The Use of Musical Cryptography to Design Pitch and Rhythm Dimensions in Classical and Classical Contemporary Compositions

Abstract

          Cryptography was first applied to music at the end of the 15th Century and had been constantly developed until its full form in the 17th Century. Musical Cryptography combines the art of Cryptography with musical notation by replacing alphabets with musical notes and using them to compose any musical material; the secret messages can then be concealed beneath the musical material in a composition. This article presents the historical background, application, and the use of cryptography in classical and contemporary classical compositions. After the research on musical cryptography, it is possible to conclude that there are 3 groups of musical cryptography application to determine different aspects of a composition: 1. Using musical cryptography to determine pitch material from alphabets; 2. Using Morse code to determine rhythmic material; 3. Using musical cryptography to determine both pitch and rhythmic material from alphabets and Morse code respectively. Musical cryptography is one of many compositional techniques that is still being currently used and constantly developed in various ways in order to add novelty and fascination to a musical composition.