Polygraphiae by Noise Reduction Society

Polygraphiae received its premier on Friday, May 9, 2003 at Christ Church Cathedral in St. Louis. This is the live recording from the premiere. The work was presented by St. Louis Community College at Forest Park. The work is composed and produced by James Hegarty. The work was performed with an intermission following Interlude 3.

Polygraphiae is based on a late medieval book of secret codes by Johannes Trithimious. The book was very popular in its day and was reprinted several times. Originally in Latin, it was also translated into French and German. After some internet research, I discovered that the Olin Library at Washington University had four editions of this book dating from as early as 1591. The times when I visited the library to study the book were very inspiring. As I held the 500 year old book in my hands, I imagined time collapsing and felt a very direct, and magical, connection to a world so very different from my own.

The work grew to include other aspects of cryptology. Because of the internet, it has become common and necessary to encode messages. Some sounds used in this piece are constructed from the data streams of my encoded internet banking statements. Images and audio files can also contain encrypted messages and some sounds heard have messages embedded in comment areas of the data structure.

Polygraphiae is a song cycle with occasional interludes. The interludes are improvised and feature a great deal of input from all performers. I have enjoyed the rehearsals in which we have collaboratively developed the nature of the original sketch into something much more beautiful.

Because the work features an 8-speaker array, sitting near the center and towards the front of the seating area will put you in the best location. However, moving about the space is also an interesting possibility.

I would especially like to thank William Partridge and the Christ Church Cathedral for hosting this event and to St. Louis Community College at Forest Park for sponsoring the concert.

The story is fictional. Knowing the great popularity of the book, I imagined that it had been used for a wide variety of secret situations: politics, war, criminal activities, love letters. In keeping with the age of chivalry, I wrote a story that necessitated the use of secret communication between the lovers.

Kathryn’s text is primarily codes – letters and numbers. The most famous method of encryption used in the book consists of several hundred pages of columns of alphabet letters and Latin words. A single letter is represented by a single Latin word. Words are coded letter by letter from each consecutive column – a constantly changing encryption that is impossible to break without the key. What is most interesting is that the code results in phrases that resemble Latin prayers. This is the source of the Latin text in XI. It is also the source of the title of VI, the cello solo, in which the Latin words of the title indicate the letters MM, Michael’s initials. If you want to know the story and original texts, they are written on the back of the program.

The Texts
1
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z X Y Z X Y Z
Choose wisely, the key’s eye.

2:
As the dark of night, only your words I hear.
As the dark of night, only your breath I feel.
Remembering your voice and reading the message hidden, night words.

4:
Do you remember the sweet smell of blossoms?
And then we were betrayed.

I arose early but you were gone.
I do not hear the birds sing.

7:
On the darkest hour of night, they came for me,
bound in chains and
thrown into the back of a carriage.
Driven hard over rough narrow roads
we traveled for eleven days.
Upon the dark, they took me.

8:
Many days later, I worked my hands free,
killed the guard, and escaped!
When it is safe for you to come to me, I will send you a sign.

9:
A light still glows in the watchtower, a shadow moves slowly,
I have seen no one for seven days. I am worried. Write to me.

11.
In the garden at moonrise,
the April wind will carry me away.

coded: The guards are asleep after midnight
coded: The west courtyard is deserted

In the garden at moonrise,
the April wind will carry me away.

12.
Leave everything,
tonight we must flee.
At daybreak they will come for you
and distance may save.

Come to me in the garden at moonrise.
In silence, come quickly,
the hour is near...
(French Translation by J. S. Hegarty)

Ambient with neoclassical and electronics. I try to express beauty and soul in my music. I started with a VCS3 and a 2340 deck! Along the way I have written and produced my opera with a NEA grant, and worked with amazing musicians. I will always be fascinated by analog synthesizers, digital processing, tape loops, and found sounds.

NoiseReductionSociety.com
James Hegarty
James Hegarty Jazz Visions
jimhegarty.com