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Previously unknown organ compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach have been presented and executed in the European nation for the initial occasion in 320 years.

The country's Cultural Affairs Minister Wolfram Weimer called the unearthing of the two pieces a "significant occasion for the musical community".

They originally drew interest of Peter Wollny in 1992 when he was documenting Bach manuscripts at the Royal Library of Belgium.

The organ pieces - the Chaconne in D minor and G minor Chaconne - were undated and without attribution. The scholar spent the subsequent thirty years working to verify the origin of the pieces.

Historic Performance

They were performed at the Thomas Church in Leipzig, where the composer is buried and where he served as a cantor for 27 years.

The two pieces were executed by Dutch organist Ton Koopman, who said he was proud to be able to play them for the premiere in three hundred twenty years.

He said the compositions were "exceptionally well-crafted" and would be "a valuable resource for contemporary organ players, as they are also suitable for reduced-scale organs".

Cultural Relevance

They are thought to have been created during Bach's formative years, when he was serving as an organ teacher in the municipality of Arnstadt in central Germany.

The researcher, who is now the director of the musical archive in Leipzig, said they displayed several characteristics particular to the musical genius.

"Musically, the compositions 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 believed to have been transcribed in 1705 by a student of Bach, the musical student.

At a unveiling of the works, the researcher said he was "virtually certain that Bach had written the pair of works" and they have now been included into the recognized inventory of his musical output.