Two previously unknown organ compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach have been performed publicly in Germany for the first time in 320 years, marking a major milestone in classical music history. Germany’s Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer described the discovery as a “great moment for the world of music.” Musicologist Peter Wollny first encountered the manuscripts in 1992 while cataloguing Bach materials at the Royal Library of Belgium and spent three decades authenticating them.
The two works, Chaconne in D minor (BWV 1178) and Chaconne in G minor (BWV 1179), were unveiled at Leipzig’s St Thomas Church—Bach’s workplace for 27 years and his final resting place. They were performed by Dutch organist Ton Koopman, who said he was honoured to debut the long-lost compositions, praising their high quality and suitability even for smaller organs.
Researchers believe Bach composed the pieces early in his career while working in Arnstadt, with one of his pupils, Salomon Günther John, likely having written them down in 1705. Wollny, now director of the Bach Archive, said he is “99.99% sure” of their authenticity, noting stylistic features that are unmistakably Bach. The works have since been added to the official catalogue of his compositions.
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