Lost Johann Sebastian Bach Compositions Performed for First-Ever Performance in Three Centuries
Recently identified musical pieces by the musical genius Bach have been unveiled and performed in the European nation for the first time in three hundred twenty years.
The country's Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer called the discovery of the two compositions a "great moment for the global music scene".
They initially attracted notice of a Bach researcher in 1992 when he was documenting the composer's papers at the Belgian royal collection.
The organ works - the Chaconne in D minor and G minor Chaconne - were dating unknown and anonymous. The researcher spent the following three decades working to verify the origin of the pieces.
Memorable Concert
They were presented at the historic Leipzig church in the eastern German municipality, where Bach is buried and where he served as a music director for over two decades.
The pair of works were executed by Dutch organist the renowned organist, who said he was honored to be able to play them for the first time in three hundred twenty years.
He said the works were "remarkably sophisticated" and would be "a great asset for contemporary organ players, as they are also suitable for reduced-scale organs".
Historical Significance
They are thought to have been created at the beginning of Bach's professional life, when he was employed as an organ teacher in the community of the Thuringian town in the German region.
The scholar, who is now the leader of the Bach Archive in Leipzig, said they exhibited several features particular to the musical genius.
"Musically, the pieces also include aspects that can be found in the composer's creations from that era, but not in those of other musicians," he said.
They are considered to have been written down in 1705 by a student of Bach, Salomon Günther John.
At a unveiling of the compositions, Mr Wollny said he was "almost completely confident that Bach had created the two pieces" and they have now been incorporated into the recognized inventory of his works.
- European Culture
- German Heritage
- Classical music
- Music