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Previously unknown organ compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach have been revealed and performed in the central European country for the initial occasion in 320 years.

The nation's Cultural Affairs Minister the cultural official described the unearthing of the two compositions a "significant occasion for the musical community".

They initially attracted notice of Peter Wollny in 1992 when he was cataloguing the composer's papers at the Brussels archive.

The musical compositions - the D minor Chaconne and G minor composition - were dating unknown and anonymous. The scholar spent the next 30 years working to authenticate the origin of the pieces.

Landmark Presentation

They were presented at the Thomas Church in Leipzig, where Bach is laid to rest and where he was employed as a cantor for 27 years.

The compositions were performed by Dutch musician the musical performer, who said he was proud to be able to play them for the first time in over three centuries.

He said the pieces were "remarkably sophisticated" and would be "an important addition for organists today, as they are also suitable for smaller organs".

Historical Significance

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

The scholar, who is now the head of the Bach Archive in the municipality, said they demonstrated several features particular to the composer.

"Musically, the pieces also include aspects that can be observed in the composer's creations from that era, but not in those of any other composer," he said.

They are thought to have been recorded in 1705 by a student of Bach, the musical student.

At a presentation of the pieces, the expert said he was "99.99% sure that the composer had created the two compositions" and they have now been included into the official catalogue of his musical output.