Enigma Variations

Abstract

Following Webster’s Dictionary, the term ‘enigma’ signifies something “initentionally obscure - as a riddle or a complex metaphor - that depends for full comprehension on the alertness and ingenuity of the hearer or reader”. This in mind, in 1896 the British composer Edgar Elgar named his 14 Variations for Large Orchestra, op. 36, ‘Enigma Variations’. He wanted to keep secret the underlying theme - and indeed, up to now nobody was able to find out the hidden melody. about 30 years later, the German engineer Arthur Scherbius invented an electro-mechanical ciphermachine which he also called ENIGMA. In this case, however, the programmatic name did not prove as successful in actual practice. Though in a very different sense, the machine became as famous as the aforementioned piece of music.