Composition: Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid, BWV 3 (Bach, Johann Sebastian)
| Title | Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid [I] |
| Alternative title | Oh God, how much heartache |
| Creators | Johann Sebastian Bach (composer) |
| Opus | BWV 3 |
| Instrumentation | soprano, alto, tenor, bass, mixed chorus and orchestra |
| Number of movements | 6 |
| Keys | A major |
| Composed | 1725 |
| First published | 1851 |
| Dedication | — |
| Tempo markings | — |
| Metronome markings | — |
| Time signatures | — |
| Average duration (sec) | 1500 |
| Number of measures | — |
| Composition types | Sacred cantatas |
| Language | German |
| Period | Baroque |
| View on IMSLP |  |
| Code |  |
Sections
| Title click for details |
Metronome | Key | Measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chorus: Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid | — | — | — |
| Recitativo (tenorsopranoaltobass): Wie schwerlich lässt sich Fleisch und Blut | — | — | — |
| Aria (bass): Empfind ich Höllenangst und Pein | — | — | — |
| Recitativo (tenor): Es mag mir Leib und Geist verschmachten | — | — | — |
| Duet Aria (sopranoalto): Wenn Sorgen auf mich dringen | — | — | — |
| Chorale: Erhalt mein Herz im Glauben rein | — | — | — |
Arrangements
| Details | Section | Arranged for | Arranger |
|---|---|---|---|
| view | Chorus: 'Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid' (No.1) | 3 violins, 2 violas and cello | Russ Bartoli |
| view | Chorus: 'Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid' (No.1) | piano | Camille Saint-Saëns |
| view | Aria: 'Empfind ich Höllenangst und Pein' (No.3) | violin and viola viola and cello 2 violas 2 cellos |
Peter Lang |
| view | Duetto: 'Wenn Sorgen auf mich dringen' (No.5) | — | Peter Lang |
| view | Duetto: 'Wenn Sorgen auf mich dringen' (No.5) | 2 violins, viola and cello | Russ Bartoli |
| view | Duetto: 'Wenn Sorgen auf mich dringen' (No.5) | 4 violins 4 violas 4 cellos |
Peter Lang |
Scores
| Details | Section | Type | Publisher | Date | File |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| view | Complete | — | — | — | Complete Score · view Autograph of the first page (facsimile) · view |
| view | Complete | — | — | — | Complete Score · view |
| view | Complete | — | — | — | Complete Score · view |
| view | Complete | — | Casadesus-Masanell | — | 1. Chorus: 'Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid' · view 2. Recitative and Chorale: 'Wie schwerlich läßt sich Fleisch und Blut' · view 3. Aria: 'Empfind ich Höllenangst und Pein' · view 4. Recitative: 'Es mag mir Leib und Geist verschmachten' · view 5. Aria Duetto: 'Wenn Sorgen auf mich dringen' · view 6. Chorale: 'Erhalt mein Herz im Glauben rein' · view Engraving files (MuseScore) · view |
| view | Complete | parts | — | — | Oboe d'amore 1 · view Oboe d'amore 2 · view Trombone · view Violins I · view Violins II · view Violas · view Cellos · view Basses · view Harpsichord · view Engraving files (Finale) · view |
| view | Complete | vocal score | Breitkopf und Härtel | — | Complete Score · view |
| view | Complete | vocal score | — | — | Choral Score · view |
| view | Chorus: 'Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid' (No.1) | vocal score | Jürgen Knuth | — | Abridged Score · view |
| view | Complete | — | — | — | Complete Book (with score examples) · view |
| view | Chorale: 'Erhalt mein Herz im Glauben rein' (No.6) | — | — | — | Study Chorale Score (Textless) · view |
| view | Chorale: 'Erhalt mein Herz im Glauben rein' (No.6) | — | — | — | Study Chorale Score (Textless) · view |
| view | Chorus: 'Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid' (No.1) | Arrangement for 3 violins, 2 violas and cello |
Peter Lang | 2016 | Complete Score and Parts · view |
| view | Chorus: 'Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid' (No.1) | Arrangement for piano |
J. Rieter-Biedermann | — | Complete Score · view |
| view | Aria: 'Empfind ich Höllenangst und Pein' (No.3) | Arrangement for violin and viola viola and cello 2 violas 2 cellos |
Peter Lang | 2013 | Complete Score and Parts (original key) · view Complete Score and Parts ( C major ) · view |
| view | Duetto: 'Wenn Sorgen auf mich dringen' (No.5) | Arrangement |
Peter Lang | 2013 | Complete Score and Parts (original key) · view Complete Score and Parts ( C major ) · view Complete Score and Parts ( F major ) · view Complete Score and Parts (optional lines, original) · view Complete Score and Parts (optional lines, C major ) · view Complete Score and Parts (optional lines, F major ) · view |
| view | Duetto: 'Wenn Sorgen auf mich dringen' (No.5) | Arrangement for 2 violins, viola and cello |
— | — | Complete Score · view Violin 1 · view Violin 2 · view Viola · view Cello · view |
| view | Duetto: 'Wenn Sorgen auf mich dringen' (No.5) | Arrangement for 4 violins 4 violas 4 cellos |
Peter Lang | 2016 | Complete Score and Parts (violins) · view Complete Score and Parts (violas) · view Complete Score and Parts (cellos) · view |
Recordings/Performances
| Details | Type | Section | Performers | Arranged for | Files | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| view | Synthesized | Selections | Michel Rondeau (trumpet) and Aline Letendre (organ) | For Trumpet and Organ (Rondeau) | 3. Aria: 'Empfind ich Höllenangst und Pein' · file 5. Aria: 'Wenn Sorgen auf mich dringen' · file |
|
| view | Synthesized | Synthesized | — | — | 1. Chorus: 'Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid' · file 2. Recitativo: 'Wie schwerlich lässt sich Fleisch und Blut' · file 3. Aria: 'Empfind ich Höllenangst und Pein' · file 4. Recitativo: 'Es mag mir Leib und Geist verschmachten' · file 5. Aria (Duetto): 'Wenn Sorgen auf mich dringen' · file 6. Chorale: 'Erhalt mein Herz im Glauben rein' · file |
|
| view | Synthesized | Synthesized | Chorus: 'Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid' (No.1) | — | Synthesized Performance · file |
©2025 David P. Anderson