Das Leiden Jesu von seinen Freunden

Christoph Graupner composed the Passion cantata Das Leiden Jesu von seinen Freunden (The suffering of Jesus from his friends), GWV 1122/41, in Darmstadt in 1741, for Oculi Sunday.

Lichtenberg wrote three cycles of Passion cantatas for Darmstadt, the first in 1718, based on seven penitential psalms traditionally associated with the Sundays of Lent, the last in 1743 dealing with sayings of Jesus on the cross, and the second in 1741.

He called it Betrachtungen über die Hauptumstände des großen Versöhnungsleidens unseres Erlösers (Reflections on the Circumstances Surrounding the Propitiatory Passion of Our Saviour).

[3] Graupner structured the composition in seven movements, beginning with a dictum based on the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, then alternating recitatives and arias, and a closing chorale fantasia:[2] He scored it for four vocal parts (soprano, alto, tenor and bass), two violins, viola and continuo.

[3] An accompagnato for the alto, a call to remain loyal to Jesus, is followed by a setting of the fifth stanza of the 1646 hymn "Wenn meine Sünd' mich kränken" by Justus Gesenius[3][5] as a chorale fantasia with the cantus firmus in the bass, and complex counterpoint rich in dissonances for the text beginning: "Lord, let Thy woes, Thy patience, my heart with strength inspire to vanquish all temptations and spurn all base desire.