Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her

Wilhelm Rust (1822-1892) was a German musicologist and composer.

Born in Dessau, Rust studied piano and organ with his uncle Wilhelm Karl Rust, and later under Friedrich Schneider (1843–1846). He went to Berlin in 1849, where he taught and joined the Singakademie in 1850. He joined the Leipzig Bach-Verein in 1850, and played in numerous concerts. He became conductor of the Berlin Bach-Verein from 1862 to 1874. In 1870, he became teacher of theory and composition at the Stern Conservatory. In 1878 he moved to Leipzig, where he became a teacher at the Leipzig Conservatory and organist at the Thomaskirche. In 1880 he succeeded Ernst Richter as Cantor of the Thomasschule zu Leipzig and director of the Thomanerchor.

Rust is most noted today for his substantial contributions to the Bach Gesellschaft edition of the works of Johann Sebastian Bach. He became its main editor starting with volume 5.
[Description based on en.wikipedia]

This choral prelude (Pastorale) is available on imslp.org.