🔗 Share this article

Recently identified organ works by the musical genius Bach have been revealed and played in the central European country for the initial occasion in 320 years.

Germany's Minister of Culture Wolfram Weimer described the finding of the pair of works a "great moment for the musical community".

They first caught the attention of Peter Wollny in the early nineties when he was documenting the composer's papers at the Royal Library of Belgium.

The musical compositions - the Chaconne in D minor and G minor Chaconne - were without dates and without attribution. Mr Wollny spent the subsequent thirty years working to confirm the identity of the pieces.

Historic Performance

They were performed at the Thomas Church in the eastern German municipality, where Bach is laid to rest and where he was employed as a church musician for twenty-seven years.

The pair of works were performed by Dutch organist the renowned organist, who said he was honored to be able to perform them for the initial performance in 320 years.

He said the pieces were "of a very high quality" and would be "an important addition for modern musicians, as they are also well-suited for more compact instruments".

Historical Significance

They are considered to have been written early in Bach's career, when he was working as an organ teacher in the municipality of Arnstadt in central Germany.

Mr Wollny, who is now the head of the Bach research center in Leipzig, said they exhibited several qualities unique to the composer.

"In terms of style, the compositions also feature characteristics that can be identified in Bach's works from that era, but not in those of different artists," he said.

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

At a revealing of the pieces, Mr Wollny said he was "virtually certain that the composer had created the two compositions" and they have now been incorporated into the official catalogue of his musical output.