Bach's Hand(s).

This article examines the connection between Johann Sebastian Bach's hands and his musical notation. It challenges the traditional view that notation is solely a visual representation of sound and argues for a broader interpretation that considers the physicality embedded in musical notation. The article explores Bach's handwriting and the embodied practice of music-making, emphasizing the role of his hands in his musical activities. It suggests that musical notation should be seen as a somatic script that influences bodily engagement. The text also discusses the relationship between neural processes and hand movements, highlighting the integrated cognitive system formed by the hand and the brain. It emphasizes the importance of considering the physicality and materiality of written documents, rather than focusing solely on their linguistic and semantic meanings. The article also explores the relationship between the physicality of keyboard playing and the abstract nature of Bach's music, highlighting the symbiotic relationship between the body, instrument, and musical gestures in his compositions. It discusses how Bach's musical notation reflects the physical actions of a performer's hands and fingers, capturing the physical gestures and bodily actions involved in playing the music. The text also explores the process of writing music in Bach's time, emphasizing the materiality of the tools used and the physical engagement of the arms and hands. It argues that the notation serves as a tangible representation of the physicality and embodied nature of musical performance. The article delves into the use of beaming and stem notation in Bach's music, particularly in his Well-Tempered Clavier, and how these visual elements [Extracted from the article]