Missing Johann Sebastian Bach Pieces Played for First Time in Three Centuries
Newly discovered organ works by Johann Sebastian Bach have been unveiled and executed in the European nation for the premiere performance in three hundred twenty years.
Germany's Culture Minister the government representative called the unearthing of the two compositions a "important event for the musical community".
They originally drew interest of a musical scholar in the early nineties when he was cataloguing historical musical documents at the Belgian royal collection.
The organ pieces - the Chaconne composition in D minor and G minor composition - were undated and anonymous. Mr Wollny spent the following three decades working to verify the authorship of the pieces.
Memorable Concert
They were performed at the historic Leipzig church in the eastern German municipality, where the composer is buried and where he was employed as a church musician for 27 years.
The pair of works were played by Dutch organist the musical performer, who said he was privileged to be able to play them for the premiere in over three centuries.
He said the pieces were "of a very high quality" and would be "a great asset for organists today, as they are also appropriate for more compact instruments".
Cultural Relevance
They are believed to have been created early in Bach's career, when he was employed as an organ instructor in the town of the Thuringian town in the German region.
The researcher, who is now the head of the Bach Archive in the municipality, said they displayed several features distinctive to the artist.
"In terms of style, the compositions also contain characteristics that can be observed in Bach's compositions from this period, but not in those of other musicians," he said.
They are considered to have been recorded in the early eighteenth century by a student of Bach, the musical student.
At a unveiling of the works, Mr Wollny said he was "almost completely confident that Bach had written the two compositions" and they have now been added into the recognized inventory of his musical output.
- European Culture
- Germany
- Classical compositions
- Musical Arts