Orgelbüchlein

by Johann Sebastian Bach

Choosing a piece

The Orgelbüchlein collection represents a wide range of technical difficulty: any piece, or level, is appropriate for the service playing exam. The table below assigns a difficulty grouping for each piece, 1 being the most accessible, 5 being the most challenging. (The groupings are adapted from Quentin Faulkner. )

The Chorales

Click to sort by BWV number, Title, or Season

BWV	Title	Season	Level of Difficulty
599	Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland	Advent	1
600	Gott, durch deine Güte (Gottes-Sohn ist kommen)	Advent	4
601	Herr Christ, der ein'ge Gottes-Sohn (Herr Gott, nun sei gepreiset)	Advent	3
602	Lob sei dem allmächtigen Gott	Advent	3
603	Puer natus in Bethlehem	Christmas	3
604	Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ	Christmas	1
605	Der Tag, der ist so freudenreich	Christmas	4
606	Vom Himmel hoch, da komm' ich her	Christmas	3
607	Vom Himmel kam der Engel Schar	Christmas	4
608	In dulci jubilo	Christmas	4
609	Lobt Gott, ihr Christen, allzugleich	Christmas	3
610	Jesu, meine Freude	Christmas	2
611	Christum wir sollen loben schon	Christmas	3
612	Wir Christenleut'	Christmas	4
613	Helft mir Gottes Güte preisen	New Year	4
614	Das alte Jahr vergangen ist	New Year	5
615	In dir ist Freude	New Year	4
616	Mit Fried' und Freud' ich fahr' dahin	Epiphany	3
617	Herr Gott, nun schleuß den Himmel auf	Epiphany	4
618	O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig	Lent	3
619	Christe, du Lamm Gottes	Lent	2
620	Christus, der uns selig macht	Lent	4
621	Da Jesus an dem Kreuze stund	Lent	2
622	O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde groß	Lent	5
623	Wir danken dir, Herr Jesu Christ	Lent	3
624	Hilf Gott, daß mir's gelinge	Lent	4
625	Christ lag in Todesbanden	Easter	2
626	Jesus Christus, unser Heiland	Easter	3
627	Christ ist erstanden	Easter	3
628	Erstanden ist der heil'ge Christ	Easter	3
629	Erschienen ist der herrliche Tag	Easter	3
630	Heut' triumphieret Gottes Sohn	Easter	4
631	Komm, Gott Schöpfer, heiliger Geist	Pentecost	3
632	Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend'	Pentecost	3
633	Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier		2
634	Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier (alt. version of BWV 633)		2
635	Dies sind die heil'gen zehn Gebot'		4
636	Vater unser im Himmelreich		3
637	Durch Adams Fall ist ganz verderbt		3
638	Es ist das Heil uns kommen her		3
639	Ich ruf' zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ		1
640	In dich hab' ich gehoffet, Herr		3
641	Wenn wir in höchsten Nöten sein		5
642	Wer nur den lieben Gott läßt walten		2
643	Alle Menschen müssen sterben		2
644	Ach wie nichtig, ach wie flüchtig		4

Background and General Perspectives

These 46 short chorales were composed while he was court organist at the ducal court in Weimar (1708–1714).

For details, see the Wikipedia article

Scores and Editions

Historical Organ Techniques and Repertoire, Volume 2, J.S. Bach—Basic Organ Works (ed. Quentin Faulkner)

Completely fingered in early fingering styles. Includes helpful information on the original chorales and performing the works.

J. S. Bach: Orgelbuchlein (ed. Robert Clark and John David Peterson)

Includes helpful information on the original chorales and performing the works.

IMSLP, Bach Gesellschaft edition

Free download

Registration and Organs

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See the footnote in the "Notes" section at the bottom of the page.

Fingering and Pedaling

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Articulation and Phrasing

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Ornamentation

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Tempo and Meter

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Recordings

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Free Online

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Pay to Listen

William Porter at the 1723 Hildebrandt at Störmthal., including 10 other pieces from Das Orgelbuchlein.

Other Resources

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Notes

This space is for automatic insertion of footnotes. To enter a footnote from anywhere in the article, start by typing the tag <ref> and then enter the text, and type the tag </ref> to end the footnote. The footnote will then appear in this "Notes" section automatically.