Composition: Ich armer Mensch, ich Sündenknecht, BWV 55 (Bach, Johann Sebastian)
| Title | Ich armer Mensch, ich Sündenknecht |
| Alternative title | I, wretched man, a slave to sin |
| Creators | Johann Sebastian Bach (composer) and Johann Rist (librettist) |
| Opus | BWV 55 |
| Instrumentation | tenor, mixed chorus and orchestra |
| Number of movements | 5 |
| Keys | G minor |
| Composed | 1726 |
| First published | 1863 |
| Dedication | — |
| Tempo markings | — |
| Metronome markings | — |
| Time signatures | — |
| Average duration (sec) | 900 |
| Number of measures | — |
| Composition types | Sacred cantatas |
| Language | German |
| Period | Baroque |
| View on IMSLP |  |
| Code |  |
Sections
| Title click for details |
Metronome | Key | Measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aria (tenor): Ich armer Mensch, ich Sündenknecht | — | G minor | — |
| Recitativo (tenor): Ich habe wider Gott gehandelt | — | — | — |
| Aria (tenor): Erbarme dich! | — | D minor | — |
| Recitativo (tenor): Erbarme dich! | — | — | — |
| Chorale: Bin ich gleich von dir gewichen | — | B flat major | — |
Arrangements
| Details | Section | Arranged for | Arranger |
|---|---|---|---|
| view | Aria: 'Erbarme dich!' (No.3) | flute, violin and cello flute, viola and cello flute and 2 cellos 2 violins and cello violin, viola and cello violin and 2 cellos |
Peter Lang |
| view | Aria: 'Erbarme dich!' (No.3) | trumpet and organ | Michel Rondeau |
| view | Chorale: 'Bin ich gleich von dir gewichen' (No.5) | mixed chorus and keyboard | Jürgen Knuth |
Scores
| Details | Section | Type | Publisher | Date | File |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| view | Complete | — | — | — | Complete Score · view |
| view | Complete | — | — | — | Complete Score · view |
| view | Complete | — | — | — | Complete Score · view |
| view | Complete | — | — | — | Complete Score · view Anhang: 3. Aria: 'Erbarme dich!' · view |
| view | Complete | — | Ramon Casadesus-Masanell | 2021 | 1. Aria: 'Ich armer Mensch, ich Sündenknecht' · view 2. Recitativo: 'Ich habe wider Gott gehandelt' · view 3. Aria: 'Erbarme dich!' · view 4. Recitativo: 'Erbarme dich!' · view 5. Chorale: 'Bin ich gleich von dir gewichen' · view Engraving files (MuseScore) · view |
| view | Complete | parts | Manuscript | — | Complete Parts · view |
| view | Complete | parts | — | — | Flute · view Oboe/Oboe d'amore · view Violins I · view Violins II · view Violas · view Cellos/Basses · view |
| view | Complete | vocal score | Breitkopf und Härtel | — | Complete Score · view |
| view | Chorale: 'Bin ich gleich von dir gewichen' (No.5) | — | — | — | Study Choral Score (Textless) · view |
| view | Aria: 'Erbarme dich!' (No.3) | Arrangement for flute, violin and cello flute, viola and cello flute and 2 cellos 2 violins and cello violin, viola and cello violin and 2 cellos |
Peter Lang | 2013 | Complete Score and Parts · view |
| view | Aria: 'Erbarme dich!' (No.3) | Arrangement for trumpet and organ |
— | — | Complete Score and Trumpet Part · view Engraving files (Finale & XML) · view |
| view | Chorale: 'Bin ich gleich von dir gewichen' (No.5) | Arrangement for mixed chorus and keyboard |
Jürgen Knuth | — | Complete Score · view Keyboard instrument · view Choral Score · view Engraving files (Capella) · view |
Recordings/Performances
| Details | Type | Section | Arranged for | Files | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| view | Synthesized | Synthesized | Aria: 'Erbarme dich!' (No.3) | For Trumpet and Organ (Rondeau) | Synthesized Performance · file |
| view | Synthesized | Synthesized | Chorale: 'Bin ich gleich von dir gewichen' (No.5) | For Mixed Chorus and Keyboard (Knuth) | Synthesized Performance · file |
©2025 David P. Anderson