Another Point of View on the Rosslyn Motet

I received this letter from Brian Allen regarding the article I wrote on the Inconsistancies in Reports on the Rosslyn Motet. Mr. Allen has agreed to let me publish this letter here on my blog. His claims run counter to some of the news reports that are out about the Motet. I thought it is important to see his point of view based on his research as a counterpoint to the letter I received from Mitchell.

Dear Brian,

With reference to a feature item in the UK Sunday Mail of April 22nd 2007 (and other media outlets) on the alleged discovery of a musical secret hidden in Rosslyn Chapel. This featured the work of Messrs. Thomas and Stuart Mitchell and the creation of a piece of music called ‘The Rosslyn Motet’. I present these observations, not with any taint of ‘sour grapes’, but purely in the interests of both presenting the bigger picture and perhaps giving perhaps more accurate and valid version of events. I am also probably one of the very few people who have also recreated certain specific frequencies within the chapel prior to the Mitchells. Mr Mitchell senior claims that he discovered the concept that the cubes in the so-called ‘Lady Chapel’ at the east end within Rosslyn are in fact graphic representations of ‘Chladni patterns’. I also arrived at this conclusion early in 2004 after conducting a series of investigations in the chapel first begun in 1993. This was with absolutely no knowledge of, or connection with, Mr Stuart Mitchell or his father, Mr Thomas Mitchell.

Based on my findings I conducted a full-scale test of my theories in the chapel in November 2005 using a tone generator, a computer and speakers, this was with the full consent of the then director of the Rosslyn Trust, Mr Stuart Beattie. The test, which involved the creation of tones comprising ‘augmented fourths’ also called ‘The Devils Chord’, produced some remarkable sonic and physiological effects. Those present, apart from my wife and I, included a musician, a psychologist, an acoustic therapist and two psychic mediums. In fact Mentorn TV reported on my theories at some length in a recent Discovery Channel TV programme.

Crucially, my own research was based on much earlier work facilitated by the late hotelier and former MI6 agent, Mr Steven Prior, who in the early 1990’s commissioned a computer programmer and a musicologist to decode the patterns; sadly he did not live to see any results. Mr Prior was of the opinion that the cubes represented what he called ‘healing cadences’. Therefore, although I could be mistaken, as with my own research there must be some doubt that Mr Mitchell’s work is entirely original, the difference is that, in my book, ‘Rosslyn, Between two Worlds’, I freely admit that my conclusions are based on earlier research and also that I tested the results successfully in 2005. Although this is described at length in the book, I also wrote an article on this subject for the magazine, ‘Fortean Times’. It is perhaps interesting to note that the late Mr Prior also intended to recreate the music in the chapel using musical instruments contemporary with the era and also with the services of a vocal group called ‘The Medieval Babes’.

That the cubes are based on Chladni patterns is indeed a valid hypothesis because the builder of Rosslyn, Sir William Sinclair, probably had the knowledge and available materials to recreate them had he chosen to do so. However, although I have been able to produce evidence for similar patterns, literally dozens of them, none have been identical, but I saw enough to conclude that my ideas were valid allowing me to proceed with my own evaluation. On the other hand, Mr Stuart Mitchell allegedly claims that his Rosslyn Motet is scored directly from the patterns on the cubes.

For this to be true it would require that a number of musical notes related to the cube patterns would have to be precisely recreated using the Chladni method (or alternatively a system called Cymatics, although this is less likely) in order to create an entire musical score and I have yet to see any evidence of any kind that this is indeed the case. If that has not been done then Mr Stuart Mitchell would have had no valid musical starting point, and that being the case, what he has produced, pleasant though it is, is therefore guesswork based on several earlier medieval pieces he has created vibrating plate assembly allegedly used by Mr Thomas Mitchell to recreate the patterns on the Rosslyn cubes, from my own experience this shape of plate (square) would not have produced the necessary patterns using the materials available to Sir William Sinclair. Not having any information regarding the exact method used by Mr Thomas Mitchell, I must conclude that it was an oscillator or something similar.

Some time ago I did try to contact the Mitchells directly via their website in order to ‘compare notes’ so to speak, but my approaches were either not received or simply ignored. Ignoring my approaches would be the case if (A) they realised that I knew as much as they did (B) I had arrived at a similar conclusion using a slightly different method, but especially, (C) that in addition I had beaten them to it. As a recognised paranormal researcher, broadcaster and author with four books published so far and another one currently in pre-publication, please feel free to validate my observations via my website, www.p-e-g.co.uk or simply enter ‘Brian Allan paranormal’, or ‘Brian Allan UFO’, using a search engine. If anyone wishes to discuss or pursue the matter further please do not hesitate to contact me on the peg website.

Regards,
Brian J Allan