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Recently identified organ works by Johann Sebastian Bach have been presented and performed in Germany for the first time in over three centuries.

Germany's Cultural Affairs Minister Wolfram Weimer described the unearthing of the pair of works a "great moment for the musical community".

They initially attracted notice of a musical scholar in 1992 when he was cataloguing historical musical documents at the Belgian royal collection.

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

Landmark Presentation

They were played at the Thomas Church in Leipzig, where the composer is buried and where he worked as a music director for 27 years.

The pair of works were executed by Dutch musician the musical performer, who said he was privileged to be able to play them for the initial performance in 320 years.

He said the pieces were "remarkably sophisticated" and would be "a valuable resource for modern musicians, as they are also appropriate for smaller organs".

Historical Significance

They are believed to have been written early in Bach's career, when he was serving as an organ teacher in the town of the German town in Thuringia.

Mr Wollny, who is now the head of the musical archive in the city, said they displayed several characteristics distinctive to the musical genius.

"In terms of style, the pieces also feature characteristics that can be observed in the composer's creations from that era, but not in those of other musicians," he said.

They are thought to have been transcribed in the early eighteenth century by one of Bach's pupils, the musical student.

At a unveiling of the works, the researcher said he was "virtually certain that the composer had created the two compositions" and they have now been incorporated into the official catalogue of his musical output.