 canzonas, fugues, etc.--are important largely because of their great influence on J. S. Bach’s development; his music sounds now more archaic than its date of composition would indicate. Johann Kaspar Kerl (1621-1693), through the munificence of Emperor Ferdinand III, likewise was sent to Rome to study under Frescobaldi and Carissimi and exerted a wide influence as organist and composer at Munich and Vienna. His published organ works were largely toccatas and canzonas in the Italian style.