Morse Music

MorseMusicHOME3: FRIENDS / INDEX1 / TEXTS / GALLERY / CDS / MUSIC / PERFORMANCES / ELENA / DMITRI / PHILIP / ALISSA / HOME1 / HOME2 / HOME3 ©Dmitri N. Smirnov: Music and Morse code Music is a language, and therefore it can be translated into other languages. Of course, such a sort of translation may not prove absolutely perfect or correct, but it can help us to perceive music from a new, quite unusual point of view, and can give us insights into music and its structural elements. One of the main elements of music, rhythm, also represents one of the main constituents of “Morse code” telegraphy. Morse code was developed by Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail in 1835, and is a system of representing letters, numbers and punctuation marks by means of a code signal sent intermittently. Morse code is an early form of digital communication; however, unlike modern binary digital codes that use just two states (commonly represented as 1 and 0), it uses five: dot (·), dash (–), short gap (between each letter), medium gap (between words) and long gap (between sentences). If the duration of a dot is taken to be one unit then that of a dash is three units. The space between the components of one character is one unit; between characters is three units; and between words, seven units. The world standard : http://homepage.ntlworld.com/dmitrismirnov/MorseMusic.html (1 of 12)3/27/2007 11:48:03 PM html (2 of 12)3/27/2007 11:48:03 PM . Dah-Dah-Dah. the words “MORSE CODE” can be written like this: Dah-Dah. Dah-Di-Dit.MorseMusic People often speak or write Morse code using words “Dit” (or Di) for a dot and “Dah” for a dash. Di-Dah-Dit.com/dmitrismirnov/MorseMusic. http://homepage. DiDiDit. So. Dah-Dah-Dah. Dit.ntlworld. Dit. Dah-DiDah-Dit. We can apply Morse code to music in two different ways: 1) To use as an analytical tool in order to distinguish and classify rhythmic-motives. etc. some seven. unlike Morse code. By the way. Music is also a great field for combinatory processes. van Beethoven. In addition. on beginning to compose music.. (eight dots). But we can see that such multitudinous durations in music can be divided into the “relatively short” and the “relatively long”.com/dmitrismirnov/MorseMusic. it is remarkable that here we have all the combinations of these two ‘dot’ and ‘dash’ elements: 2 x one-element codes.. 128 x seven-element codes. However. a composer often thinks in terms of more or less abstract rhythmic patterns consisting of shorter and longer durations. 32 x five-element codes.. 4 x two-element codes. Piano Sonata Op.. 8 x three-element codes.2. 2) To encrypt (encode or encipher) words and meanings within the notated composition.and eightelement codes have been defined. Rhythmic-patterns or motives can be defined as follows: Example 1 From the above definition we can gain a clear picture of how a composer can introduce.. L. visibly demonstrating rhythmic structure within a piece. Example 2. 16 x four-element codes.ntlworld. and only afterwards precisely defines them in the time-and-rhythmic framework. rhythm in music operates via multitudes of the most different durations. combine and develop rhythmic-motives in a composition..MorseMusic About 10 of the 66 six-element codes are used to represent punctuation.. No.html (3 of 12)3/27/2007 11:48:03 PM .. to indicate that a mistake has been made and for the receiver to delete the last word.1 http://homepage. is sent. 64 x six-element codes. For example. Despite all of these patterns not having clear definitions. the pattern: . com/dmitrismirnov/MorseMusic. Op.ntlworld. shifting it again. Op. shifting in the left hand. as in the following fragment from Webern’s 6 Stücke. then its diminution. No 4: Example 3.MorseMusic In the above example we can easily see the introduction of the four-element “H-motive”.html (4 of 12)3/27/2007 11:48:03 PM . shortening and transforming it into the three-element “S-motive”. and also a combination of both these motive forms with the two-element “A-motive”: Melodic passages read with Morse code sometimes look like the words of some unknown language.6. No. Douze notations. as the motive of the accompaniment in the following example demonstrates: Example 4. 6 Stücke für Orchester. the task of decyphering becomes difficult and admits a few different interpretations. Pierre Boulez. piccolo part If a composer uses longer rhythmic-motives or if there is not a clear phrasing or gap between the motives.6. 4 (1945) http://homepage. for piano. No 4. Anton Webern. 4. the following is a fragment from the solo cello part of Messagesquisse by Pierre Boulez. SACHER…. Pierre Boulez.ntlworld. 5.MorseMusic For centuries composers have been encrypting words and meanings in their music: there are many ways of doing this and Morse code represents a very effective means of encryption. ACHERS…. spelling “Sacher” in various presentations: 2. ERSACH…. 3.com/dmitrismirnov/MorseMusic. but in rotation mode. 6. Numerous examples exist of composers purposely using Morse code in their compositions. CHERSA….13 Simultaneously. HERSAC…. the five rests of the celli (2-6) repeat the same rhythmic patterns (with col legni batutti). http://homepage. Messagesquisse for 7 celli (1976). which he dedicated to Paul Sacher: the name “Sacher” is encoded by various means including by way of Morse code: Example 5. b.html (5 of 12)3/27/2007 11:48:03 PM . 117-118 Though the six accompanying celli (playing semitone trills) encrypt the name of the dedicatee in the shuffled order: “Sreach”. bb.html (6 of 12)3/27/2007 11:48:03 PM . however. the Chorus is revealed to contain a vulgar lyric encrypted via Morse code: Oh Dear.com/dmitrismirnov/MorseMusic. The song “Miss Morse” from the album “One Nation Underground” recorded in 1967 by the band "Pearls Before Swine". I want you. I do. The next few examples are from the vast pop music repertoire.MorseMusic In the episode before the cadenza. Oh yes. Miss Morse. Boulez returns to the same idea. Pierre Boulez.ntlworld. the rhythm of the accents in m. I want you… Chorus: Dit Dit Dah Dit Dit Dit Dah http://homepage. has an “adult-rated”-Morse code message in it. Messagesquisse for 7 celli (1976). this example suggests a different approach: Example 6. 118 present it in its recognisable form: “Sacher”. that sort of thing. .-). second and patronymic) are spelt in three different codes including that of Morse code. Morse code is used in a computer game called "RED STORM RISING". is based on the rhythmic code 'y y z' (dash dot dash dash..-.ntlworld. Op. . The Morse code configurations in Basso ostinato.-. Morse code is featured on Ronnie Montrose's album (Elektra 1982 EI-60034) Gamma 3." The song Watching You Without Me from Kate Bush's album Hounds of Love contains the well-known Morse code distress signal: "S.html (7 of 12)3/27/2007 11:48:03 PM . ..74(A). I remember an impression from my youth when I was once listening to the piano piece Basso ostinato by Rodion Shchedrin (1961): I was stunned to hear in the piano’s upper register something like the tapping of Morse code. In the opening Credits there is music which contains Morse code that spells out "THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING".MorseMusic Dah Dit Dah Dit Dah Dit Dah Another song. dash dot dash dash..com/dmitrismirnov/MorseMusic.O. I was disappointed because I did not find any clear corresponding message. when I got the score. YYZ was the transmitter code used at Toronto's Lester B.. his names (the first.-.. for cello solo (1997) http://homepage.". Pearson International Airport. The dots and dashes are played here pizzicato: “dots” secco sul ponticello. Exotic destinations. YYZ.. The music seemed to insistently tap out three times in the piece: “pjj2” (. painful partings. as it seems to me.. the song Stranger contains Morse code which encrypts the word "STRANGER". Later. dash dash dot dot). appear in fact to have been faked.S. drummer Neil Peart said that the song is "loosely based on airport-associated images.tenuto ordinario (see the lower stave): Example 7. and “dashes” . from the 1981 album “Moving Pictures”. by Microprose. Dmitri Smirnov Elegy. In my solo cello piece written in memory of my teacher Edison Vasilievich Denisov. I try to make my message clear. When I use Morse code in my own music.. happy landings. In a 1990 edition of the band's newsletter. for 16 players (1997) The next example is taken from my piano piece dedicated to pianist Sharon Anderson: http://homepage. Op.com/dmitrismirnov/MorseMusic.ntlworld. Dmitri Smirnov Elegy. I divided this line between the Bass Drum (Cassa secco) – playing the “dots”.74(b).html (8 of 12)3/27/2007 11:48:03 PM . and Tam-tam – playing the “dashes”: Example 8.MorseMusic Later in the ensemble version of the same piece. html (9 of 12)3/27/2007 11:48:03 PM .com/dmitrismirnov/MorseMusic.ntlworld. Dmitri Smirnov. 135 for piano (2002) http://homepage. Metaplasm 1 Op.MorseMusic Example 9. the harmony and the rhythmic patterns. All its components: the pitches of the melodic shape.. Di-Di-Dit.MorseMusic Specifically for this article and to illustrate the possibilities within this system. to encrypt in a piece the word “MUSIC”.… .) It can be notated by the following series of note durations: http://homepage. Di-Dit.ntlworld. Dah-Dah. If we should like. encrypt the name of this great composer: Example 10 Let us now look at a further example of how Morse Code can be used practically in music.com/dmitrismirnov/MorseMusic. -.: (-..html (10 of 12)3/27/2007 11:48:03 PM . Di-Di-Dah. Dah-Di-DahDit..-. for example.. I have composed a simple piano miniature called “Morse Bach”. dynamics. when it was replaced by the Global http://homepage. In this example I decided to set the melody for solo piano. Then we can add the time signiture.ntlworld. expressive and technical performing marks: Example 12 The composition can be completed by choosing the instrumentation and texture for the piece. Then a harmonic cadence was added at the end: Example 13 The clever invention of 19th Century Morse code has a rather long and rich history.html (11 of 12)3/27/2007 11:48:03 PM .MorseMusic Example 11 The next step is to work out an exact rhythmic and melodic shape with which we can freely compose. and have chosen a polyphonic texture of the inverted canon. It was heavily utilised as an international standard for maritime communication until 1999.com/dmitrismirnov/MorseMusic. MorseMusic Maritime Distress Safety System.com/dmitrismirnov/MorseMusic.html (12 of 12)3/27/2007 11:48:03 PM .Albans (Text edited by Helen Tipper) HOME3: FRIENDS / INDEX1 / TEXTS / GALLERY / CDS / MUSIC / PERFORMANCES / ELENA / DMITRI / PHILIP / ALISSA / HOME1 / HOME2 / HOME3 http://homepage. Morse code is still in use in the Amateur Radio world and. This is our last cry before our eternal silence. the final message transmitted was: "Calling all. St.ntlworld. I guess. When the French Navy ceased using Morse code in 1997." Despite this. 12 January 2005. it is going to continue its adventure in the great world of Music.