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Previously unknown musical pieces by the musical genius Bach have been revealed and played in the central European country for the first time in over three centuries.

The country's Minister of Culture the cultural official called the discovery of the pair of works a "great moment for the musical community".

They first caught the attention of Peter Wollny in 1992 when he was cataloguing historical musical documents at the Royal Library of Belgium.

The musical compositions - the Chaconne composition in D minor and G minor composition - were dating unknown and unsigned. Mr Wollny spent the following three decades working to authenticate the identity of the pieces.

Historic Performance

They were performed at the Thomas Church in the German city, where Bach is laid to rest and where he worked as a church musician for twenty-seven years.

The compositions were performed by Dutch organist the renowned organist, who said he was proud to be able to play them for the initial performance in over three centuries.

He said the pieces were "exceptionally well-crafted" and would be "a valuable resource for contemporary organ players, as they are also suitable for smaller organs".

Cultural Relevance

They are believed to have been composed at the beginning of Bach's professional life, when he was serving as an organ instructor in the town of Arnstadt in central Germany.

Mr Wollny, who is now the leader of the Bach Archive in the municipality, said they displayed several characteristics particular to the composer.

"Musically, the compositions also feature elements that can be identified in Bach's compositions from that era, but not in those of different artists," he said.

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

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