The project takes its name from Gustavus Selenus — the pen name of Duke Augustus of Brunswick-Lüneburg — who in 1624 published one of Europe’s first encyclopedias of ciphers, including a rare chapter on musical codes.

Across centuries, composers embedded names into music: Bach turned his own surname into a motif that runs through The Art of Fugue; Schumann encoded his fiancée’s hometown and his own name into a single melody; Shostakovich turned his initials into one of his most recognizable musical signatures.

SELENUS continues this lineage. Discover the tradition: Tradition

Each three-minute single is recorded on a concert grand piano and pressed on a 7-inch vinyl record — with an original sleeve bearing a fragment of the score and the composer’s signature.

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

Each SELENUS edition is made to be kept — in a private collection, passed to the next generation. It may be created as a personal gift.

The record is hand-numbered. Each commission includes a high-resolution digital master and insured worldwide delivery.

A signed Certificate of Authenticity accompanies every commission and is entered in a private registry. No copy of the work may be produced again without the commissioner’s written request. The name and birth date serve only to generate the cipher and remain confidential.

Limited to 50 commissions per year. Six weeks from payment to delivery.

Learn more about the commission: Process