🔗 Share this article

Recently identified organ compositions by the musical genius Bach have been presented and played in Germany for the initial occasion in over three centuries.

The country's Cultural Affairs Minister the cultural official described the unearthing of the two pieces a "important event for the musical community".

They initially attracted notice of a musical scholar in 1992 when he was cataloguing the composer's papers at the Belgian royal collection.

The organ pieces - the Chaconne in D minor and G minor Chaconne - were undated and without attribution. The scholar spent the subsequent thirty years working to confirm the authorship of the pieces.

Historic Performance

They were played at the St Thomas Church in Leipzig, where Bach is buried and where he was employed as a music director for 27 years.

The compositions were played by Dutch organist the musical performer, who said he was honored to be able to present them for the premiere in over three centuries.

He said the pieces were "remarkably sophisticated" and would be "a valuable resource for modern musicians, as they are also appropriate for smaller organs".

Musical Importance

They are believed to have been created early in Bach's career, when he was working as an music instructor in the town of the Thuringian town in central Germany.

The researcher, who is now the director of the Bach Archive in the city, said they exhibited several features unique to the musical genius.

"In terms of style, the works also feature elements that can be found in the composer's creations from this period, but not in those of any other composer," he said.

They are thought to have been transcribed in 1705 by Bach's apprentice, the historical figure.

At a revealing of the works, the researcher said he was "99.99% sure that the composer had created the two compositions" and they have now been incorporated into the recognized inventory of his works.