This prelude and fugue, part of Bach's 'The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II,' is a profound exploration of the hymn tune 'Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir.' The prelude is deeply expressive and harmonically rich, while the fugue masterfully develops the thematic material with intricate counterpoint.
Requires precise articulation and a clear understanding of contrapuntal lines.
Aus tiefer Noth schrei ich zu dir (BWV 38) is rated Henle level 4 of 9 — intermediate repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 5–6. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 7.
You should be comfortable at Henle level 4 — meaning you can already play level 3–4 pieces cleanly. Learning it one level early is possible as a stretch piece, but more than that usually leads to months of frustration.
A typical performance of Aus tiefer Noth schrei ich zu dir (BWV 38) lasts about 6 minutes.
Aus tiefer Noth schrei ich zu dir (BWV 38) is available as free public-domain sheet music on IMSLP — the score is linked directly from this page.