Wer nur den lieben Gott lässt walten

aus
32 Praeludia zu geistlichen Liedern vor zwei Claviere und Pedal
HoWV VIII.3

Homilies studied at the University of Leipzig from 1735 and was musically trained by J. S. Bach and the organist J. Schneider. In 1742 he took up his first position as organist at Dresden's Frauenkirche until he became cantor at the Kreuzschule there in 1755 and music director of the three main churches (Kreuzkirche, Frauenkirche and Sophienkirche). - In the second half of the 18th century, Homilius was regarded as one of the most important, sometimes even the greatest church composer of his time. His life and work were entirely in the service of his ecclesiastical ministry. His extensive musical legacy includes several volumes of church cantatas, passions, motets, Magnificat compositions and chorale arrangements for the organ. His style is characterised by elements of Empfindsamkeit. The ‘touching edification’ of the believer was at the centre of his efforts. Although the homophonic style predominates in his compositions, as a pupil of Bach he was very familiar with the contrapuntal-polyphonic style, as his motets and other fugal movements prove. He also devoted his attention to the cultivation of hymnody. A fundamental appraisal of his entire oeuvre and his position as a master of the transitional period is still pending. He earned lasting merit as a teacher. His renowned pupils included J. A. Hiller, J. F. Reichardt and D. G. Türk.