The Schoenberg Code

July 29, 2010 8:32 AM

The Schoenberg Code is a serial novel in 12 chapters, a parody of Dan Brown’s novel, “The Da Vinci Code,” as retold from a musical perspective by Dick Strawser. And there is much more enjoyable musical reading on his blog, Thoughts on a Train. For example, this three-part article on the strange story of Alban Berg's opera Lulu.
posted by Wolfdog (6 comments total)

I just finished reading the fascinating article on Lulu. Over the years I'd picked up most of that, but it was fascinating reading anyway. The whole story is like a bizarre soap opera.
posted by ob at 9:58 AM on July 29, 2010

I was thinking this would be an algorithmically-created novel, something like Philip Dick using the I Ching to determine which direction the plot would go in The Man in the High Castle. (Although if he's really following Schoenberg's Code, he wouldn't tell us.)
posted by straight at 11:23 AM on July 29, 2010

Cool. I will have to check this out later. In the meantime, there's also The Secret Program of the Lyric Suite, a real code in Berg's string quartet that includes, among other things, his initials and the initials of his mistress Hanna Fuchs (A-B-H-F).
posted by speicus at 12:08 PM on July 29, 2010

It's so cool that this was posted! I used to work with Dr. Dick at WITF-FM in Harrisburg; he was a classical announcer there for many years before they cut back on the classical music side of the station, and he was one of my favorite people there, both on and off the air. I partly credit him for inspiring me to go back to school and get my B.M. in theory/composition (and now I'm getting my Ph.D. in Composition at UPenn and making my own inroads as a composer).
posted by mormolyke at 3:15 PM on July 29, 2010

A serial novel about serialism? love

Also, if the twelve chapters comprise the home row, can they also be read in retrograde? (Or transposed?...although I'm not sure how that would work....)
posted by Thomas Tallis is my Homeboy at 7:59 PM on July 29, 2010

Growing up, I always loved listening to Strawser's fascinating, fun commentary on the radio. A fine ranconteur of music, he is also often asked to give pre-concert lectures throughout central Pennsylvania. I now live and work in the UK now but I deeply miss Strawser's commentary.

These stories are fantastic. Thanks!
posted by honest knave at 1:00 AM on July 30, 2010