🔗 Share this article

Previously unknown musical pieces by the renowned composer Bach have been revealed and performed in the European nation for the premiere performance in 320 years.

The nation's Cultural Affairs Minister the government representative labeled the finding of the two pieces a "great moment for the musical community".

They initially attracted notice of a musical scholar in 1992 when he was documenting historical musical documents at the Royal Library of Belgium.

The musical compositions - the Chaconne in D minor and G minor composition - were undated and unsigned. The researcher spent the next 30 years working to confirm the authorship of the pieces.

Historic Performance

They were played at the St Thomas Church in the German city, where Bach is interred and where he worked as a church musician for over two decades.

The compositions were performed by Dutch organist the musical performer, who said he was privileged to be able to perform them for the first time in 320 years.

He said the compositions were "exceptionally well-crafted" and would be "an important addition for modern musicians, as they are also well-suited for smaller organs".

Musical Importance

They are considered to have been composed during Bach's formative years, when he was serving as an music instructor in the town of the Thuringian town in central Germany.

The scholar, who is now the head of the Bach research center in Leipzig, said they exhibited several characteristics unique to the musical genius.

"Musically, the pieces also feature characteristics that can be found in Bach's compositions from that time, but not in those of other musicians," he said.

They are thought to have been written down in 1705 by one of Bach's pupils, the musical student.

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