Lost Bach Pieces Played for First Time in 320 Years
Recently identified organ compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach have been revealed and performed in the European nation for the premiere performance in over three centuries.
The nation's Minister of Culture the cultural official called the unearthing of the two pieces a "important event for the global music scene".
They originally drew interest of a musical scholar in 1992 when he was organizing historical musical documents at the Brussels archive.
The organ pieces - the Chaconne composition in D minor and Chaconne in G minor - were dating unknown and unsigned. The scholar spent the following three decades working to authenticate the authorship of the pieces.
Memorable Concert
They were presented at the St Thomas Church in the eastern German municipality, where the composer is interred and where he served as a cantor for twenty-seven years.
The compositions were executed by Dutch organist the musical performer, who said he was honored to be able to present them for the initial performance in three hundred twenty years.
He said the works were "of a very high quality" and would be "a valuable resource for modern musicians, as they are also appropriate for smaller organs".
Cultural Relevance
They are considered to have been created at the beginning of Bach's professional life, when he was working as an music instructor in the community of the Thuringian town in Thuringia.
The scholar, who is now the director of the Bach Archive in the city, said they demonstrated several features unique to the composer.
"In terms of style, the pieces also contain elements that can be identified in Bach's works from that time, but not in those of different artists," he said.
They are considered to have been transcribed in 1705 by Bach's apprentice, the historical figure.
At a presentation of the pieces, Mr Wollny said he was "virtually certain that Bach had composed the two pieces" and they have now been included into the official catalogue of his compositions.
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