Centuries-Old Bach Compositions Hearkened in Historic Leipzig Church
In a momentous event for the classical music world, two long-lost organ pieces by the legendary composer Johann Sebastian Bach have resounded through St Thomas Church in Leipzig for the first time in approximately three centuries. The performance, which took place on Monday, marks the culmination of a decades-long authentication process that has finally confirmed the teenage Bach as their creator.
The Discovery and The Decades-Long Authentication
Researchers first uncovered the two anonymous and undated works, now catalogued as Chaconne in D minor BWV 1178 and Chaconne in G minor BWV 1179, back in 1992 within the Royal Library of Belgium. However, their true authorship remained a mystery for years. Peter Wollny, the Director of the Bach Archive in Leipzig, dedicated over thirty years to the investigation, amassing what he described as about twenty separate 'puzzle pieces' pointing conclusively to Bach.
The critical breakthrough came when Wollny's co-researcher, Bernd Koska, identified a crucial link. He discovered a letter from 1729 with distinctive handwriting that matched the score. The writer was an obscure organist named Salomon Günther John, who claimed to have been a pupil of Bach in Arnstadt. The final piece of evidence emerged when the team located an earlier court document penned by John, which confirmed the handwriting match and placed the copying of the score under Bach's supervision in 1705.
A 'World Sensation' and a Musical Legacy Restored
At the official presentation, a visibly moved Peter Wollny stated, "I searched for a long time for the missing piece of the puzzle to identify the compositions – now the whole picture is clear. I am 99.99% certain that Bach composed both of these works." He praised the pieces as "highly individual" and "complex," noting the use of sophisticated compositional tools like a fugue, which were unique to Bach's music at that time.
The event was attended by notable figures including Wolfram Weimer, Germany's Federal Minister for Culture and Media, and Burkhard Jung, the Mayor of Leipzig. Minister Weimer hailed the discovery as a "great moment for the world of music" and "magic." The honour of performing the chaconnes fell to renowned Dutch organist Ton Koopman, who expressed his belief that these works would now enter the regular repertoire of musicians, challenging the notion that genius only manifests later in life.
