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Newly discovered organ compositions by the renowned composer Bach have been presented and played in the central European country for the first time in three hundred twenty years.

Germany's Minister of Culture Wolfram Weimer described the unearthing of the two pieces a "significant occasion for the musical community".

They first caught the attention of Peter Wollny in 1992 when he was cataloguing Bach manuscripts at the Royal Library of Belgium.

The organ pieces - the Chaconne composition in D minor and Chaconne in G minor - were without dates and unsigned. The researcher spent the following three decades working to confirm the authorship of the pieces.

Memorable Concert

They were played at the St Thomas Church in the eastern German municipality, where the composer is laid to rest and where he served as a music director for over two decades.

The compositions were performed by Dutch organist Ton Koopman, who said he was privileged to be able to perform them for the premiere in over three centuries.

He said the pieces were "of a very high quality" and would be "a great asset for modern musicians, as they are also appropriate for reduced-scale organs".

Historical Significance

They are thought to have been composed early in Bach's career, when he was working as an organ instructor in the town of the Thuringian town in central Germany.

The researcher, who is now the director of the Bach Archive in the municipality, said they exhibited several features particular to the composer.

"Stylistically, the works also feature characteristics that can be observed in Bach's compositions from that era, but not in those of different artists," he said.

They are believed to have been transcribed in 1705 by Bach's apprentice, the musical student.

At a revealing of the compositions, Mr Wollny said he was "virtually certain that Bach had written the two compositions" and they have now been included into the authoritative listing of his compositions.