Organist and harpsichordist Friedrich Kircheis was a pioneering figure of the early music movement in the former East Germany. He has remained active as a performer and recording artist well into the 21st century. In 1979, Kircheis performed trumpet-and-organ works with trumpeter Ludwig Güttler; that partnership was still flourishing in the early 2020s. In 1992, they released the album Berühmte Trompetenkonzerte. From the 1970s onward, Kircheis became more closely identified with the burgeoning historical performance movement in East Germany. Kircheis has been heard on many recordings, most of them with the Virtuosi Saxoniae. In 2022, he accompanied Güttler on the Berlin Classics album In allen meinen Taten.