Lost Bach Compositions Presented for First-Ever Performance in Over Three Centuries

Recently identified musical pieces by the renowned composer Bach have been presented and played in Germany for the premiere performance in 320 years.

The country's Cultural Affairs Minister the government representative described the finding of the two compositions a "important event for the world of music".

They first caught the attention of a musical scholar in 1992 when he was documenting historical musical documents at the Brussels archive.

The organ works - the Chaconne in D minor and G minor composition - were undated and anonymous. Mr Wollny spent the next 30 years working to verify the identity of the pieces.

Memorable Concert

They were played at the Thomas Church in the eastern German municipality, where the composer is buried and where he was employed as a cantor for over two decades.

The two pieces were performed by Dutch musician the musical performer, who said he was proud to be able to perform them for the premiere in over three centuries.

He said the compositions were "exceptionally well-crafted" and would be "a great asset for modern musicians, as they are also well-suited for reduced-scale organs".

Musical Importance

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

The researcher, who is now the director of the musical archive in the municipality, said they exhibited several characteristics particular to the artist.

"Musically, the works also contain elements that can be found in Bach's works from that era, but not in those of other musicians," he said.

They are believed to have been transcribed in the early eighteenth century by one of Bach's pupils, Salomon Günther John.

At a presentation of the compositions, the researcher said he was "almost completely confident that Bach had created the pair of works" and they have now been included into the authoritative listing of his musical output.