What is the longest piece of music in the world?
In 2001 the longest piece of music in the world began, the music will end in the year 2640.
Avant-Gard musician, John Cage’s, ORGAN2/ASLSP (ALSP = As SLow aS Possible) is currently being performed in the small town of Halberstadt in Germany. The performance will last for 639 years. A specially made self-playing organ was designed to play the piece.
The piece began on John Cage’s 89th birthday (05.09.2001) with a seventeen month-long pause before the first tone.
The tone changes more or less once a year. The next tone will be on the 5th September 2020.
Listen to the current tone here
Or visit the Cathedral here:
Performance venue:
Burchardikirche
Am Kloster 1
38820 Halberstadt
Why Halberstadt?
Halberstadt has been said to be the birthplace of modern music because in 1361 they made the first organ with the modern-day setup of 12 notes as we know today.
Why 639 years?
Because in 2000, when the piece was conceived, 1361 was 639 years since the invention of the first modern organ (see above).
Everlasting music
Electronic Music Composer Brian Eno, who pioneered ‘Ambiant music,’ has gone one better with his piece: Reflection. The piece was released in 2017 on record, but he also created an app that contains the program used to create the music and randomly generates the music forever. At $30.99, the app is one of the most expensive in the Apple Store.
Bonus Fact:
Brian Eno’s full name is Brian Peter George St John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno
Sources:
https://universes.art/en/specials/john-cage-organ-project-halberstadt
