Missing Johann Sebastian Bach Works Presented for First-Ever Performance in 320 Years
Recently identified organ works by Johann Sebastian Bach have been unveiled and executed in the central European country for the initial occasion in 320 years.
The country's Cultural Affairs Minister the cultural official labeled the unearthing of the pair of works a "great moment for the musical community".
They first caught the attention of a Bach researcher in the early nineties when he was cataloguing Bach manuscripts at the Royal Library of Belgium.
The musical compositions - the D minor Chaconne and G minor composition - were dating unknown and without attribution. The scholar spent the following three decades working to verify the identity of the pieces.
Landmark Presentation
They were presented at the historic Leipzig church in the eastern German municipality, where the composer is laid to rest and where he served as a cantor for 27 years.
The compositions were performed by organist from the Netherlands Ton Koopman, who said he was privileged to be able to present them for the first time in over three centuries.
He said the compositions were "exceptionally well-crafted" and would be "a great asset for modern musicians, as they are also well-suited for smaller organs".
Musical Importance
They are believed to have been created at the beginning of Bach's professional life, when he was working as an music instructor in the community of Arnstadt in central Germany.
Mr Wollny, who is now the leader of the musical archive in the city, said they exhibited several qualities unique to the artist.
"Musically, the works also contain aspects that can be identified in the composer's creations from that time, but not in those of any other composer," he said.
They are believed to have been transcribed in 1705 by one of Bach's pupils, the musical student.
At a revealing of the works, the researcher said he was "99.99% sure that the composer had created the two pieces" and they have now been incorporated into the authoritative listing of his musical output.
- European Culture
- German Culture
- Classical music
- Music