Long-Forgotten Johann Sebastian Bach Pieces Performed for First Time in 320 Years
Previously unknown organ compositions by the renowned composer Bach have been presented and executed in the European nation for the initial occasion in over three centuries.
The country's Cultural Affairs Minister the cultural official described the unearthing of the two compositions a "significant occasion for the global music scene".
They first caught the attention of a musical scholar in the early nineties when he was documenting historical musical documents at the Royal Library of Belgium.
The organ pieces - the Chaconne in D minor and Chaconne in G minor - were without dates and without attribution. Mr Wollny spent the subsequent thirty years working to confirm the authorship of the pieces.
Memorable Concert
They were presented at the Thomas Church in the eastern German municipality, where the composer is laid to rest and where he served as a cantor for twenty-seven years.
The pair of works were executed by Dutch organist the renowned organist, who said he was honored to be able to present them for the first time in over three centuries.
He said the pieces were "of a very high quality" and would be "an important addition for modern musicians, as they are also appropriate for reduced-scale organs".
Cultural Relevance
They are thought to have been composed at the beginning of Bach's professional life, when he was serving as an music instructor in the municipality of the German town in central Germany.
Mr Wollny, who is now the leader of the Bach Archive in Leipzig, said they demonstrated several characteristics unique to the composer.
"In terms of style, the pieces also contain characteristics that can be found in Bach's works from that time, but not in those of different artists," he said.
They are thought to have been transcribed in 1705 by a student of Bach, Salomon Günther John.
At a presentation of the compositions, Mr Wollny said he was "almost completely confident that the composer had written the two compositions" and they have now been incorporated into the authoritative listing of his works.
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