A characterization of the Hamiltonian

The classical Hamiltonian 12(−d2dx2+x2) of the very classical quantum harmonic oscillator, which is regarded as a germ of the most of what comes about in quantum mechanics, can be sublimed to an abstract operator in a separable Hilbert space. Having this done one may ask for a condition which would allow it to be identified among operators of a suitable class. This class is that corresponding to three diagonal matrices and the property which makes the action successful is a kind of diagonal invariance (up to change of basis) within the class in question.