Die Bach Kantate BWV 19 Es Erhub Sich Ein Streit / BWV 191 Gloria In Excelsis Deo

Released in 1971 by the Munich-based label Claudius, this recording captures a performance by the Bach-Ensemble under the direction of Helmuth Rilling. The release reflects the mid-century surge in historically informed performance movements, which sought to strip away the heavy romanticized textures of earlier Bach interpretations in favor of clarity, precision, and liturgical context. By pairing BWV 19, a dramatic cantata written for the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels, with the festive BWV 191, the album serves as a focused study of Bach's use of brass and choral power in his sacred works.

Helmuth Rilling, a renowned Bach scholar and conductor, established the Bach-Ensemble with a specific vision for accessibility and technical rigor. His approach during this era was characterized by a balance between academic musicology and the emotive resonance of the Baroque spirit. The Claudius pressing was produced during a period when Rilling was heavily involved in the monumental task of recording the complete Bach cantatas, a project that would eventually solidify his reputation as one of the most prolific interpreters of the composer's vast vocal catalog.