BWV 686 is a monumental fugue for organ, renowned for its majestic and imposing character, built upon the "Aus tiefer Not" chorale. Its profound impact stems from its monumental scale and intricate fugal development.
Requires immense stamina and control for the demanding pedal lines and full textures.
Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir (BWV 686) is rated Henle level 5 of 9 — late intermediate repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 6–7.
You should be comfortable at Henle level 5 — meaning you can already play level 4–5 pieces cleanly. Learning it one level early is possible as a stretch piece, but more than that usually leads to months of frustration.
Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir (BWV 686) is available as free public-domain sheet music on IMSLP — the score is linked directly from this page.