Ich bin ein guter Hirt, BWV 85 (Bach, Johann Sebastian)
| Title | Ich bin ein guter Hirt |
| Alternative title | I am a good Shepherd |
| Creators | Johann Sebastian Bach, composer Cornelius Becker, librettist Ernst Christoph Homburg, librettist |
| Opus | BWV 85 |
| Instrumentation | soprano, alto, tenor, bass, mixed chorus and orchestra |
| Number of movements | 6 |
| Keys | C minor |
| Composed | 1725 |
| First published | 1872 |
| Dedication | — |
| Tempo markings | — |
| Metronome markings | — |
| Time signatures | — |
| Average duration (sec) | 1200 |
| Number of measures | — |
| Composition types | Sacred cantatas |
| Language | German |
| Period | Baroque |
 |
View |
| Code |  |
Sections
| Title click for details |
Metronome | Key | Measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aria (bass): Ich bin ein guter Hirt | — | C minor | — |
| Aria (alto): Jesus ist ein guter Hirt | — | G minor | — |
| Choral (soprano): Der Herr ist mein getreuer Hirt | — | B flat major | — |
| Recitativo (tenor): Wenn die Mietlinge schlafen | — | E flat major | — |
| Aria (tenor): Seht, was die Liebe tut | — | E flat major | — |
| Chorale: Ist Gott mein Schutz und treuer Hirt | — | C minor | — |
Arrangements
| Details | Section | Arranged for | Arranger |
|---|---|---|---|
| View | Aria: 'Ich bin ein guter Hirt' (No.1) | 3 violins, 2 violas and cello 3 violins, viola and 2 cellos 2 violins, 3 violas and cello 2 violins, 2 violas and 2 cellos oboe, 2 violins, 2 violas and cello oboe, 2 violins, viola and 2 cellos oboe, violin, 3 violas and cello oboe, violin, 2 violas and 2 cellos |
Peter Lang |
| View | Aria: 'Ich bin ein guter Hirt' (No.1) | 2 violins, 2 violas and cello 2 violins, viola and 2 cellos |
Peter Lang Russ Bartoli |
| View | Aria: 'Jesus ist ein guter Hirt' (No.2) | 2 violins and cello violin, viola and cello violin and 2 cellos 2 violas and cello viola and 2 cellos 3 cellos |
Peter Lang |
| View | Choral: 'Der Herr ist mein getreuer Hirt' (No.3) | 3 violins and cello 2 violins, viola and cello 2 violins and 2 cellos oboe, 2 violins and cello oboe, violin, viola and cello oboe, violin and 2 cellos 2 oboes, violin and cello 2 oboes, viola and cello 2 oboes and 2 cellos |
Peter Lang |
| View | Choral: 'Der Herr ist mein getreuer Hirt' (No.3) | trumpet and organ | Michel Rondeau |
| View | Aria: 'Seht, was die Liebe tut' (No.5) | tenor, violin and keyboard tenor, viola and keyboard |
Eusebius Mandyczewski |
| View | Aria: 'Seht, was die Liebe tut' (No.5) | violin, viola and cello violin and 2 cellos 2 violas and cello viola and 2 cellos |
Peter Lang |
| View | Aria: 'Seht, was die Liebe tut' (No.5) | organ | Ronald IJmker |
Scores
| Details | Section | Type | Publisher | Date | File (click to view) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View | Complete | — | — | — | Complete Score |
| View | Complete | — | — | — | Complete Score |
| View | Complete | — | — | — | Complete Score |
| View | Complete | — | Ramon Casadesus-Masanell | 2021 | 1. Aria: 'Ich bin ein guter Hirt' 2. Aria: 'Jesus ist ein guter Hirt' 3. Choral: 'Der Herr ist mein getreuer Hirt' 4. Recitativo: 'Wenn die Mietlinge schlafen' 5. Aria: 'Seht, was die Liebe tut' 6. Chorale: 'Ist Gott mein Schutz und treuer Hirt' Engraving files (MuseScore) |
| View | Complete | parts | — | — | Oboe 1, 2 Violins I Violins II Violas Cellos/Basses |
| View | Complete | vocal score | Breitkopf und Härtel | — | Complete Score |
| View | Chorale: 'Ist Gott mein Schutz und treuer Hirt' (No.6) | — | — | — | Study Choral Score (Textless) |
| View | Chorale: 'Ist Gott mein Schutz und treuer Hirt' (No.6) | — | — | — | Study Choral Score (Textless) |
| View | Aria: 'Ich bin ein guter Hirt' (No.1) | Arrangement for 3 violins, 2 violas and cello 3 violins, viola and 2 cellos 2 violins, 3 violas and cello 2 violins, 2 violas and 2 cellos oboe, 2 violins, 2 violas and cello oboe, 2 violins, viola and 2 cellos oboe, violin, 3 violas and cello oboe, violin, 2 violas and 2 cellos |
Peter Lang | 2015 | Complete Score and Parts |
| View | Aria: 'Ich bin ein guter Hirt' (No.1) | Arrangement for 2 violins, 2 violas and cello 2 violins, viola and 2 cellos Russ Bartoli |
Peter Lang | 2016 | Complete Score and Parts |
| View | Aria: 'Jesus ist ein guter Hirt' (No.2) | Arrangement for 2 violins and cello violin, viola and cello violin and 2 cellos 2 violas and cello viola and 2 cellos 3 cellos |
Peter Lang | 2013 | Complete Score and Parts |
| View | Choral: 'Der Herr ist mein getreuer Hirt' (No.3) | Arrangement for 3 violins and cello 2 violins, viola and cello 2 violins and 2 cellos oboe, 2 violins and cello oboe, violin, viola and cello oboe, violin and 2 cellos 2 oboes, violin and cello 2 oboes, viola and cello 2 oboes and 2 cellos |
Peter Lang | 2015 | Complete Score and Parts |
| View | Choral: 'Der Herr ist mein getreuer Hirt' (No.3) | Arrangement for trumpet and organ |
— | — | Complete Score and Trumpet Part Engraving files (Finale & XML) |
| View | Aria: 'Seht, was die Liebe tut' (No.5) | Arrangement for tenor, violin and keyboard tenor, viola and keyboard |
Breitkopf und Härtel | — | Viola |
| View | Aria: 'Seht, was die Liebe tut' (No.5) | Arrangement for violin, viola and cello violin and 2 cellos 2 violas and cello viola and 2 cellos |
Peter Lang | 2013 | Complete Score and Parts |
| View | Aria: 'Seht, was die Liebe tut' (No.5) | Arrangement for organ |
Ronald IJmker | 2017 | Complete Score |
Recordings/Performances
| Details | Type | Section | Arranged for | Files (click to listen) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| View | Synthesized | Chorus: 'Der Herr ist mein getreuer Hirt' (No.3) | For Trumpet and Organ (Rondeau) | Synthesized Performance |
©2026 CMI