Nun Komm, Der Heiden Heiland Kantate BWV 61 / Bereitet Die Wege, Bereitet Die Bahn Kantate BWV 132

Released in 1974 on the SDG label, this recording features two of Johann Sebastian Bach's most profound Advent cantatas: BWV 61, Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, and BWV 132, Bereitet die Wege, bereitet die Bahn. These works were originally composed by Bach during his tenure in Weimar, intended to serve the liturgical needs of the church calendar. By the mid-1970s, the performance of these pieces by the Kantorei Barmen-Gemarke under Helmut Kahlhöfer reflected the era's ongoing revival of historically informed, yet spiritually grounded, interpretations of Baroque choral masterworks.

The recording highlights the contributions of soloists Ingeborg Reichelt, Hildegard Rütgers, Theo Altmeyer, and Eduard Wollitz alongside the Deutsche Bachsolisten. The production sought to capture the contemplative and urgent themes inherent in the Advent season, utilizing the clear, academic, and devotional approach characteristic of Kahlhöfer's work with the Barmen-Gemarke ensemble. It remains a representative example of mid-20th-century German Bach scholarship and choral tradition, intended for listeners seeking an earnest, traditional reading of the cantata repertoire.