⏱️ 5 min read
In a small church in the German town of Halberstadt, an extraordinary musical performance has been unfolding since September 5, 2001. This isn’t your typical concert—it’s a rendition of John Cage’s “As Slow as Possible” (ORGAN²/ASLSP) that will take 639 years to complete, making it the longest musical performance in recorded history. This remarkable project challenges our conventional understanding of music, time, and human ambition.
The Vision Behind the Centuries-Long Performance
John Cage, one of the most influential avant-garde composers of the 20th century, created “As Slow as Possible” in 1987 as an organ version of an earlier piano piece. The score itself contains no specific tempo marking, leaving the interpretation of “as slow as possible” entirely up to the performers. When organizers at St. Burchardi church in Halberstadt decided to take Cage’s directive literally, they calculated that the piece should last 639 years—a number chosen to commemorate the 639 years since the church’s organ was built in 1361.
The performance began with a pause lasting seventeen months, representing the rest at the beginning of Cage’s composition. The first actual note wasn’t heard until February 5, 2003, creating an initial period of silence that tested the patience and commitment of all involved. This deliberate beginning set the tone for a project that defies conventional expectations of musical performance.
How the Performance Actually Works
The technical execution of this multi-century performance required innovative engineering and creative problem-solving. A specially designed organ was constructed specifically for this purpose, with pipes being added gradually as they become necessary for upcoming notes. Unlike traditional organs that require a human organist to press keys, this instrument uses weights and sandbags to hold down the keys for extended periods.
The organ operates continuously, powered by an electric air pump that maintains constant pressure. When a chord change occurs—which happens only a few times per year—it becomes a significant event. Audiences from around the world travel to Halberstadt to witness these rare transitions, which typically last only seconds but represent years of anticipation. Each note change is documented and celebrated, transforming what might seem like a mundane musical shift into a ceremonial occasion.
The Philosophical Implications of Extreme Duration
This performance raises profound questions about the nature of art, permanence, and human legacy. Most musical performances last minutes or hours; symphony concerts rarely exceed three hours. By extending a single performance across centuries, the project forces us to reconsider what it means to experience music and whether a piece can truly be “heard” when no single person will witness its entirety.
The work embodies several key philosophical concepts that Cage explored throughout his career:
- The relationship between sound and silence, and how our perception changes based on duration
- The removal of the composer’s ego from the musical experience
- The role of chance and impermanence in artistic creation
- The challenge to audiences to reconsider their expectations and definitions of music
Notable Chord Changes and Public Events
Since the first sound in 2003, there have been several significant moments in the performance. In July 2004, the first chord change occurred, and a new pipe was added to the organ. In 2005, another transformation took place, followed by additional changes in 2006, 2008, and subsequent years. Each transition attracts musicians, philosophers, artists, and curious visitors who want to be part of this historic continuity.
The most recent chord change occurred in February 2022, when the combination of notes shifted after seven years. The next change is scheduled for August 2024, and then not again until 2026. These increasingly long intervals between changes emphasize the glacial pace of the performance and the patience required of anyone following the project.
Challenges of Maintaining a Multi-Century Project
Sustaining any project for more than six centuries presents extraordinary challenges. The organ requires regular maintenance, and the building housing it must remain structurally sound. The John Cage Organ Foundation, established to oversee the performance, must ensure financial stability across generations—a task complicated by economic fluctuations, political changes, and the unpredictable nature of institutional longevity.
Climate change, war, social upheaval, and technological evolution all pose potential threats to the performance’s completion. The project requires not just technical maintenance but also cultural commitment from communities that don’t yet exist. Future generations must choose to value and preserve this artwork, making it as much a test of human dedication as an artistic statement.
John Cage’s Legacy and Influence
This performance represents the ultimate extension of John Cage’s revolutionary ideas about music. Known for compositions like “4’33″”, where performers remain silent for four minutes and thirty-three seconds, Cage consistently challenged audiences to expand their definition of music to include environmental sounds, silence, and unconventional structures.
The Halberstadt performance embodies Cage’s belief that music exists beyond human-centric timeframes and conventional listening experiences. It suggests that art can outlive its creators, performers, and even its initial audiences, becoming something that exists for its own sake rather than immediate consumption.
Experiencing the Performance Today
Visitors to St. Burchardi church can hear the current chord resonating through the medieval space at any time. The experience is meditative and strange—listening to notes that have been sounding for years and will continue unchanged for years more. This creates a unique relationship between listener and music, where the act of visiting becomes more significant than the sound itself, as the sound remains constant whether anyone is there to hear it or not.