The Parsons Code - Futility Closet

In 1975 Denys Parsons devised a surprisingly simple way for nonmusicians to record melodies — write an asterisk for the first note, then hum the tune and decide whether each subsequent note goes up (U), down (D), or repeats (R). The first two phrases of “Happy Birthday,” for instance, look like this:

*RUDUDDRUDUD

(“* repeat up down up down down repeat up down up down”)

This is surprisingly effective — Parsons, who spent five years indexing practically every well-known classical theme from the 16th century onward, wrote, “I continue to be astonished that such a simple test, taken to the sixteenth note (or less), should be adequate to distinguish more than 10,000 classical themes.” Can you identify the eight famous classical melodies below?

*RRDURRD
*RUURURDRDRUURURDR
*RUURDDDDRUURDRURUURDDDDRUUDDR
*DUDUDUUUDDUDUDDUD
*DUDDDDDUDDUDUDU
*UDUUDUDUUDUDUUDUDUU
*DUDUDUDURRRRRRRRDUDU
*RRRRRRRUUUDRRRRUURDDD

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Beethoven, Symphony No. 5 Strauss, The Blue Danube Beethoven, Symphony No. 9: “Ode To Joy” Mozart, Eine kleine Nachtmusik Bach, Toccata in D minor Wagner, Ride of the Valkyries Handel, Hallelujah Chorus Rossini, William Tell Overture Parsons published a Directory of Classical Themes in 1975. It contains surprisingly few “twins”: In reviewing the book for New Scientist, Jon Darius estimated their occurrence at less than 3 percent — though DDUUDDUUDDUUDDU occurs five times. (Thanks, Joseph.)

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