Solution - Is that Even Music?

by Joseph DeVincentis

Answer: Click here to reveal

There are two messages encoded simultaneously in the audio file.

Interpreting the file as Morse code (where in most cases, each letter starts at a different frequency, though the usual letter breaks are also present), the following characters mostly spelling out numbers are produced:

UNS.FUNFUNDSIEBZIGSIXTYTHREETWENTYSEVENSIXTEENFUNFUNDFUNFZIGHWV15SIXFORTYWWV2THREELQUATRES.-1TWOEIGHTEEN

Interpreting the frequencies as letters, starting with A at the 220 Hz A3 to to G at G4, then continuing with H at A4 and so on up to Z at E7 (2637 Hz) gives these letters:

LALOLISZTRIMSKYKORSAKOVSIBELIUSBRITTENBRAHMSHANDELELGARDVORAKWAGNERCHOPINDEBUSSYPDQBACHSHOSTAKOVICHGRIEG

The numbers are opus numbers, and the letters spell out names of composers. These should be paired in the order given and the titles of these works should be looked up (in the language corresponding to the number, where possible).

ComposerOpus NumberLanguageTitleInitial
Lalo1Frenchfantasie OriginaleF
LisztS.75GermanUber allen Gipfeln ist RuhU
Rimsky-Korsakov63EnglishNeapolitan SongN
Sibelius27EnglishKing Christian IIK
Britten16EnglishYoung ApolloY
Brahms55GermanTriumphliedT
HandelHWV 15-Otto, King of Germany (Ottone)O
Elgar6EnglishWind QuintetsW
Dvorak40EnglishNocturne in B majorN
WagnerWWV 2-Sonata in D minorS
Chopin3EnglishIntroduction and Polonaise Brillante in C majorI
DebussyL 4FrenchNuits d'etoilesN
P.D.Q. BachS.-1-Gross Concerto No. 2G
Shostakovich2EnglishEight PreludesE
Grieg18EnglishRomances and SongsR

Note: There are multiple catalogs of some composers' works, and the letters in the opus numbers distinguish these. Where no letters appear, the opus numbers assigned by composers are used. Composers were not always consistent and sometimes reused these numbers, but the puzzle attempts to avoid those cases.

The initial letters of the titles spell FUNKYTOWN SINGER. The song "Funkytown" by the band Lipps, Inc. was sung by CYNTHIA JOHNSON, who is the answer.

The inclusion of composer P.D.Q. Bach and the German number funfundfunfzig (55) are just meant to make you laugh.