Long-Forgotten Bach Compositions Presented for First Time in Three Centuries
Recently identified organ compositions by the musical genius Bach have been revealed and played in the central European country for the premiere performance in three hundred twenty years.
Germany's Cultural Affairs Minister the government representative labeled the discovery of the pair of works a "great moment for the world of music".
They originally drew interest of a Bach researcher in 1992 when he was cataloguing Bach manuscripts at the Brussels archive.
The organ pieces - the D minor Chaconne and G minor composition - were without dates and without attribution. The scholar spent the following three decades working to confirm the origin of the pieces.
Memorable Concert
They were played at the St Thomas Church in the German city, where the composer is laid to rest and where he was employed as a church musician for 27 years.
The compositions were played by Dutch organist the renowned organist, who said he was proud to be able to play them for the initial performance in 320 years.
He said the pieces were "of a very high quality" and would be "an important addition for contemporary organ players, as they are also well-suited for smaller organs".
Cultural Relevance
They are considered to have been created at the beginning of Bach's professional life, when he was serving as an organ teacher in the community of the Thuringian town in central Germany.
The researcher, who is now the head of the Bach Archive in Leipzig, said they displayed several features distinctive to the artist.
"In terms of style, the works also feature elements that can be found in Bach's compositions from that era, but not in those of other musicians," he said.
They are thought to have been written down in 1705 by Bach's apprentice, the historical figure.
At a presentation of the works, the researcher said he was "virtually certain that the composer had written the pair of works" and they have now been added into the recognized inventory of his works.
- European Arts
- German Heritage
- Classical compositions
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