Two «new» works by Bach

Last November, the media announced the (re-)premiere of two chaconnes as a «world sensation», which musicologist Peter Wollny now attributes to the young Johann Sebastian Bach after years of research and which have therefore also been given two BWV numbers.

Bach pupil Salomon Günther John

This edition, published by Breitkopf & Härtel as a supplement to the 4th volume of the latest complete edition of the organ works, is impeccable as usual. The preface describes the meticulous, almost «detective-like» search for traces of the two works. By means of complicated script comparisons, an anonymous manuscript kept in Brussels could be traced back to the cantor, teacher and organist Salomon Günther John, born in 1695, who indicated in a job application in 1727 that he had «initially attended lessons with the former organist in Arnstadt» (without giving his name). As it can be assumed from another copy of a work by John (BWV 951) that was certainly written by Bach that he was indeed Bach's pupil during his time in Arnstadt (1703-07), it is also possible to assume Bach's authorship of the two anonymous chaconnes in the Brussels manuscript. (NB: These had previously been attributed to another composer, J. C. Graff, under whose name they were even occasionally performed).

Style features

Wollny further underpins his theory with stylistic comparisons with other early works by Bach, the characteristics of which the Swiss organist Jean-Claude Zehnder described in his seminal work, published as part of the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis Scripta published by Schwabe in 2009. In addition, certain figurations are reminiscent of Bach's organ passacaglia BWV 582, which, like BWV 1178, is then continued in a fugue.

Fascinating evidence

As was to be expected, the «premiere» triggered further discussions about Bach's authorship. Without being able to go into the various arguments for and against here: The two works, which can also be easily realized on smaller organs, show a composer who has a solid craft, knows how to write with virtuosic joy of playing and occasionally (if not always) lets a personal signature and «genius» traits shine through. If this really is the (18 to 22-year-old) Bach, then a further stage in his development as a composer has been opened up here. In any case, the path to this attribution is fascinating!

Johann Sebastian Bach: Two chaconnes BWV 1178 and 1179, (Complete Organ Works, Supplement to Volume 4), edited by Peter Wollny, EB 9648, € 16.90, Breitkopf & Härtel, Wiesbaden