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1051:
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772:
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90:
The
Dorabella Cipher is not the only document penned by Elgar that contains the approximately semi-circular characters. At a concert in April 1886 (over ten years prior to his letter to Penny), he annotated a concert program with 18 similar characters followed by an underscore. This fragment became
69:
On returning to Great
Malvern on 14 July 1897 Alice wrote a letter of thanks to the Penny family. Edward Elgar inserted a note with cryptic writing: he pencilled the name 'Miss Penny' on the reverse. This note lay in a drawer for forty years and became generally known when Dora had it reproduced in
38:
The cipher, consisting of 87 characters spread over 3 lines, appears to be made up from 24 symbols, each symbol consisting of 1, 2, or 3 approximate semicircles oriented in one of 8 directions (the orientation of several characters is ambiguous). A small dot appears after the fifth character on the
183:
advertised a
Dorabella Cipher Competition in 2007 to mark the 150th anniversary of Elgar's birth. A number of entries were received but none were found to be satisfactory: "One or two entries did contain some impressively ambitious and thoughtful analysis. These entries, though, having matched
47:
Dora Penny (1874–1964) was the daughter of the
Reverend Alfred Penny (1845–1935) of Wolverhampton. Dora's mother died in February 1874, six days after giving birth to Dora, after which her father worked for many years as a missionary in Melanesia. In 1895 Dora's father remarried, and Dora's
159:
The secondary message below was identified as the word RATS, which
Packwood believed was a playful acknowledgement from Sir Edward to the individual that broke his cipher. Packwood's method involved rearranging the cipher based on the position of several dots, which Packwood identified as
85:
Dora's father had just returned from
Melanesia where he had been a missionary for many years. Fascinated by local language and culture, he possessed a few traditional talismans decorated with arcane glyphs. Perhaps such an item surfaced as a conversation piece during the Elgars' week in
55:
Edward Elgar was a forty-year-old music teacher who had yet to become a successful composer. Dora Penny was almost seventeen years his junior. Edward and Dora liked one another and remained friends for the rest of the composer's life: Elgar named
Variation 10 of his 1899
91:
known as the "Liszt fragment". The symbols also appear in a 1920s notebook of Elgar, along with diagrams resembling clock faces, and on the so-called "Cryptogram card", which forms part of a series of cards detailing Elgar's solution to a cryptographic challenge set in
184:
Elgar's symbols to the alphabet, invariably ended up with a fairly arbitrary sequence of letters. ... he results read as a disconnected chain of bizarre utterances, such as an imaginative mind could conjure up from any group of random letters".
86:
Wolverhampton? And if Dora recalled this when writing her memoirs, it might account for the fact the coded message was referred to as an 'inscription' when communicating with the director of SOAS many years later.
114:
The length of this text is 109 letters (ignoring the parenthetic note on Greek), whereas the original text contains only 87 or 88 characters: Sams claimed the surplus letters are implied by phonetic shorthand.
398:
307:
20:
171:
in
English or Latin. This was done by showing that these algorithms can solve ciphers that are as short as Dorabella, yet they fail to solve the Dorabella cipher.
164:, and then arbitrarily shifting the presumed values of each glyph independently until a message emerged. The logic behind the pattern of shifts is not explained.
118:
Javier Atance has suggested that the solution is not a text but a melody, the 8 different positions of the semicircles, turning clockwise, corresponding to the
137:, encoded once again as a simple substitution cipher (with two letters as nulls), although some details remain to be worked out. His solution would read:
78:
in 1937. Subsequently, the original note was lost. Dora claimed that she had never been able to read the note, which she assumed to be a cipher message.
1510:
494:
201:
314:
167:
In a 2023 study, Viktor Wase applied cipher-solving computer algorithms to the
Dorabella cipher and discovered that it is unlikely to be a
110:
STARTS: LARKS! IT'S CHAOTIC, BUT A CLOAK OBSCURES MY NEW LETTERS, A, B BELOW: I OWN THE DARK MAKES E. E. SIGH WHEN YOU ARE TOO LONG GONE.
383:
338:
141:
whY AM I VERY SAD, BELLE. I SAG AS WE SEE ROSES DO. E.E. IS EVER FOND OF U, DORA. I kNOw I PeN ONE I LOVe. All Of My
Affection.
35:
to Dora Penny, which was accompanied by another dated July 14, 1897. Penny never deciphered it and its meaning remains unknown.
590:
1301:
608:
1266:
1050:
935:
235:
168:
901:
544:
352:
129:
P.S. Now droop beige weeds set in it – pure idiocy – one entire bed! Luigi Ccibunud luv’ngly tuned liuto studo two.
52:. In July 1897 the Penny family invited Edward and Alice Elgar to stay at the Wolverhampton Rectory for a few days.
1505:
918:
802:
681:
670:
1108:
498:
228:
Unsolved! The History and Mystery of the World's Greatest Ciphers from Ancient Egypt to Online Secret Societies
786:
771:
460:"Dorabella unMASCed – the Dorabella Cipher is not an English or Latin Mono-Alphabetical Substitution Cipher"
155:
A WOMAN IS LIKE CHESS ONE HAS TO MAKE MANY SACRIFICES FOR ITS QUEEN IT IS VICTORY SHE COMMANDS NOT DO BETTER
749:
687:
125:
Tim S. Roberts claims a solution via a simple substitution cipher and offers a statistical justification:
1036:
907:
205:
133:
In December 2011, Canadian cryptographer enthusiast Richard Henderson claimed to have found the correct
1378:
778:
733:
583:
858:
1392:
1343:
1187:
527:
459:
406:
1357:
1081:
1028:
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1136:
1009:
896:
122:, and that each semicircle has 3 different levels corresponding to natural, flat or sharp notes.
1243:
1178:
1044:
979:
913:
810:
794:
676:
665:
106:, the musicologist, produced an interpretation in 1970. His interpretation of the message is:
1484:
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757:
639:
576:
440:
1385:
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49:
8:
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717:
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57:
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826:
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467:
289:
265:
471:
1364:
958:
850:
444:
147:
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1329:
1171:
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432:
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532:
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119:
293:
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32:
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19:
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522:
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528:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/2007/interact/puzzles/variations.shtml
942:
568:
16:
Enciphered letter written by English composer Edward Elgar
81:
Composer and historian Kevin Jones advanced one view;
551:
http://unsolvedproblems.org/index_files/dorabella.htm
145:
In July 2020, Wayne Packwood claimed in the journal
254:(1970). "Elgar's Cipher Letter to Dorabella".
174:
1497:
537:The Mammoth Book of Secret Codes and Cryptograms
584:
433:"Elgar as cryptographer – Tuning and Turing"
31:is an enciphered letter written by composer
230:. Princeton University Press. p. 127.
591:
577:
426:
424:
1511:Undeciphered historical codes and ciphers
492:No longer on Elgar.org: archival copy at
250:
430:
151:to have produced a complete decryption:
18:
421:
1498:
382:: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (
337:: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (
572:
396:
225:
98:
72:Edward Elgar: Memories of a Variation
1302:There are seven that pull the thread
564:http://unsolvedproblems.org/S121.pdf
457:
13:
1267:Dry those fair, those crystal eyes
936:Duett for trombone and double bass
202:"BBC – Proms – The Dorabella Code"
169:monoalphabetic substitution cipher
14:
1522:
547:(contains an image of the cipher)
516:
439:. Vol. 143. pp. 34–37.
1480:
1479:
1049:
917:
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770:
680:
669:
598:
523:http://www.elgarfoundation.org/
66:as a dedication to Dora Penny.
59:Variations on an Original Theme
486:
451:
390:
345:
300:
244:
219:
194:
175:2007 Elgar Society Competition
1:
787:Pomp and Circumstance Marches
472:10.1080/01611194.2023.2271466
187:
42:
7:
1037:From the Bavarian Highlands
458:Wase, Viktor (2023-11-20).
48:stepmother was a friend of
10:
1527:
1475:
1454:
1410:
1100:
1020:
995:
928:
889:
701:
658:
615:
606:
1358:The Chariots of the Lord
1344:Was it some Golden Star?
1188:Is she not passing fair?
803:Introduction and Allegro
431:Packwood, Wayne (2020).
1506:History of cryptography
1423:Elgar Birthplace Museum
1137:Like to the Damask Rose
1109:The Language of Flowers
859:Une voix dans le désert
690:(1932–34; completed by
1244:Sabbath Morning at Sea
1045:The Dream of Gerontius
811:In the South (Alassio)
157:
143:
131:
112:
88:
24:
1337:Oh, soft was the song
1274:Always and Everywhere
1195:As I laye a-thynkynge
1165:Through the Long Days
1090:The Spirit of England
758:Three Bavarian Dances
640:The Starlight Express
495:"Intro to the Cipher"
226:Bauer, Craig (2017).
153:
139:
127:
108:
83:
22:
1386:The Immortal Legions
750:Serenade for Strings
609:List of compositions
403:Ancient Cryptography
397:Henderson, Richard.
50:Caroline Alice Elgar
23:The Dorabella cipher
1281:Come, Gentle Night!
1179:The Shepherd's Song
718:Powick Asylum Music
624:Diarmuid and Grania
1379:The Blue Mountains
1316:Follow the Colours
779:Cockaigne Overture
632:The Crown of India
559:The Dorabella Code
399:"Dorabella Solved"
120:notes of the scale
99:Proposed solutions
95:magazine in 1896.
76:Methuen Publishing
25:
1493:
1492:
1428:The Elgar Sisters
1393:Pageant of Empire
1144:Queen Mary's Song
1116:The Self Banished
766:Enigma Variations
710:The Wand of Youth
264:(1524): 151–154.
257:The Musical Times
162:conductor's baton
1518:
1483:
1482:
1418:Dorabella Cipher
1251:Where Corals Lie
1230:Sea Slumber Song
1216:A Song of Flight
1202:The Wind at Dawn
1151:A Song of Autumn
1082:The Music Makers
1053:
1029:The Black Knight
967:Chanson de Matin
921:
904:
880:The Severn Suite
867:Le drapeau belge
774:
684:
673:
648:The Sanguine Fan
593:
586:
579:
570:
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497:. Archived from
490:
484:
483:
455:
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448:
428:
419:
418:
416:
414:
409:on 17 March 2012
405:. Archived from
394:
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373:
371:
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364:
358:. Archived from
357:
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336:
328:
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313:. Archived from
312:
304:
298:
297:
248:
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241:
223:
217:
216:
214:
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204:. Archived from
198:
29:Dorabella Cipher
1526:
1525:
1521:
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1519:
1517:
1516:
1515:
1496:
1495:
1494:
1489:
1471:
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1406:
1365:Fight for Right
1158:The Poet's Life
1096:
1016:
1010:Concert Allegro
991:
959:Chanson de Nuit
924:
897:Violin Concerto
885:
697:
654:
611:
602:
597:
555:
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437:Musical Opinion
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353:"Archived copy"
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308:"Archived copy"
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160:representing a
148:Musical Opinion
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74:, published by
45:
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1397:
1389:
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1375:
1372:Inside the Bar
1368:
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1354:
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1330:A Child Asleep
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1066:Coronation Ode
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980:String Quartet
977:
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914:Cello Concerto
911:
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795:Dream Children
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688:Symphony No. 3
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677:Symphony No. 2
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666:Symphony No. 1
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517:External links
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986:Piano Quintet
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974:Violin Sonata
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968:
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951:Salut d'Amour
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545:0-7867-1726-2
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533:Dunin, Elonka
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501:on 2011-07-07
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365:on 2012-03-13
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320:on 2013-05-09
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208:on 2012-03-16
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181:Elgar Society
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34:
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1417:
1411:Other topics
1391:
1309:In Moonlight
1223:Sea Pictures
1221:
1130:Seven Lieder
1128:
1088:
1080:
1074:The Apostles
1072:
1064:
1056:
1048:(1899–1900)
1043:
1035:
1027:
1008:
1003:Organ Sonata
965:
957:
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742:Sursum corda
740:
732:
724:
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646:
638:
630:
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600:Edward Elgar
536:
503:. Retrieved
499:the original
488:
463:
453:
436:
411:. Retrieved
407:the original
402:
392:
367:. Retrieved
360:the original
347:
322:. Retrieved
315:the original
302:
261:
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227:
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210:. Retrieved
206:the original
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46:
39:third line.
37:
33:Edward Elgar
28:
26:
1467:Alice Elgar
1288:In the Dawn
1260:" (1897–99)
1258:The Swimmer
1058:The Kingdom
890:Concertante
721:(1879–1884)
713:(1869–1907)
556:(in French)
464:Cryptologia
413:19 December
70:her memoir
1500:Categories
1123:A War Song
916:(1918–19)
899:(1901–10)
702:Orchestral
679:(1909–11)
668:(1907–08)
659:Symphonies
616:Incidental
505:2010-02-08
445:2423815327
369:2011-12-29
324:2012-06-19
294:Q115626069
212:2009-11-10
188:References
135:clear text
43:Background
1311:" ((1904)
1093:(1915–17)
1077:(1902–03)
1061:(1901–06)
1040:(1895–96)
1032:(1889–93)
988:(1918–19)
814:(1904–05)
806:(1904–05)
790:(1901–30)
782:(1900–01)
734:Froissart
726:Sevillana
643:(1915–16)
635:(1911–12)
480:0161-1194
278:0027-4666
252:Eric Sams
104:Eric Sams
93:Pall Mall
64:Dorabella
1485:Category
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1351:Twilight
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996:Keyboard
843:Carillon
827:Falstaff
694:in 1997)
535:, 2006,
466:: 1–10.
441:ProQuest
378:cite web
333:cite web
290:Wikidata
61:(Enigma)
929:Chamber
908:Romance
851:Polonia
835:Sospiri
769:(1899)
1455:Family
1446:(film)
1396:(1924)
1172:Rondel
1085:(1912)
1069:(1902)
1021:Choral
1013:(1901)
1005:(1898)
982:(1918)
976:(1918)
970:(1899)
962:(1897)
954:(1888)
946:(1883)
943:Idylle
938:(1887)
910:(1910)
882:(1930)
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1444:Elgar
1209:After
1101:Vocal
819:Elegy
692:Payne
363:(PDF)
356:(PDF)
318:(PDF)
311:(PDF)
282:JSTOR
541:ISBN
476:ISSN
415:2011
384:link
339:link
274:ISSN
232:ISBN
179:The
27:The
1401:XTC
468:doi
266:doi
262:111
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
