Ach, was soll ich Sünder machen

Johann Sebastian BachBWV 770

BaroqueWell-knownfugueG majorAllegro4/4~4.5 min
H3
Henle (estimated)
RCM 5ABRSM 5

About this piece

This is a fugue from Bach's Chorale Partitas, based on the hymn tune of the same name. Its musical distinction lies in the intricate contrapuntal development of the chorale melody.

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Teacher notes

The primary technical challenge is maintaining clarity and independence between the voices in the contrapuntal texture.

Technical focus

counterpointfinger-independenceornamentationvoicinglayered-texture

Mood

brilliantenergeticintellectual

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Frequently asked questions

How hard is Ach, was soll ich Sünder machen (BWV 770) by Johann Sebastian Bach?

Ach, was soll ich Sünder machen (BWV 770) is rated Henle level 3 of 9 — late beginner repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 4–5. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 5.

What level do I need to play Ach, was soll ich Sünder machen?

You should be comfortable at Henle level 3 — meaning you can already play level 2–3 pieces cleanly. Learning it one level early is possible as a stretch piece, but more than that usually leads to months of frustration.

How long is Ach, was soll ich Sünder machen?

A typical performance of Ach, was soll ich Sünder machen (BWV 770) lasts about 4.5 minutes.

Where can I get free sheet music for Ach, was soll ich Sünder machen?

Ach, was soll ich Sünder machen (BWV 770) is available as free public-domain sheet music on IMSLP — the score is linked directly from this page.