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*Please note: this is an improved version of an earlier release. The chorale 'An Wasserflüssen Babylon', performed by Leo van Doeselaar for All of Bach, describes the desperate situation of the Israelites in exile. Many composers in the seventeenth century made an arrangement of it, with the Hamburg organist Adam Reincken as the absolute champion. As a fifteen-year-old, Bach copied this version down and undoubtedly studied it well. But when he made his own arrangement ten years later, he did not follow Reincken’s example. Instead of an ingenious but somewhat frivolous fantasy, as Reincken made, he chose to create a compact, sombre chorale prelude. For more information on BWV 653 and credits of this production go to For the interview with organist Leo van Doeselaar on 'An Wasserflüssen Babylon' go to Recorded for the project All of Bach on October 8th 2013 at St Martin's Church, Groningen. If you want to help us complete All of Bach, please subscribe to our channel and consider donating All of Bach is a project of the Netherlands Bach Society, with the aim to perform and record all of Bach's works and share them online with the world for free. Visit our online treasury for more videos and background material on For concert dates and tickets go to Leo van Doeselaar, organ Instrument: Arp Schnitger, 1692
