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Previously unknown organ works by the musical genius Bach have been revealed and played in the central European country for the first time in 320 years.

The nation's Culture Minister the government representative described the finding of the pair of works a "great moment for the world of music".

They initially attracted notice of a Bach researcher in the early nineties when he was documenting Bach manuscripts at the Belgian royal collection.

The organ works - the Chaconne in D minor and G minor Chaconne - were without dates and anonymous. The scholar spent the subsequent thirty years working to authenticate the authorship of the pieces.

Landmark Presentation

They were performed at the St Thomas Church in the eastern German municipality, where Bach is laid to rest and where he was employed as a music director for 27 years.

The compositions were executed by Dutch musician Ton Koopman, who said he was privileged to be able to present them for the premiere in 320 years.

He said the compositions were "remarkably sophisticated" and would be "a valuable resource for modern musicians, as they are also suitable for reduced-scale organs".

Historical Significance

They are thought to have been composed during Bach's formative years, when he was serving as an organ instructor in the community of the Thuringian town in central Germany.

The scholar, who is now the director of the Bach research center in the city, said they demonstrated several features distinctive to the artist.

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

They are believed to have been recorded in 1705 by one of Bach's pupils, the historical figure.

At a unveiling of the pieces, the expert said he was "virtually certain that the composer had created the pair of works" and they have now been added into the recognized inventory of his compositions.