The Gächinger Kantorei was founded by Helmuth Rilling in 1953. After mastering the entire a cappella repertoire available at the time, the choir turned towards oratorios of every period. It has played a considerable part in the rediscovery and representation of the Romantic choral repertoire, especially works by Brahms and Mendelssohn. It is notable for its role in performing the first and hitherto only complete cycle of all J. S. Bach’s church cantatas and in giving the first performance of the Requiem of Reconciliation in 1995 in Stuttgart. The choir has won many recording prizes and has received critical acclaim for its CD, radio and television recordings as well as for its concerts throughout Europe, Asia and the Americas. Named after the village in the Swabian mountains where it was founded, the Gächinger Kantorei is a synonym for excellence in choral singing throughout the world. Today the choir is a flexible body of trained singers, who are brought together as required to suit the demands and scoring of the season’s programme.