Es steh Gott auf

The cantata Es steh Gott auf is intended for Easter. The editor was able to identify a poem by Christian Weise (1642–1708), which has received little attention to date, as the source text. Kuhnau was in close contact with Weise in Zittau, so the cantata could have been written in direct chronological connection with the printing of the original text in 1682. However, the earliest date of performance noted on the title page of the cantata is only 1703 in Grimma, thus already in his time as Thomaskantor (from 1701). On the other hand, no further church music contributions are documented from this early period of his tenure, and such a large gap to the origin of the text seems unlikely.

The cantata is well suited for use in church services because of its short length and not-too-large instrumentation. Through the transmission in the form of a set of parts, the participation of ripieno singers, which can be taken over by a choir, is also proven.