Note 139 — THE CHORALE PRELUDES (VORSPIELE)—TRIOS—FANTASIAS—FUGUES
Wallace Goodrich translation
Various arrangements by Bach of this chorale are in existence; we would cite in particular the one which he made with double pedal, upon the same harmonic bass as the one already referred to. It was probably composed for the journey to Hamburg (in 1720), when Bach drew from old Reinken the avowal of an admiration which the latter was not wont to lavish, for his improvisations upon this theme. Reinken had also composed a prelude upon it. It is interesting to compare the profusion of ornaments by which he renders the melody almost unrecognizable, with the elegant design in which Bach clothes it. Reinken thus distorts the beginning:
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With a Toccata and another Choralvorspiel, this arrangement is all that remains to us of Reinken's works.