The Enigma Variations Ciphers

He who fears is half dead.

Elgar’s decryption of an 1896 challenge cipher by John Holt Schooling

A nine-year investigation of the Enigma Variations uncovered over one hundred different cryptograms. While seemingly extraordinary, this is entirely consistent with a reigning facet of Edward Elgar’s psychological profile – an intense fascination for ciphers. More importantly, their decryptions are critical as they give definitive answers to the central questions posed by the Variations. What is the secret melody to which the Enigma Theme is a counterpoint and on which the ensuing movements are based? Answer: Ein feste Burg (A Mighty Fortress) by Martin Luther. What is the “dark saying” associated with the Enigma Theme? Answer: A Music Box Cipher embedded in the opening six measures of the Enigma Theme. Who is the secret friend and inspiration behind Variation XIII? Answer: Jesus Christ, the Lord and Savior of Elgar’s Roman Catholic faith. To learn more about the diverse ciphers of the Enigma Variations and their decryptions, consult the list below with links to more in-depth explanations.

1. Program Anagram Cipher
2. 1899 Program Note Quotations Ciphers
3. Maeterlinck Enigma Ciphers
4. Enigma Dedication Ciphers
5. Enigma Title Word Lengths Cipher
6. Enigma Title Page Square Word Lengths Cipher
7. Enigma Score Dates “EFB” Cipher
8. Title Page Box Cipher
9. Enigma Variations Keys Cipher
10. Enigma Variations Key Numbers Cipher
11. Enigma Theme Clefs Cipher
12. Enigma Theme Structure Cipher
13. Enigma Theme Falling Sevenths Cipher
14. Enigma Theme Relative Modes Cipher
15. Enigma Wordplay Cipher
16. Enigma Theme Tempo Marking Cipher
17. Enigma Psalm 46 Cipher
18. Enigma Locks Cipher
19. Enigma Theme Locks Initials Cipher
20. Enigma Theme Keys Cipher
21. Enigma Theme Music Box Cipher
22. Enigma Theme “Elegy” Cipher
23. Enigma Theme “Craeg Lea” Cipher
24. Enigma Theme Timpani Tuning Cipher
25. Enigma Bridge Passage “Opus Dei” Cipher
26. Enigma Bridge Passage Psalm 46 Ciphers
27. Enigma Bridge Passage Tau Ciphers
28. Related Enigma Bridge Passage Words Ciphers
29. Enigma Theme Double Bars “Dead” Cipher
30. Enigma Theme “GAG” Cipher
31. A. M. D. G. Cipher
32. “I AM” Cipher
33. Pi Cipher
34. Pi-C Cipher
35. God Cipher
36. 24 Cipher
37. German Sixth Cipher
38. Plagal Cadence Cipher
39. Hyphen Cipher
40. Variation II “Hide Psalm 46” Ciphers
41. Second Bridge Passage Melodic Anagram Cipher
42. Ysobel’s Sea Crossing Ciphers
43. Second Bridge Passage IHC Christogram Cipher
44. Rehearsal 19 PAPE Cipher
45. Proximate Initials “Parry” Cipher
46. Second Bridge Passage “EE” and “ED” Ciphers
47. Third Bridge Passage Ciphers
48. Nimrod “Genesis 10:9” Cipher
49. Nimrod Cipher
50. Nimrod Varying Tempi Cipher
51. Nimrod Timpani Cipher
52. Nimrod Glyphs “Ein” Cipher
53. Roman Numeral IX Cipher
54. Three Bridge Passages Ciphers
55. Bridge Passages Acrostic and Anagram Ciphers
56. Biblical Names Cipher
57. Variation XIII “ML” Cipher
58. Variation XIII “L” Cipher
59. Variation XIII “Loethe” Cipher
60. Variation XIII Luther’s Asterisks Cipher
61. Star Cipher
62. Variation XIII REX Cipher
63. FAE Cipher
64. FAE Syllables Cipher
65. Mendelssohn Fragments “Junker Jörg” Cipher
66. Mendelssohn Initials “EFB” Cipher
67. Joachim’s Motto “FAE-EFB” Cipher
68. “Frei” Acrostic Anagram Cipher
69. FACE Cipher
70. “I See A Face” Cipher
71. Variation XIII “See Holy Face” Cipher
72. Pope Leo XIII Cipher
73. Dual Initials Enigma Cipher
74. Mendelssohn Fragments Scale Degrees “EFB” Cipher
75. Mendelssohn Clarinet Solo Nominal Notes Cipher
76. Rehearsal 55 Clarinet Solo Cipher
77. Variation XIII Clarinet Key Signature Cipher
78. Mendelssohn Keynotes Cipher
79. Mendelssohn Psalm 46 Cipher
80. Music Anagram Cipher
81. XIII Cipher
82. Romanza Cipher
83. Chi-Ro Cipher
84. Mendelssohn Pi Cipher
85. Mendelssohn Pi-C Cipher 
86. Mendelssohn Fragments Melodic Intervals Cipher
87. Mendelssohn Fragments Major Keys Cipher
88. Mendelssohn Fragments Clefs Cipher
89. “See Abba” Mendelssohn Cipher
90. Mendelssohn-Wagner Melodic Merger Cipher
91. Mendelssohn Quotations Accidentals Cipher
92. Mendelssohn Quotations Elimination Cipher
93. Mendelssohn Fragments Solo Passages Cipher
94. Mendelssohn Quotations Polybius Box Cipher
95. Dominant-Tonic-Dominant (5-1-5) Cipher
96. 515 Ciphers
97. “DEAD G-D” Cipher
98. Letters Cluster Cipher
99. Rehearsal 66 Cipher
100. Six 6-Letter Names Cipher
101. Tasso Position Cipher
102. Tasso Performance Direction Cipher
103. Tasso Fragment Ciphers
104. Luther’s Death Anniversary Cipher
105. Hyperion Cipher
106. Divine Comedy Ciphers
107. General Gordon Ciphers
108. Cross Reference Ciphers
109. Extended Finale Acrostic Anagram “EFB” Cipher
110. Proximate Title Letters Enigma Ciphers
111. Enigma Titles “EIN” Cipher
112. “DR. MARINUS” Enigma Cipher
113. “RX EFB” Cipher
114. “St. Martin” Enigma Titles Ciphers
115. German Sixth Enigma Ciphers
116. Organo Label Ciphers
117. 1911 Turin Program Note Ciphers

Conclusion

The interrelated decryptions of the Enigma Variations Ciphers are mutually reinforcing and consistent, erecting an elaborate yet rational series of solutions to one of music history’s enduring mysteries. With so many ciphers pinpointing the same set of answers, there is no room for doubt. The ciphers are genuine, so the solutions must be correct and valid. The secret melody to the Enigma Variations is Ein feste Burg by Martin Luther. The secret friend of Variation XIII is Jesus Christ, Elgar’s inspiration behind not only the Enigma Variations but also his sacred oratorios: The Light of Life (Lux Christi), The Dream of Gerontius, The Apostles, and The Kingdom. To learn more about the secrets of the Enigma Variations, read my free eBook Elgar’s Enigmas Exposed. Please help support and expand my original research by becoming a sponsor on Patreon.

Soli Yah Gloria