Lost Johann Sebastian Bach Pieces Presented for First Time in Over Three Centuries

Historical organ composition
The composer is believed to have created the two organ pieces at the start of his musical journey

Newly discovered organ compositions by the renowned composer Bach have been revealed and played in Germany for the initial occasion in three hundred twenty years.

Germany's Culture Minister the cultural official described the finding of the two pieces a "great moment for the world of music".

They first caught the attention of Peter Wollny in 1992 when he was documenting historical musical documents at the Brussels archive.

The musical compositions - the Chaconne composition in D minor and G minor Chaconne - were dating unknown and without attribution. The scholar spent the following three decades working to verify the origin of the pieces.

Memorable Concert

They were performed at the St Thomas Church in Leipzig, where the composer is laid to rest and where he worked as a church musician for over two decades.

The two pieces were executed by Dutch organist Ton Koopman, who said he was privileged to be able to play them for the premiere in 320 years.

He said the compositions were "remarkably sophisticated" and would be "a valuable resource for organists today, as they are also well-suited for reduced-scale organs".

Cultural Relevance

They are thought to have been composed during Bach's formative years, when he was working as an organ teacher in the community of Arnstadt in the German region.

Mr Wollny, who is now the leader of the musical archive in the city, said they demonstrated several features unique to the artist.

"Musically, the pieces also contain characteristics that can be found in the composer's creations from this period, but not in those of any other composer," he said.

They are considered to have been transcribed in the early eighteenth century by a student of Bach, Salomon Günther John.

At a unveiling of the compositions, the researcher said he was "virtually certain that Bach had composed the two compositions" and they have now been added into the authoritative listing of his compositions.

Related Categories:
  • European Arts
  • German Culture
  • Classical music
  • Music
Dawn Ramos
Dawn Ramos

A historian and journalist specializing in European royalty, with over a decade of experience covering royal events and traditions.