The Enigma Variations Ciphers

He who fears is half dead.

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

A prolonged 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 Ciphers
9. Title Page “EFb” Monogram Cipher
10. Title Page Square “Swan” Ciphers
11. Enigma Variations Keys Cipher
12. Enigma Variations Key Numbers Cipher
13. Enigma Theme Clefs Cipher
14. Enigma Theme Structure Ciphers
15. Enigma Theme Falling Sevenths Cipher
16. Enigma Theme Relative Modes Cipher
17. Enigma Wordplay Cipher
18. Enigma Theme Tempo Marking Cipher
19. Enigma Psalm 46 Cipher
20. Enigma Locks Cipher
21. Enigma Theme Locks Initials Cipher
22. Enigma Theme Keys Cipher
23. Enigma Theme Music Box Cipher
24. Enigma Theme “Elegy” Cipher
25. Enigma Theme “Craeg Lea” Cipher
26. Enigma Theme Timpani Tuning Cipher
27. Enigma Bridge Passage “Opus Dei” Cipher
28. Enigma Bridge Passage Psalm 46 Ciphers
29. Enigma Bridge Passage Tau Ciphers
30. Related Enigma Bridge Passage Words Ciphers
31. Enigma Theme Double Bars “Dead” Cipher
32. Enigma Theme “GAG” Cipher
33. Enigma Theme Chord Progressions Ciphers
34. A. M. D. G. Cipher
35. “I AM” Cipher
36. Pi Cipher
37. Pi-C Cipher
38. Enigma Theme Pisces Cipher
39. God Cipher
40. 24 Cipher
41. German Sixth Cipher
42. Plagal Cadence Cipher
43. Hyphen Cipher
44. Variation II “Hide Psalm 46” Ciphers
45. Second Bridge Passage Melodic Anagram Cipher
46. Ysobel’s Sea Crossing Ciphers
47. Second Bridge Passage IHC Christogram Cipher
48. Rehearsal 19 PAPE Cipher
49. Proximate Initials “Parry” Cipher
50. Second Bridge Passage “EE” and “ED” Ciphers
51. Third Bridge Passage Ciphers
52. Nimrod “Genesis 10:9” Cipher
53. Nimrod Cipher
54. Nimrod Varying Tempi Cipher
55. Nimrod Timpani Cipher
56. Nimrod Glyphs “Ein” Cipher
57. Roman Numeral IX Cipher
58. Three Bridge Passages Ciphers
59. Bridge Passages Acrostic and Anagram Ciphers
60. Biblical Names Cipher
61. Variation XIII “ML” Cipher
62. Variation XIII “L” Cipher
63. Variation XIII “Loethe” Cipher
64. Variation XIII Luther’s Asterisks Cipher
65. Star Cipher
66. Variation XIII REX Cipher
67. FAE Cipher
68. FAE Syllables Cipher
69. Mendelssohn Fragments “Junker Jörg” Cipher
70. Mendelssohn Initials “EFB” Cipher
71. Joachim’s Motto “FAE-EFB” Cipher
72. “Frei” Acrostic Anagram Cipher
73. FACE Cipher
74. “I See A Face” Cipher
75. Variation XIII “See Holy Face” Cipher
76. Pope Leo XIII Cipher
77. Dual Initials Enigma Cipher
78. Mendelssohn Fragments Scale Degrees “EFB” Cipher
79. Mendelssohn Clarinet Solo Nominal Notes Cipher
80. Rehearsal 55 Clarinet Solo Cipher
81. Variation XIII Clarinet Key Signature Cipher
82. Mendelssohn Keynotes Cipher
83. Mendelssohn Psalm 46 Cipher
84. Music Anagram Cipher
85. XIII Cipher
86. Romanza Cipher
87. Chi-Ro Cipher
88. Mendelssohn Pi Cipher
89. Mendelssohn Pi-C Cipher 
90. Mendelssohn Fragments Melodic Intervals Cipher
91. Mendelssohn Fragments Major Keys Cipher
92. Mendelssohn Fragments Clefs Cipher
93. “See Abba” Mendelssohn Cipher
94. Mendelssohn-Wagner Melodic Merger Cipher
95. Mendelssohn Quotations Accidentals Cipher
96. Mendelssohn Quotations Elimination Cipher
97. Mendelssohn Fragments Solo Passages Cipher
98. Mendelssohn Quotations Polybius Box Cipher
99. Dominant-Tonic-Dominant (5-1-5) Cipher
100. 515 Ciphers
101. “DEAD G-D” Cipher
102. Letters Cluster Cipher
103. Cue 65 Ciphers
104. Rehearsal 66 Cipher
105. Six 6-Letter Names Cipher
106. Tasso Position Cipher
107. Tasso Performance Direction Cipher
108. Tasso Fragment Ciphers
109. Luther’s Death Anniversary Cipher
110. Hyperion Cipher
111. Divine Comedy Ciphers
112. General Gordon Ciphers
113. Cross Reference Ciphers
114. Extended Finale Acrostic Anagram “EFB” Cipher
115. Proximate Title Letters Enigma Ciphers
116. Enigma Titles “EIN” Cipher
117. “DR. MARINUS” Enigma Cipher
118. “RX EFB” Cipher
119. “St. Martin” Enigma Titles Ciphers
120. German Sixth Enigma Ciphers
121. Organo Label Ciphers
122. 1911 Turin Program Note Ciphers
123. Common Time Enigma Cipher

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