🔗 Share this article

Previously unknown organ compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach have been unveiled and performed in Germany for the initial occasion in three hundred twenty years.

Germany's Minister of Culture Wolfram Weimer labeled the discovery of the two compositions a "great moment for the global music scene".

They originally drew interest of a musical scholar in 1992 when he was organizing historical musical documents at the Belgian royal collection.

The organ works - the Chaconne composition in D minor and G minor Chaconne - were dating unknown and unsigned. The scholar spent the following three decades working to confirm the origin of the pieces.

Historic Performance

They were performed at the Thomas Church in the German city, where Bach is buried and where he worked as a church musician for 27 years.

The compositions were executed by organist from the Netherlands the renowned organist, who said he was privileged to be able to play them for the premiere in 320 years.

He said the works were "exceptionally well-crafted" and would be "a great asset for contemporary organ players, as they are also appropriate for more compact instruments".

Cultural Relevance

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

The researcher, who is now the leader of the musical archive in Leipzig, said they demonstrated several features distinctive to the artist.

"In terms of style, the pieces also include elements that can be identified in Bach's compositions from that time, but not in those of any other composer," he said.

They are considered to have been transcribed in 1705 by one of Bach's pupils, the musical student.

At a presentation of the pieces, Mr Wollny said he was "99.99% sure that Bach had created the two compositions" and they have now been included into the recognized inventory of his works.