🔗 Share this article

Newly discovered organ works by Johann Sebastian Bach have been unveiled and performed in the central European country for the initial occasion in 320 years.

Germany's Cultural Affairs Minister the government representative called the finding of the two compositions a "significant occasion for the musical community".

They originally drew interest of a Bach researcher in 1992 when he was organizing Bach manuscripts at the Brussels archive.

The organ pieces - the Chaconne in D minor and G minor composition - were without dates and unsigned. The researcher spent the next 30 years working to authenticate the authorship of the pieces.

Landmark Presentation

They were played at the Thomas Church in Leipzig, where the composer is buried and where he was employed as a church musician for 27 years.

The two pieces were played by Dutch organist Ton Koopman, who said he was privileged to be able to perform them for the initial performance in over three centuries.

He said the works were "of a very high quality" and would be "an important addition for contemporary organ players, as they are also appropriate for reduced-scale organs".

Historical Significance

They are thought to have been created during Bach's formative years, when he was working as an organ instructor in the community of the Thuringian town in the German region.

The researcher, who is now the leader of the musical archive in the city, said they demonstrated several qualities unique to the composer.

"Musically, the works also include aspects that can be found in Bach's compositions from this period, but not in those of different artists," he said.

They are thought to have been transcribed in 1705 by a student of Bach, the historical figure.

At a unveiling of the pieces, the researcher said he was "virtually certain that the composer had created the two compositions" and they have now been included into the recognized inventory of his musical output.