Systems Musical cryptogram

1 systems

1.1 syllables solmization names
1.2 letters note names

1.2.1 german
1.2.2 french


1.3 20th century
1.4 cicada 3301
1.5 others

systems
syllables solmization names

it believed method first used josquin des prez in missa hercules dux ferrarie. named soggetto cavato later theorist zarlino. under scheme vowel sounds in text matched vowel sounds of solmization syllables of guido of arezzo (where ut root, call ). latin name of dedicatee hercules dux ferrarie (ercole d este, duke of ferrara) becomes re-ut-re-ut-re-fa-mi-re, translates d-c-d-c-d-f-e-d in modern notation c ut . used cantus firmus of mass setting. josquin s method imitated several of contemporaries , successors, including adrian willaert , costanzo festa.

letters note names

since note names cover letters g (reflecting octave repetition of these names), problem arises how cipher rest of alphabet. historically there have been 2 main solutions, may labelled convenience german , french methods.

german

because development of note names took place within framework of modes, in german-speaking world b-flat named b , b-natural named h . common musical cryptogram b-a-c-h motif, used johann sebastian bach himself, contemporaries , many later composers. other note names derived sound, example e-flat, es in german, represent s , a-flat digraph .

composers less fortunate bach seem have chosen ignore non-musical letters in generating motifs. example, robert schumann, inveterate user of cryptograms, has s-c-h-a (e-flat, c, b-natural, a) represent himself in carnaval. phonetic substitution used, schumann representing bezeth b-e-s-e-d-h. johannes brahms used b-a-h-s (b-flat, a, b-natural, e-flat) surname in a-flat minor organ fugue, , mixed language gis-e-la (g-sharp, e, a) gisela von arnim, among many examples.

french

the french method of generating cryptograms arose late in 19th century , more akin normal encipherment. popular version involved writing out letters h-n, o-u , v-z in lines under original diatonic notes a-g, follows:

so a, h, o, , v enciphered note , b, i, p , w b (flat or natural) , on. scheme used jules Écorcheville, editor of journal s.i.m., solicit centenary commemorations of joseph haydn in 1909, except diverted h b-natural, presumably avoid many repeated notes. writing gabriel fauré invitation, camille saint-saëns said writing Écorcheville asking him prove y , n signify d , g annoying mixed in farcical business make laughing stock in german musical world. many-to-one mapping of method makes more difficult extract possible motifs musical score one-to-one correspondence (apart ) of german system.

20th century

a french tradition of celebratory uses developed haydn centenary, tributes gabriel fauré maurice ravel, florent schmitt, charles koechlin , others in 1922 (added later arnold bax, 1949) , albert roussel francis poulenc, arthur honegger, darius milhaud , others (using various ciphering schemes) in 1929. honegger s system involved placing letters after h under sharpened , flattened notes, example of how chromatic cryptograms more accommodated in 20th-century music.

olivier messiaen developed own full cipher, involving pitches , note lengths, organ work méditations sur le mystère de la sainte trinité (1969).

dmitri shostakovich used german scheme personal motto d-es-c-h (d, e-flat, c, b-natural), representing d.sch, appears in many of characteristic works. elliott carter featured both cryptogram last name boulez in piece réflexions (2004) , sonic symbol of first name pierre .

cryptograms less common in england, edward elgar, interested in general cryptography , puzzles, wrote allegretto pupils gedge sisters using g-e-d-g-e , part of enigma in enigma variations involves cryptograms.

cicada 3301

a more sophisticated contemporary use of musical ciphering can found in popular online puzzle cicada 3301. in puzzle, creators use dyads (two notes) represent letters , numbers word spacing based on prime numbers of beats. there 2 notes, both in ionian mode. range of top note limited major 9th , there 4 bottom notes, yielding 36 combinations, enough 26 letters , 10 numbers. makes naturally musical , melodic result while still permitting entire sentences encrypted.

others

in 1947 friedrich smend been suggested bach enciphered significant numbers through methods including repetitions of motif, word, or phrase; notes played on continuo; use of sequence; , notes played accompaniment. however, ruth tatlow has presented evidence questioning plausibility of smend s claims.

during first quarter of 20th century, american author , occultist paul foster case established esoteric musical cryptogram purposes of ceremonial magick. system derivative of cipher used affiliated magical order called hermetic order of golden dawn. each note of 12 tone system assigned set of correspondences including colors, planets, zodiacal signs, , hebrew letters. holy names of biblical characters translated letter letter linear sequence of musical notes, each letter sung congregation in unison.

ezra sandzer-bell has written , published 2 books on subject, describing how paul foster case s system of musical cryptography applied songwriting. word can translated phonetically hebrew , converted using case s cryptogram generate series of notes. sandzer-bell s project involves conversion of common , latin names of plants, trees, , mushrooms melodies. each song composed consuming plant in tea or tincture form, using physical effects of plant determine kind of rhythm, harmony, instruments, , dynamics use. lengthy demonstration , proof concept publicly available on author s website.