BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 » Playing - key code

tobeornot221b · June 9, 2012 7:01 pm

There's something that has been gnawing at me for months now, something that's still in a half-baked state (like the tomato-and-olive focaccia in my oven right now).
It's about the computer key code, Johann Sebastian Bach, Partita No. 1 and "playing".

Maybe you'll consider it too subtle, but I've got a feeling that I found some puzzle pieces – though I haven't got a clue yet how the whole picture will look like.

"Play"
Text messages:

"Come and play.
Tower Hill.
Jim Moriarty x" (!)

"Come and play.
Bart’s Hospital rooftop.
SH"

I'm sensing a pattern.
But what about all that play business? Why "play"?
You can play a (great) game, but you can also play music.
In both "plays" (Tower Hill and Bart's) music is involved.
TH: Rossini's Thieving Magpie, Moriarty listening/dancing to it while smashing the showcase and during his Napoleon style "coronation".
BART'S: Staying Alive, Sherlock's singsang: "…if I've got you."
… and Johann Sebastian Bach's Partita No. 1 being mentioned
In addition to those there is 221B in between – Sherlock playing the violin.

3 "high" locations (music style)

(Overture) Tower Hill
(Interlude) 221B Baker Street. Moriarty climbing the staircase
(Finale) Bart's rooftop ("Glad you chose a tall building")

Key
Quotes:

Moriarty: "In a world of locked rooms the man with the key is king."

Sherlock: "Tell me what you want from me. Tell me."
Assassin: "He left it at your flat."
Sherlock: "Who?"
Assassin: "Moriarty."
Sherlock: "What?"
Assassin: "The computer key code."

Moriarty:: "There is no key, Doofus! Those digits are meaningless. They’re utterly meaningless."
Sherlock: "But the rhythm .."
Moriarty: "Partita number one. Thank you, Johann Sebastian Bach."

So, it's not about the rhythm, the beats then but all about the key.

Q: In which key is Bach's Partita No. 1, BWV 825, written?
A: In B-flat major

221B is unquestionably a flat.
"major"? Not exactly, just 17 steps high, hehe.
Does this mean that the key IS 221B?
"He left it at your flat." What did Moriarty leave behind in 221B?
Sherlock.
Sherlock is the key.
The man with the key is King.
No chance for Moriarty ever to be King.

I'm a bit carried away by my discoveries... sorry

Oh – my Focaccia…!

Molly Hooper · June 9, 2012 7:17 pm

I hope your focaccia didn't suffer too greatly because this is really good!
I too have been wondering about Sherlock being the key but hadn't thought about the other ideas...

tobeornot221b · June 9, 2012 7:18 pm

No, focaccia is delicious - I'm just having it with a glass of red wine.

Molly Hooper · June 9, 2012 7:22 pm

Are you dunking it?

tobeornot221b · June 9, 2012 7:26 pm

No, everything nicely seperated.

Molly Hooper · June 9, 2012 7:33 pm

Oh, good!

Sammy · June 9, 2012 11:41 pm

Alright, stop it with the food

Wow, these are quite interesting observations! brilliant
Although I'm not sure about this part:
"What did Moriarty leave behind in 221B?
Sherlock. Sherlock is the key.
The man with the key is King."
Because being the key and having the key are two different things, aren't they? Then maybe it's Moriarty after all?

(He also left the "IOU" carved in the apple at the flat... I also wondered about that.)

Okay. Hmm, that's interesting. Although I don't really know that to make out of this.
I'm curious on what you guys think about it!

ChiefMishka · August 20, 2012 6:29 am

The song that Sherlock is playing as Moriarty is coming up the stairs is the Sonata no.1 in G minor for solo violin. This is the first piece in a set called Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin. The second piece of the set is the Partita no.1 in B minor.

I believe the key to this clue lies in the story Moriarty tells as he enters the flat beginning with "Johann Sebastian would be appalled"

JIM: You know when he was on his death bed, Bach, he heard his son at the piano playing one of his pieces. The boy stopped before he got to the end ...
SHERLOCK: ... and the dying man jumped out of his bed, ran straight to the piano and finished it.
JIM: Couldn’t cope with an unfinished melody.
SHERLOCK: Neither can you. That’s why you’ve come.

This idea has been a splinter in my mind for months now and I am glad to finally have a place to discuss it.

Last edited by ChiefMishka (August 20, 2012 6:30 am)

Davina · August 20, 2012 6:45 am

An unfinished melody is an unfinished problem...the final problem. Yes I too agree that this summarizes Moriarty's and Sherlock's problem. Business was not concluded at the end of The Great Game and the start of Scandal in Belgravia. Unfinished business...loose ends.

Last edited by Davina (August 20, 2012 6:46 am)

Lupin · August 20, 2012 3:57 pm

I think Moriarty mentioned Bach to hint to Sherlock to think of Partita #1 when analyzing Moriarty's finger movements. As a violin player, Sherlock would be familiar with the beat. This, to me, is the clue that the "key" is a fake.

I believe someone else mentioned in a blog that the rhythm Holmes taps in the hospital is from a different piece.

Last edited by Lupin (August 20, 2012 3:58 pm)

Davina · August 22, 2012 6:28 pm

Sonata No.1 in G Minor.

Partita No. 1 in B Minor.

Last edited by Davina (August 22, 2012 6:29 pm)

Sherlock Holmes · August 27, 2012 1:50 pm

Nice. I really want to learn these now. Definitely need to practice more but I never seem to get the time these days - I'm always on the internet!

aWorldlyPhilosopher · October 18, 2012 7:22 pm

tobeornot221b wrote:
Maybe you'll consider it too subtle, but I've got a feeling that I found some puzzle pieces – though I haven't got a clue yet how the whole picture will look like.

I didn't know there was such a thing as "too subtle" of a clue!

tobeornot221b wrote:

Key
Q: In which key is Bach's Partita No. 1, BWV 825, written?
A: In B-flat major

221B is unquestionably a flat.

Is there another way you could interpret that key?

Lelli · December 7, 2012 9:40 pm

I know this post is half a year old but since I just recently joined I'll just feel free and still comment:

To be honest my jaw dropped ^^
I really like this theory
It may seem farfetched but I don't think there is coincidence... And even less in Sherlock.
I still got one question: The Partita 1; is it also the piece Moriarty is listening to while he's in the room with the crown?

Irene Adler · December 7, 2012 11:20 pm

Lelli wrote:
I still got one question: The Partita 1; is it also the piece Moriarty is listening to while he's in the room with the crown?

Nope. That's the Ouverture for "La gazza ladra" (Rossini)

Davina · December 7, 2012 11:28 pm

It means The Thieving Magpie (it's Italian). There is a thread in the soundtrack section.

horserider99 · December 7, 2012 11:48 pm

Sorry, I never noticed this thread either, so I'm adding to it as well; Moriarty knew how to play an instrument then, right? I don't know anyone outside of my musically talented friends who taps their fingers during a song, much less a song from memory. ???

Last edited by horserider99 (December 7, 2012 11:50 pm)

Davina · December 8, 2012 8:42 am

My brother used to do it all the time as he used to play the drums. I confess I often tap my fingers to songs too, especially when driving and I have music on.

On another note (every pun intended) Moriarty may not play an instrument but he does know that Sherlock plays the violin. He is not in the least surprised to see/hear Sherlock playing it when he enters 221b.

Last edited by Davina (December 8, 2012 8:43 am)

tobeornot221b · December 8, 2012 8:58 am

Davina wrote:
On another note (every pun intended) Moriarty may not play an instrument but he does know that Sherlock plays the violin. He is not in the least surprised to see/hear Sherlock playing it when he enters 221b.

Certainly, Mycroft would have blabbed about that little detail as well on his "meetings" with Moriarty.

Harriet · December 8, 2012 9:43 am

Lelli wrote:
I still got one question: The Partita 1; is it also the piece Moriarty is listening to while he's in the room with the crown?

Bach's partitas here are for solo vioiin, Lelli. Very brainy music, btw.

Last edited by Harriet (December 8, 2012 9:45 am)