Missing Johann Sebastian Bach Pieces Performed for First-Ever Performance in 320 Years
Previously unknown musical pieces by the musical genius Bach have been unveiled and executed in Germany for the initial occasion in three hundred twenty years.
Germany's Cultural Affairs Minister the cultural official called the unearthing of the pair of works a "important event for the global music scene".
They originally drew interest of a musical scholar in 1992 when he was documenting historical musical documents at the Brussels archive.
The organ pieces - the Chaconne in D minor and Chaconne in G minor - were without dates and without attribution. The scholar spent the next 30 years working to confirm the authorship of the pieces.
Historic Performance
They were presented at the historic Leipzig church in Leipzig, where Bach is interred and where he served as a cantor for 27 years.
The pair of works were performed by organist from the Netherlands the musical performer, who said he was honored to be able to perform them for the premiere in three hundred twenty years.
He said the works were "exceptionally well-crafted" and would be "a valuable resource for contemporary organ players, as they are also suitable for smaller organs".
Cultural Relevance
They are considered to have been composed at the beginning of Bach's professional life, when he was employed as an music instructor in the community of the Thuringian town in the German region.
The researcher, who is now the leader of the Bach Archive in Leipzig, said they exhibited several qualities unique to the musical genius.
"Musically, the compositions also feature elements 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 written down in 1705 by a student of Bach, Salomon Günther John.
At a unveiling of the compositions, Mr Wollny said he was "virtually certain that the composer had written the two pieces" and they have now been incorporated into the official catalogue of his musical output.
- European Culture
- German Heritage
- Classical compositions
- Performance Arts