The Ink that Bach used

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  • čas přidán 22. 05. 2024
  • How to recognize the different types of ink Bach used.
    00:00 Summary of topics treated in this video
    00:36 BWV 816 Allemande French Suite 5 - Bach using a weary quill
    www.bach-digital.de/rsc/viewe...
    02:51 BWV 41 Violincello piccolo - Recutting a quill
    www.bach-digital.de/rsc/viewe...
    04:29 Klavierbüchlein für Anna Magdalena Bachin - How to date a score
    www.bach-digital.de/receive/B...
    05:12 Das Wohltemperirte Clavier 1 - Watermark
    www.bach-digital.de/receive/B...
    05:12 BWV 816 Student copies
    Heinrich Nicolaus Gerber www.bach-digital.de/receive/B...
    Johann Caspar Vogler www.bach-digital.de/receive/B...
    06:39 BWV 123 Liebster Immanuel, Herzog der Frommen - Quill
    www.bach-digital.de/receive/B...
    BWV 124 Meinen Jesum lass ich nicht - mingling different types of ink
    www.bach-digital.de/receive/B...
    07:54 BWV 816 Gigue - foodstain
    www.bach-digital.de/rsc/viewe...
    08:15 BWV 906 Fantasia - Hair of Bach & resolution of scans
    www.bach-digital.de/receive/B...
    08:33 BWV 48 Ich elender Mensch, wer wird mich erlösen - Fly
    www.bach-digital.de/rsc/viewe...
    09:06 How the notebooks were used
    09:31 BWV 836 Allemande Klavierbüchlein für Wilhelm Friedemann Bach
    Due to the concordance with a source attributed to the Bolognese composer Sandoni, the attribution to a member of the Bach family now seems very unlikely.
    10:26 BWV 1132 Contrapuntal studies
    www.bach-digital.de/receive/B...
    11:33 Second notebook Anna Magdalena Bach
    www.bach-digital.de/receive/B...
    BWV 82 Aria Schlummert ein, ihr matten Augen
    www.bach-digital.de/rsc/viewe...
    12:24 BWV 812 Allemande - Calligraphy of Anna Magdalena
    www.bach-digital.de/rsc/viewe...
    15:01 BWV 991 Air - sketch
    www.bach-digital.de/rsc/viewe...
    17:22 BWV 103 Ihr werdet weinen und heulen - ghosting notes by sweeping
    www.bach-digital.de/rsc/viewe...
    17:39 BWV 1001 Prelude Cello suite 5 - correction of notes
    www.bach-digital.de/rsc/viewe...
    18:00 BWV 1121 Fantasia - Organ Tablature
    www.bach-digital.de/rsc/viewe...
    19:30 Red vermillion ink
    BWV 244 St Matthew Passion - use of red ink
    www.bach-digital.de/rsc/viewe...
    20:32 Brown and black ink
    BWV 846 Fugue - use of brown and black ink
    www.bach-digital.de/rsc/viewe...
    BWV 163 Nur jedem das Seine - revision in black
    www.bach-digital.de/rsc/viewe...
    21:14 Confettifying of scores
    21:28 Ink corrosion
    21:35 Chiffon silk
    BWV 68 Also hat Gott die Welt geliebt - Soprano part
    www.bach-digital.de/rsc/viewe...
    21:46 BWV 846 Prelude - paper splitting
    www.bach-digital.de/rsc/viewe...
    22:03 BWV 47 Violino obligata - carbon ink
    www.bach-digital.de/rsc/viewe...
    22:22 BWV 232 Hohe Messe - iron gall ink
    www.bach-digital.de/receive/B...
    22:56 BWV 66 Erfreut euch, ihr Herzen - individualty of notes
    www.bach-digital.de/rsc/viewe...
    23:28 Calligraphy in commission
  • Hudba

Komentáře • 129

  • @fleurafricaine5740
    @fleurafricaine5740 Před 11 dny +80

    I’ve never seen a close examination of Bach’s manuscripts before. I sympathize with his scarcity of materials we take for granted.

    • @joostwitte5546
      @joostwitte5546  Před 10 dny +6

      I would personally like to see videos of a skilled calligrapher and hear what can actually be found in the Bach manuscripts and how they were made.

  • @Nekog1rl
    @Nekog1rl Před 14 dny +39

    You tell such wonderful stories through your paleographical analysis of Bach's scores. Thank you for breathing new life into these often battered pages!

    • @joostwitte5546
      @joostwitte5546  Před 13 dny +10

      I love the word paleographic, I didn't know that word existed. I looked it up and found some great literature about the scientific boundaries and caution that should be involved. A good lesson not to be too certain about what can be seen. Thanks for your words!

  • @timothyhoft
    @timothyhoft Před 10 dny +22

    I attended a lecture by Robert Levin once. In the lecture, Levin spoke of how he studied the color of ink in Mozart's scores. From this, he was able to deduce that Mozart wrote three piano concertos at the same time.

    • @joostwitte5546
      @joostwitte5546  Před 9 dny +7

      Nice, I will search for those scores and see if I can find that. I once attended a Levin concert, his improvisations in classical style based on themes from the audience made a crushing impression on me.

    • @timothyhoft
      @timothyhoft Před 9 dny

      @@joostwitte5546 Me too. He's incredible.

  • @StyzeSoulmaker
    @StyzeSoulmaker Před 11 dny +22

    It's an amazing insight that bach composes the top voice first, at least in some cases. He might not have been as figured bass oriented as we think. The foundation sometimes is the melody

    • @joostwitte5546
      @joostwitte5546  Před 10 dny +5

      Yes, it is very interesting to see the sequence and a difficult task to understand it properly. My assessment is that the subject already contains a lot of potential when it comes to its effect and that Bach quickly picked out the most special ones to twist.

    • @Raptormonkey
      @Raptormonkey Před 3 dny

      We have absolutely no idea how he composed. That is my take after a bachelors and 2 masters degrees in Music

  • @TheStockwell
    @TheStockwell Před 10 dny +8

    This is extraordinary. My house is full of Bach's music - who's house isn't? I am also an Artist/illustrator and have recently begun making my own ink.
    So, when a video about the ink Bach used appears . . . ! This was a wonderful way to begin my day. ❤️
    Best wishes from Vermont 🍁

  • @Bach6032
    @Bach6032 Před 13 dny +7

    What a wonderfully interesting/educational video, providing yet another level of enjoyment of the works of the great master. Thank you for sharing this with us.

  • @CalebePriester
    @CalebePriester Před 6 dny +3

    This is so cool. I love to copy scores. It relaxes me.

  • @nightspore4850
    @nightspore4850 Před 12 dny +3

    This is the second of these programs I have watched. Both were fascinating. It is seriously valuable work and I am glad the decision was made to share it. You actually get a sense of Bach’s physical presence. Superb.

    • @joostwitte5546
      @joostwitte5546  Před 11 dny +1

      Thank you, yes, making the same gestures is like restoring a library of movements, a tactile theatrical sensation that goes beyond strictly scientific observations.

  • @Renshen1957
    @Renshen1957 Před 7 dny +2

    The dotted note of a higher value such as a dotted 1/8th followed by a 16th was understood from French harpsichord music to be played as a prolonged double dotted 1/8th or longer and the 1/16th note shortened. The instance of the 16th note instead of 1/8 not cited was understood as having a preceding 1/16 note rest.
    I might point other 17th-18th century performance practices, short hand as to writing an ornament in a motive which in reoccurring occurrence also understood to be played, or adding a trill in an ending cadence although not written was obligatory in performance.

  • @Korzhovkomposer
    @Korzhovkomposer Před 5 dny +2

    Спасибо) Очень интересно, я много всего узнал.

  • @NicoTallac
    @NicoTallac Před 7 dny +1

    Absolutely amazing, beautiful master piece work, thank you for your effort!

  • @JN-so6wt
    @JN-so6wt Před 2 dny

    this makes me feel a lot better about the quality and condition of my writing and written compositions! 😆

  • @MusicaAngela
    @MusicaAngela Před 8 dny +1

    This is fascinating! Thank you so much for sharing!

  • @rossmcintosh2683
    @rossmcintosh2683 Před 10 dny

    Absolutely interesting! Please keep these coming.

    • @joostwitte5546
      @joostwitte5546  Před 9 dny

      Next video will be about a short aria, I am looking forward to finish that video.

  • @melissaraven3164
    @melissaraven3164 Před 11 dny +1

    the brief excerpts really enhance this wonderful video, thanks

    • @joostwitte5546
      @joostwitte5546  Před 10 dny +1

      Your encouragement has helped me tremendously, and I can see it working.

  • @Contrapunctus1750
    @Contrapunctus1750 Před 13 dny

    Another brilliant video! Thank you for making these.

  • @danielwaitzman2118
    @danielwaitzman2118 Před 7 dny +1

    What a wonderful presentation!

  • @aldoingermany
    @aldoingermany Před 9 dny

    This was absolutely fascinating! Thank you for sharing your amazing research and analysis.❤

  • @asynchronicity
    @asynchronicity Před 10 dny

    Uniquely fascinating. Thanks!

  • @melindayin2705
    @melindayin2705 Před 11 dny +1

    i learned Bachs sonata no. 1 for solo violin in high school, and then 20 yrs later, i wrote out the score based on the autograph manuscript. it revealed so much in the score I didnt appreciate in the engraved version. takes time but highly recommend the exercise! your video takes this to another dimension

    • @joostwitte5546
      @joostwitte5546  Před 10 dny

      Yes, it is a wonderful experience that you can learn so much from just literally copying!

  • @amusicment4829
    @amusicment4829 Před 11 dny

    Wonderful! Fascinating and fun, thank you!

  • @JumpingCow
    @JumpingCow Před 13 dny

    Fascinating! Thank you.

  • @davidstolarz542
    @davidstolarz542 Před 5 dny

    Well done! Loved watching this.

  • @albertsystem1
    @albertsystem1 Před 8 dny

    Nice job with these videos. Well done!

  • @SorenxD123
    @SorenxD123 Před 13 dny

    Very interesting! Thanks for the video!

  • @josefbuckland
    @josefbuckland Před 7 dny

    WOW. Just simply WOW!

  • @MrDanilop45
    @MrDanilop45 Před 7 dny

    An amazing work, thank you for sharing it. I am studying classical harmony so I am really happy in looking how it was done.

  • @jeanpierrecarabas5508
    @jeanpierrecarabas5508 Před 13 dny

    ganz fantastische Arbeit - vielen DANK!!

  • @Renshen1957
    @Renshen1957 Před 7 dny +1

    About 11 preludes from the W F Bach Note-booklet were revised and used in the WTC PT 1, revised and lengthened, some fugues composed earlier…

  • @nazlimilany679
    @nazlimilany679 Před 9 dny

    Such a wonderful video! Prachtig! Thanks for sharing.

    • @joostwitte5546
      @joostwitte5546  Před 9 dny +1

      Dank je wel Nazli - je bent een geweldig steun en toeverlaat in dit - ons - project!

    • @nazlimilany679
      @nazlimilany679 Před 9 dny

      Graag gedaan Joost! Ik ben echt trots op je.

  • @aldolopez9564
    @aldolopez9564 Před 5 dny

    What a wonderful video. I have started ink calligraphy as a hobbie and this gives le even more respect for Bach's music. Imagine living in that time and not being allowed to make a single mistake. You could, but corrections will be a high price to pay.

    • @joostwitte5546
      @joostwitte5546  Před 5 dny

      I hope that the videos are an inspiration to continue working with calligraphy yourself. Errors are indeed an issue, in one of the upcoming videos about a fugue I will go into it in more detail.

  • @squishyrrr
    @squishyrrr Před 14 dny +1

    what a wonderful video thanks a lot much love from vienna

    • @joostwitte5546
      @joostwitte5546  Před 13 dny

      Thank you for the appreciation, warm greetings from Harlingen

  • @cantavanda
    @cantavanda Před 6 dny

    what a masterful video... Dank U voor Uw onderzoek.

  • @prototropo
    @prototropo Před 8 dny

    At 10:27 we are gifted with sound, and look, of civilization.
    This video serves the most compelling insights I've ever encountered into--
    * Bach's compositional habits,
    * the brilliance of music notation as a universal language distinct from music as a universal,
    * the astonishing production, and productivity, of labor-intensive Western polyphonic music,
    * 18th-century work ethics amongst skilled intellectual workers of Central Europe,
    * education theory in the Enlightenment,
    * semiotics and
    * ink & feather quill as a beloved, pre digital medium.
    Much as the sound of music is geometric in that the waveforms of its pitch classes are quite predictable and physical ratios-- 2/1 for octaves, 3/2 fifth, etc.--notation can be seen as algebraic ciphers, since an entire set of notes can be transposed, or transferred and reapplied, from one tonal class to 23 others, in Western major/ minor, 12-key tuning, temperament, transposition and tonality sensibilities.
    The most endearing facet of Bach's notation for me has always been the quirky wavy-ness of his hemi-, demi- & semi-quavers. They can fairly be regarded as lyrical, literal and analog, as much as symbolic abstractions, as our lexicon of music also suggests, because:
    * music is itself literally undulatory (from Latin "unda," wave) produced by variable sound-waves striking
    * the "tympani" (also from Latin, for drum; in modern anatomy--ear drums) of
    * the ears ("pinna," the outer ear, derives from Latin for feather!) and
    * transformed into pulses of electrical potential to the brain's temporal lobes (from Latin "tempus" for time--half the essential definition of music as "sound through time").
    Thus does music wash across an undulating ocean to the distant shores of a shared evolutionary universe in our common cranial concert hall.

    • @joostwitte5546
      @joostwitte5546  Před 7 dny +1

      Wow! I've read this a few times, what a grand review, thank you so much!

  • @Legendoftherock
    @Legendoftherock Před 9 dny

    Enjoyed this!

  • @oxoelfoxo
    @oxoelfoxo Před 12 dny +3

    seems easier to write notation with a quill than a ballpen or a pencil. if not easier then definitely prettier

    • @joostwitte5546
      @joostwitte5546  Před 11 dny +1

      Quills are awesome!

    • @Tmanaz480
      @Tmanaz480 Před 9 dny

      Nowadays, a medium italic nib on a fountain pen works well, but can't duplicate the flexibility we see here.

  • @chrismoser3481
    @chrismoser3481 Před 8 dny

    Very very interesting

  • @carlmagnussen7773
    @carlmagnussen7773 Před 14 dny

    Thank you!!!

  • @SenicoOcines
    @SenicoOcines Před 14 dny +1

    I watched all the calligraphy videos in this channel. Its a unique channel. Can u make a video someday in how u make your tools?

    • @joostwitte5546
      @joostwitte5546  Před 13 dny

      Hi Lucas, that's a good idea, I will show the feather collecting and processing in one of the next videos.

  • @DonutSurprise
    @DonutSurprise Před 6 dny

    How interesting!

    • @joostwitte5546
      @joostwitte5546  Před 5 dny

      Thanks, yes I find it an interesting topic myself.

  • @thepostapocalyptictrio4762

    Someone should tell Rick Beato about this. This research on this channel is insightful and deep.

    • @joostwitte5546
      @joostwitte5546  Před 8 dny

      Is he also interested in classical music? Sorry I don't know Rick Beato, he seems like a great teacher and storyteller.

    • @RobinsMusic
      @RobinsMusic Před 7 dny

      @@joostwitte5546he’s interested in every type of music he’s already made videos about Bach and other baroque music

  • @ruhigul492
    @ruhigul492 Před 13 dny

    thank you so much!

  • @zoroken2946
    @zoroken2946 Před 8 dny

    Really glad I stumbled upon this channel, matter of fact I recently bought a quill and ink when I was in Venice - speaking of Venice, is there any chance of examining manuscripts by other composers, like Bach’s contemporary Antonio Vivaldi?

    • @joostwitte5546
      @joostwitte5546  Před 8 dny

      I did a big project calligraphing all the manuscripts with music by Michelangelo Galilei - this was a firm base for my educating. For the time being I will mainly focus on Bach. Good luck trying out the quill and ink!

  • @Renshen1957
    @Renshen1957 Před 7 dny +1

    J S Bach made his own ink…which is “eating” through the paper…in time the manuscripts will decompose…Also note the word “ClavesBin”, modern Clavecin. the French word for Harpsichord, later J S Bach used the Italian term “Cembalo” for Harpsichord.

  • @Gustavo-ok7jw
    @Gustavo-ok7jw Před 5 dny

    I'm glad I found your channel, it's so interesting. I have a question though: which are the evidence that Bach didn't compose in front of a keyboard? I'm confident that's the case, but I'd like to know what leads to this assumption.

    • @joostwitte5546
      @joostwitte5546  Před 5 dny +1

      Hello Gustavo, the primary source for information about Bach is the Bach Reader in which all relevant historical sources are included. The forums on the bach-cantatas website offer a generous diversity of interpretations of these sources. Emmanuel is an important source when it comes to composition methods. Of course, compositions have also emerged from improvisation.

    • @BrunoNeureiter
      @BrunoNeureiter Před 3 dny +1

      He wrote in a letter that only a fool would write music sitting on the piano instead of in silence. Haha

  • @Koekjes32434234
    @Koekjes32434234 Před 7 dny

    Done! I have watched all these videos now, very good! Can I ask a question that came to mind? Do you happen to know if there is a nice instance of the B-A-C-H motive in his own handwriting?

    • @joostwitte5546
      @joostwitte5546  Před 6 dny +1

      Thanks for watching all the videos - I'll do that sometime to see what I've actually said. In the next video there is a small digression on the name motif, and it will also be a topic in a video about etching technique.

  • @brandynamite3022
    @brandynamite3022 Před 11 dny +2

    Just imagine what Bach could have done if he had a ballpoint pen

    • @joostwitte5546
      @joostwitte5546  Před 10 dny +1

      Good point!

    • @topsecret1837
      @topsecret1837 Před 10 dny

      @@joostwitte5546
      Well written.

    • @TheStockwell
      @TheStockwell Před 9 dny +2

      A fountain pen would've been preferable. It requires very little pressure to write and can hold a lot of ink. So can a ballpoint pen, but the pressure needed to force the thick, gummy ink onto the paper is why ballpoint pens give a person writer's cramp.
      A quill, nib, or fountain pen is much, much easier on the hand.
      Best wishes from Vermont 🍁

  • @CalebePriester
    @CalebePriester Před 6 dny

    7:45 lol I can completely relate

  • @Vextrove
    @Vextrove Před 5 dny +2

    Which books did Bach buy?

    • @joostwitte5546
      @joostwitte5546  Před 5 dny

      Ante Calvinismus, Christen Schule & AntiMelancholicus by August Pfeiffer

  • @giovannafabiano2921
    @giovannafabiano2921 Před 9 dny

    If you investigate on the ink Bach used please play harpsichord or organo compositions for musical soundtrack. Bach wrote for harpsichord and organ. Thank you

    • @joostwitte5546
      @joostwitte5546  Před 8 dny

      Good idea, I'll take it into account in future videos. The next one is about an a cappella piece and then one about a violin fugue, so it will take some time before it is realized. I've had bad experiences with misplaced copyright claims and a basic digital piano reduction seems to reduce that risk. A beautiful piano performance is perfectly acceptable in current performance practice and I may also make use of it, not historically correct but artistically enjoyable.

  • @polyvg
    @polyvg Před 3 dny

    Was fungal spore ink not available, and used, at that time? (Such as made from fungi like the inkcaps.) Or was that more of a British technique?

    • @joostwitte5546
      @joostwitte5546  Před 2 dny +1

      This is the first time I've heard of this, how surprising!

  • @topsecret1837
    @topsecret1837 Před 10 dny

    Can you tell what hand he used to write based off of this?
    I’d imagine it’d be the right because the left would smudge the ink more often.

    • @joostwitte5546
      @joostwitte5546  Před 9 dny +1

      Bach scores and all copies by students and family are calligraphed with the right hand. This must have something to do with the writing lesson at school in which right-handedness was prescribed and left-handedness was not accepted.

  • @henrywilcox1000
    @henrywilcox1000 Před 12 dny +1

    No one is brave enough yet, so I have to be the one: The white smudge is.... sssssspppppppppppppppp.......onge cake frosting?

    • @joostwitte5546
      @joostwitte5546  Před 11 dny +1

      I add it to the list:
      1. Powdering a wig
      2. Frosting a cake

  • @radbradmusicartist
    @radbradmusicartist Před 4 dny

    I thought it was a cup of honey mustard or some type of dipping sauce 😂

    • @joostwitte5546
      @joostwitte5546  Před 3 dny

      I add it to the list:
      1. Powdering a wig
      2. Frosting a cake
      3. A cup of honey mustard
      4. Some type of dipping sauce

  • @video_camera
    @video_camera Před 5 dny

    Really interesting video, although being as well researched as it is, I expected more historical accuracy by using harpsichord versions of the pieces you put. :/

    • @joostwitte5546
      @joostwitte5546  Před 5 dny +2

      Yes, you are right. I'll try to do something about that. It's quite a lot of signs to hold up at once - but I'll keep it in mind.

    • @video_camera
      @video_camera Před 5 dny

      @@joostwitte5546 But hey, that's only a minor inconvenience. The effort you put into sharing this knowledge is incredible. Thanks a lot.

  • @willshaw7304
    @willshaw7304 Před 8 dny

    The achievements attributed to JS Bach can not have been accomplished by anything resembling a human being that we are familiar with. Andras Schiff once commented that if one were merely to write out all of "his" compositions one would not have enough time to do it. "He". was a master composer (beyond our intelliigience), master violinist, master keyboard player, master calligrapher, master organ repairman, Latin teacher, Bible expert, father of 20.... it's a myth. The stories of all these composer giants from centuries past don't comport with reality.

    • @mariapiazza-od8ib
      @mariapiazza-od8ib Před 8 dny

      @willshaw .. Please slow down .. master master master .. not human 😮😮😮 don't you DOUBT for a moment of some EXTRA intervention ??? 😢😢 NOBODY RECOGNIZED BACH while he was living , no success no glory no printed scores (few and very poor) 😢😢 then SUDDENLY THE EXPLOSION OF THE CULT OF BACH one hundred years later ??? .. Patronized by MENDELSSOHN and the German KULTURKAMPF ?? 😮😮 BACH IS A GIFT AND A BLESSING FOR ALL HUMANITY.. but many many things remain to be explained , with fairness and honesty 🌺🌺🌺

    • @joostwitte5546
      @joostwitte5546  Před 7 dny

      The question of how long it will take to write out all his scores has been bothering me for a long time, I hope to be able to say something useful about that one day.

    • @willshaw7304
      @willshaw7304 Před 7 dny

      @@joostwitte5546 It isn't just how long it takes to write the music that inspired my comment. Your work is fascinating and "Bach" is one of my genuine passions. I just don't accept the bio - it's a mystery to me.

  • @lambert801
    @lambert801 Před 8 dny

    Why does Bach's handwriting look so much worse than yours? Hahaha

    • @joostwitte5546
      @joostwitte5546  Před 7 dny

      Yes, it sometimes seems like I have mastered it, but in fact I feel like a beginner and amateur when I see his scores.

  • @fiandrhi
    @fiandrhi Před 9 dny

    I would love to own one of your scores imitative of Bach's hand. Do you sell them?

    • @joostwitte5546
      @joostwitte5546  Před 9 dny +1

      Yes, I make scores in commission! You can contact me by email: the adress is showing at the end of the video (I prefer not to type it here for feeding harvesting spambots).