Gottfried August Homilius, a later contemporary of J.S. Bach, wrote some very fine choral works, including passions, cantatas, and motets, and he was justly praised in his lifetime and immediately after, cited by one observer as “our greatest church composer”.
Yes, he really did know what he was doing as music director of Dresden’s Kreuzschule and Kreuzskirche, and most of the works that have been made available to listeners through recordings and concerts are worthy of attention; but in comparison, they are neither on the level of Bach nor his other contemporary, Handel. Instead, this expertly crafted work–an oratorio intended for a Good Friday performance in 1776 (which has no connection to Handel’s similarly titled yet then increasingly popular masterpiece)–nevertheless holds our attention despite being devoid of the catchy Handelian tunes or the more deeply introspective, melodically rich Bach creations in his passion oratorios.
This Messiah–set to a non-biblical libretto whose authorship is unknown–begins with a chorale, then a chorus, followed by a series of recits and arias, then more choruses, recits, and arias. The style seems all over the place, with more staid, formal utterances followed by flowing, free-spirited, romantic, operatic expressions. Reverentially Bach-like movements–the exqusitely memorable duet Ach, welch ein unnennbarer Schmerz; the lovely aria Herr jener selgen Ewigkeiten–are interspersed with something more akin to Haydn (the aria Gott, Schöpfer der Menschen). It doesn’t really matter–the music is consistenly delightful, something you can put on and just sit back and enjoy. The singing, by both chorus and the cadre of soloists, is first rate and the orchestra is a solid and always vibrant accompaniment. A smart, and essential, addition to the catalog.