Thinking about the Olympic Games, I wonder if someone is trying to break any World Record regarding the playing time of this cantata. I wonder if they see themselves also participating in the race. If that is the case, I am afraid to think what the next record might be. Anyway, IMHO in this cantata slower is better. The subject of this cantata is LOVE - to your God, to your neighbour and to yourself.
LOVE is the connecting thread of the whole cantata.
And such strong feeling, with all its variants and richness, should be expressed convincingly and with dignity, not as if it is something you want to get rid of as faster as you can and move on to other activities. I expressed above what I do think about the singing of Helen Donath. Although her voice is pleasant, her expression is vague. The detailed description of the opening Chorus by Ludwig Finscher above clarifies the complexity of this movement. All the components come to forth in Rilling's recording.