The Ink that Bach used

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
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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
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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
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BWV 124 Meinen Jesum lass ich nicht - mingling different types of ink
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07:54 BWV 816 Gigue - foodstain
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08:15 BWV 906 Fantasia - Hair of Bach & resolution of scans
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08:33 BWV 48 Ich elender Mensch, wer wird mich erlösen - Fly
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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
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11:33 Second notebook Anna Magdalena Bach
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BWV 82 Aria Schlummert ein, ihr matten Augen
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12:24 BWV 812 Allemande - Calligraphy of Anna Magdalena
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15:01 BWV 991 Air - sketch
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17:22 BWV 103 Ihr werdet weinen und heulen - ghosting notes by sweeping
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17:39 BWV 1001 Prelude Cello suite 5 - correction of notes
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18:00 BWV 1121 Fantasia - Organ Tablature
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19:30 Red vermillion ink
BWV 244 St Matthew Passion - use of red ink
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20:32 Brown and black ink
BWV 846 Fugue - use of brown and black ink
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BWV 163 Nur jedem das Seine - revision in black
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21:14 Confettifying of scores
21:28 Ink corrosion
21:35 Chiffon silk
BWV 68 Also hat Gott die Welt geliebt - Soprano part
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21:46 BWV 846 Prelude - paper splitting
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22:03 BWV 47 Violino obligata - carbon ink
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22:22 BWV 232 Hohe Messe - iron gall ink
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22:56 BWV 66 Erfreut euch, ihr Herzen - individualty of notes
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23:28 Calligraphy in commission

[@fleurafricaine5740]

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

[@joostwitte5546]

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.

[@timothyhoft]

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]

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]

@@joostwitte5546 Me too. He's incredible.

[@StyzeSoulmaker]

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]

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]

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

[@aloisbreu6063]

Sehr geehrter Herr Witte, Ihre höchst interessanten Beiträge rund um das Schaffen Bachs sind nicht nur außerordentlich informativ, sondern spannend wie ein Thriller. Ich hoffe, Sie bekommen die verdiente Anerkennung und sage siebenstellige Zugriffszahlen voraus ;) Herzlichen Dank für Ihre überaus wertvolle Arbeit!

[@Nekog1rl]

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]

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!

[@TheStockwell]

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 🍁

[@joostwitte5546]

Well good morning! What a nice reaction.

[@RickGraham]

I've always considered Bach's manuscripts as works of art. Then you hear the incredible music.... .

[@joostwitte5546]

Yes, one of the greatest or the greatest composer and calligrapher of all time!

[@Korzhovkomposer]

Спасибо) Очень интересно, я много всего узнал.

[@joostwitte5546]

Hartelijk dank!

[@Bach6032]

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.

[@joostwitte5546]

That is very motivating to hear!

[@JN-so6wt]

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

[@joostwitte5546]

That's a nice effect!

[@CalebePriester]

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

[@joostwitte5546]

Such a nice thing to do

[@melindayin2705]

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]

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

[@nightspore4850]

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]

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]

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.

[@joostwitte5546]

I keep learning

[@danielwaitzman2118]

What a wonderful presentation!

[@joostwitte5546]

Thanks Daniel, that's great to hear!

[@NicoTallac]

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

[@joostwitte5546]

Thank you for your kind words!

[@melissaraven3164]

the brief excerpts really enhance this wonderful video, thanks

[@joostwitte5546]

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

[@aldolopez9564]

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]

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.

[@rossmcintosh2683]

Absolutely interesting! Please keep these coming.

[@joostwitte5546]

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

[@MusicaAngela]

This is fascinating! Thank you so much for sharing!

[@joostwitte5546]

Thank you, I'm glad you watched.

[@Contrapunctus1750]

Another brilliant video! Thank you for making these.

[@joostwitte5546]

Thank you for the appreciation!

[@Renshen1957]

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…

[@joostwitte5546]

Fascinating

[@aldoingermany]

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

[@joostwitte5546]

Thank you for all the praise!

[@amusicment4829]

Wonderful! Fascinating and fun, thank you!

[@joostwitte5546]

Thanks for viewing!

[@asynchronicity]

Uniquely fascinating. Thanks!

[@joostwitte5546]

Great to hear, thanks for watching!

[@JumpingCow]

Fascinating! Thank you.

[@joostwitte5546]

Thanks for viewing!

[@davidstolarz542]

Well done! Loved watching this.

[@joostwitte5546]

Thank you David, I'm glad you enjoyed it

[@albertsystem1]

Nice job with these videos. Well done!

[@joostwitte5546]

Thank you!

[@SorenxD123]

Very interesting! Thanks for the video!

[@joostwitte5546]

Thanks also!

[@prototropo]

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]

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

[@cantavanda]

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

[@joostwitte5546]

Thanks for your rave rating and watching!

[@oxoelfoxo]

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

[@joostwitte5546]

Quills are awesome!

[@Tmanaz480]

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

[@nazlimilany679]

Such a wonderful video! Prachtig! Thanks for sharing.

[@joostwitte5546]

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

[@nazlimilany679]

Graag gedaan Joost! Ik ben echt trots op je.

[@squishyrrr]

what a wonderful video thanks a lot much love from vienna

[@joostwitte5546]

Thank you for the appreciation, warm greetings from Harlingen

[@MrDanilop45]

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

[@joostwitte5546]

Thanks for your kind words and watching!

[@thepostapocalyptictrio4762]

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

[@joostwitte5546]

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

[@RobinsMusic]

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

[@josefbuckland]

WOW. Just simply WOW!

[@joostwitte5546]

I love being wowed!

[@jeanpierrecarabas5508]

ganz fantastische Arbeit - vielen DANK!!

[@joostwitte5546]

Das ist gut zu hören!

[@Legendoftherock]

Enjoyed this!

[@joostwitte5546]

That makes me glad!

[@chrismoser3481]

Very very interesting

[@joostwitte5546]

Nice to hear!

[@brandynamite3022]

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

[@joostwitte5546]

Good point!

[@topsecret1837]

@@joostwitte5546 Well written.

[@TheStockwell]

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 🍁

[@SenicoOcines]

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]

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

[@Renshen1957]

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.

[@joostwitte5546]

Nice

[@carlmagnussen7773]

Thank you!!!

[@joostwitte5546]

Glad you watched the video!

[@DonutSurprise]

How interesting!

[@joostwitte5546]

Thanks, yes I find it an interesting topic myself.

[@ruhigul492]

thank you so much!

[@joostwitte5546]

It was fun making this video!

[@joostwitte5546]

You are very welcome!

[@zoroken2946]

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]

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!

[@Koekjes32434234]

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]

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.

[@Gustavo-ok7jw]

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]

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]

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

[@CalebePriester]

7:45 lol I can completely relate

[@joostwitte5546]

Me too

[@giovannafabiano2921]

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]

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.

[@Vextrove]

Which books did Bach buy?

[@joostwitte5546]

Ante Calvinismus, Christen Schule & AntiMelancholicus by August Pfeiffer

[@polyvg]

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]

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

[@topsecret1837]

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]

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]

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

[@joostwitte5546]

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

[@peturadunga]

where to get this kind of materials? and how to learn to use them? :/

[@joostwitte5546]

I will make a video about tools and materials and how to start and practice. Thanks for the question!

[@peturadunga]

@joostwitte5546 BTW... the optics in your videos are excellent. Same can not be said about the audio

[@joostwitte5546]

@@peturadunga Yes, I will have to do something about the sound. On my Instagram account @happy.sad.sad.happy.bach you can find videos with real musicians playing from my scores.

[@video_camera]

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]

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]

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

[@radbradmusicartist]

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

[@joostwitte5546]

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

[@willshaw7304]

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]

@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]

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]

@@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]

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

[@joostwitte5546]

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]

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

[@joostwitte5546]

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).