Gottfried August Homilius

Baroque German Composer and Organist

Gottfried August Homilius (1714–1785) was a German composer, organist, and choirmaster who is considered one of the most important church composers of the generation following Johann Sebastian Bach, whose works he studied. Homilius was born in Rosenthal, Saxony, and later studied in Leipzig where he became a student of Bach. After completing his studies, he worked as an organist at the Frauenkirche in Dresden. In 1755, he was appointed as the cantor at the Kreuzkirche and music director for the city's three main churches, a position that solidified his influence in the musical life of Dresden.