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Newly discovered organ compositions by the musical genius Bach have been revealed and played in Germany for the premiere performance in over three centuries.

The nation's Minister of Culture the government representative labeled the discovery of the two compositions a "significant occasion for the global music scene".

They initially attracted notice of Peter Wollny in 1992 when he was organizing the composer's papers at the Royal Library of Belgium.

The organ works - the Chaconne in D minor and G minor composition - were undated and without attribution. The scholar spent the following three decades working to authenticate the authorship of the pieces.

Historic Performance

They were performed 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 twenty-seven years.

The compositions were executed by Dutch organist Ton Koopman, who said he was proud to be able to play them for the first time in over three centuries.

He said the compositions were "exceptionally well-crafted" and would be "an important addition for modern musicians, as they are also suitable for reduced-scale organs".

Musical Importance

They are believed to have been written during Bach's formative years, when he was employed as an music instructor in the municipality of the German town in central Germany.

Mr Wollny, who is now the head of the Bach Archive in the municipality, said they exhibited several characteristics distinctive to the artist.

"Stylistically, the works also feature aspects that can be identified in Bach's works from that time, but not in those of other musicians," he said.

They are thought to have been written down in the early eighteenth century by Bach's apprentice, the musical student.

At a presentation of the pieces, Mr Wollny said he was "virtually certain that Bach had created the two pieces" and they have now been added into the official catalogue of his compositions.