
Johann Sebastian Bach relished inscribing his surname into his music in all sorts of contexts but this can only be performed in German as in English the letter “H” doesn’t exist within music as it does in German. Bach would insert his name with the notes “B”, “A”, “C”, and “B Natural” which is “H” in German. This motif is a form of musical cryptogram and is most well renowned within Bach’s The Art of Fugue (Contrapunctus XIV) composition. These notes when played in unison have an appealing resonance which compliment many musical scores without any need for alteration. Many composers who have come after Bach have also used the BACH motif within their own compositions as a tribute to Bach, his work, and his legacy including composers Robert Schumann, Franz Liszt, and Arnold Schoenberg among others


