Lost Johann Sebastian Bach Pieces Presented for First-Ever Performance in Three Centuries

Newly discovered musical pieces by the musical genius Bach have been revealed and executed in Germany for the initial occasion in 320 years.

The country's Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer described the finding of the two compositions a "great moment for the world of music".

They first caught the attention of a musical scholar in 1992 when he was cataloguing Bach manuscripts at the Brussels archive.

The organ works - the D minor Chaconne and G minor composition - were dating unknown and without attribution. The scholar spent the next 30 years working to authenticate the authorship of the pieces.

Landmark Presentation

They were presented at the Thomas Church in the German city, where the composer is laid to rest and where he served as a church musician for twenty-seven years.

The pair of works were executed by organist from the Netherlands Ton Koopman, who said he was privileged to be able to play them for the initial performance in over three centuries.

He said the works were "of a very high quality" and would be "a valuable resource for modern musicians, as they are also suitable for smaller organs".

Historical Significance

They are considered to have been created early in Bach's career, when he was serving as an organ instructor in the town of Arnstadt in central Germany.

Mr Wollny, who is now the leader of the musical archive in Leipzig, said they displayed several features distinctive to the artist.

"Stylistically, the works also contain characteristics that can be observed in Bach's works from that era, but not in those of any other composer," he said.

They are believed to have been written down in 1705 by a student of Bach, the historical figure.

At a unveiling of the pieces, Mr Wollny said he was "99.99% sure that the composer had written the two pieces" and they have now been incorporated into the official catalogue of his compositions.