Missing Johann Sebastian Bach Pieces Presented for First Time in Over Three Centuries
Previously unknown organ works by the renowned composer Bach have been revealed and executed in the European nation for the premiere performance in three hundred twenty years.
Germany's Minister of Culture the government representative described the discovery of the two pieces a "important event for the global music scene".
They initially attracted notice of a Bach researcher in the early nineties when he was organizing the composer's papers at the Royal Library of Belgium.
The musical compositions - the D minor Chaconne and G minor composition - were dating unknown and unsigned. The researcher spent the following three decades working to confirm the authorship of the pieces.
Historic Performance
They were presented at the historic Leipzig church in Leipzig, where the composer is laid to rest and where he was employed as a cantor for twenty-seven years.
The two pieces 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 compositions were "of a very high quality" and would be "a great asset for organists today, as they are also appropriate for smaller organs".
Cultural Relevance
They are thought to have been written at the beginning of Bach's professional life, when he was serving as an music instructor in the community of the German town in central Germany.
Mr Wollny, who is now the director of the musical archive in the municipality, said they demonstrated several characteristics unique to the composer.
"Stylistically, the pieces also contain aspects that can be identified in the composer's creations from that era, but not in those of any other composer," he said.
They are thought to have been transcribed in 1705 by one of Bach's pupils, the historical figure.
At a revealing of the compositions, Mr Wollny said he was "almost completely confident that Bach had created the pair of works" and they have now been added into the recognized inventory of his works.
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