Blind since his teenage years, he is known for his recordings of the complete organ works of Johann Sebastian Bach, entirely played by memory.

He lectured on organ music and composition (illustrated by his own playing) at the Hoch Conservatory and the Frankfurt Musikhochschule.

Walcha taught many significant American organists of the twentieth century who travelled to Germany (some of them as Fulbright scholars): these include Robert Anderson, David Boe, Margaret Leupold Dickinson, Melvin Dickinson, Delbert Disselhorst, Betty Louise Lumby, Paul Jordan, David Mulbury, Fenner Douglass, Jane Douglass, Ray P. Ferguson, Grigg and Helen Fountain, Barbara Harbach, Charles Krigbaum, J. Reilly Lewis, George Ritchie, Margaret Vardell Sandresky, and Russell Saunders - all of whom became major teachers and performers after their studies abroad.

The original mono cycle was Archiv's first release and included an improvisation by Walcha at the Organ of St. Peter and Paul in Cappel, built by Arp Schnitger in 1680; Walcha also used the Stellwagen Organ in St Jacob Church in Lübeck (built in 1636–37 by Friederich Stellwagen by extending the previous ca.

Helmut Walcha has also recorded most of Bach's harpsichord works (the English and French Suites, the Goldberg Variations, Partitas, the Italian Concerto, 15 Inventions and 15 Sinfonias, the Well-Tempered Clavier) for EMI.

Firstly, a selection performed by Renate Meierjürgen; and then, the full 88 chorale preludes, by Wolfgang Rübsam and Delbert Disselhorst.

4 & 7, as well as his organ transcriptions of Bach's "Ricercare a 6 voci" from the Musical Offering and the complete transcription for organ of the Art of Fugue (including the final fugue completed by Walcha), have been published by Schott Music and Edition Peters.