The project takes its name from Gustavus Selenus — the pen name of Duke Augustus of Brunswick-Lüneburg — who in 1624 published Cryptomenytices et Cryptographiae Libri IX, an early treatise on musical encryption.

Across centuries, composers embedded names into music: Johann Sebastian Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven turned coded motifs into signatures; Robert Schumann encoded his own name and the city of his first love; Dmitri Shostakovich used his monogram D–D–S–C–H as his personal musical theme.

SELENUS continues this lineage — transforming personal identity into sound so that a name, a date, or a life event can live inside the music itself.

Each three-minute single is recorded on a Steinway D and issued on a 7-inch vinyl record in an original sleeve bearing a score fragment and the composer’s autograph.

The record is a direct-cut vinyl (RIAA), preserving the immediacy and nuance of the performance — an experience distinct from streaming 
or digital formats.

Each SELENUS edition is a collectible artifact, created to be kept in a private family collection and passed down over time.

INCLUDES:

• One hand-numbered 7-inch vinyl record
• Custom sleeve with score fragment and autograph
• High-resolution digital master
• Insured worldwide delivery

Provenance & Integrity
Each commission is accompanied by a signed Certificate of Authenticity and entered in a private edition registry. No additional copies may be produced without the commissioner’s written request.
Annual cap: 50 commissions. Lead time: six weeks from payment to shipping.

Rights & Usage
Created exclusively for personal use. The name and birth date serve only to generate the cipher and remain confidential.