Canon a 4, BWV 1074
J.S. Bach
Encoded: May 5, 2026
LIFE codec v1.0
The Canon a 4 completely invertible was the proof of concept - the first piece of music run through the LIFE codec during development. It was chosen deliberately.
A canon is a piece in which a melody is imitated by successive voices at fixed intervals. A crab canon - which BWV 1074 is - plays correctly both forwards and backwards simultaneously. It is a palindrome in musical form.
Why a canon
When a crab canon is translated through the LIFE codec, its palindromic property survives. The light sequence that results plays correctly in both directions - because the mathematical relationship is preserved, not just the notes.
This was the moment the codec proved itself. Not just that it worked, but that it was honest. The structure of the music survived translation intact.
The encoding
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Source | BWV 1074, public domain MIDI |
| Tracks | 4 |
| Notes | 106 |
| Duration | 38.4 seconds |
| Wavelength range | 548nm - 616nm |
| Colour range | Yellow-green through amber |
| Scaling constant | 2⁴⁰ = 1,099,511,627,776 |
| Reversible | Yes |
| Lossless | Yes |
Download
BWV 1074 is in the public domain.