The Gächinger Kantorei was formed in 1954 in the Stuttgart suburb of Gächingen. Kantorei is a common German name for a choir, especially one focusing on sacred music. The Kantorei was formed by conductor Helmuth Rilling, a key German early music conductor whose career extended to both choral and orchestral music in the second half of the 20th century.
At first, the Kantorei performed mostly music of the 16th and 17th centuries, and then, after Rilling formed the associated Bach-Collegium Stuttgart orchestra, music of the 18th century. The choir's reputation soon extended beyo...