Missing Bach Compositions Performed for First Time in Over Three Centuries
Recently identified musical pieces by the renowned composer Bach have been unveiled and executed in Germany for the initial occasion in three hundred twenty years.
Germany's Minister of Culture the cultural official called the finding of the pair of works a "great moment for the musical community".
They first caught the attention of Peter Wollny in 1992 when he was cataloguing historical musical documents at the Belgian royal collection.
The organ works - the Chaconne in D minor and Chaconne in G minor - were without dates and unsigned. Mr Wollny spent the subsequent thirty years working to authenticate the identity of the pieces.
Historic Performance
They were played at the historic Leipzig church in Leipzig, where Bach is laid to rest and where he worked as a cantor for over two decades.
The two pieces were performed by Dutch organist the renowned organist, who said he was honored to be able to play them for the initial performance in three hundred twenty years.
He said the pieces were "remarkably sophisticated" and would be "a valuable resource for contemporary organ players, as they are also well-suited for smaller organs".
Musical Importance
They are considered to have been composed early in Bach's career, when he was employed as an organ instructor in the community of the German town in the German region.
Mr Wollny, who is now the director of the Bach Archive in the municipality, said they demonstrated several characteristics particular to the musical genius.
"Musically, the pieces also include characteristics that can be observed in Bach's compositions from that era, but not in those of any other composer," he said.
They are considered to have been recorded in 1705 by Bach's apprentice, the historical figure.
At a unveiling of the works, Mr Wollny said he was "99.99% sure that the composer had composed the two pieces" and they have now been added into the official catalogue of his compositions.
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