As Slow as Possible

Last updated

St. Burchardi church in Halberstadt, Germany. Halberstadt St-Burchardi-Kirche.jpg
St. Burchardi church in Halberstadt, Germany.

Organ2/ASLSP has been playing in Halberstadt for

22 years, 5 months, 3 weeks and 4 days

ORGAN2/ASLSP (As Slow as Possible) is a musical piece by John Cage and the subject of the second-longest-lasting musical performance yet undertaken. [1] Cage wrote it in 1987 for organ, as an adaptation of his 1985 composition ASLSP for piano. A performance of the piano version usually lasts 20 to 70 minutes. [2]

Contents

An organ in St. Burchardi church in Halberstadt in 2001 began a performance that is due to end in 2640. This makes it the longest running non-computerized piece currently being performed. The most recent note was played on February 5, 2024. The next note will be played on August 5, 2026.

History

The Friends of the Maryland Summer Institute for the Creative and Performing Arts commissioned the piece for contemporary requirement of a piano competition. Cage used an open format to ensure no two performances would be the same, and give judges a break from the consistency of most compositions. The score is eight pages.

Performances

Diane Luchese played Organ2/ASLSP from 8:45 am to 11:41 pm on February 5, 2009, at Towson University. This 14-hour-56-minute performance was the longest recorded individual performance until 2022. [3] YouTube and Twitch channel 'AllRequest_Live' performed an adapted version of ASLSP to a live audience for 24 hours, from 12:00am on February 4, 2022, to 12:00am on February 5, 2022. [4] Stephen Whittington performed an 8-hour version of ASLSP on the Elder Hall organ for John Cage Day in 2012 at the University of Adelaide. [5] [6] [7] [8] Organists Patrick Wedd, Adrian Foster, and Alex Ross gave a 12-hour team performance at Christ Church Cathedral, Montreal, in 2015. Composer Frank Felice orchestrated and recorded an electronic realization in 2015–2016 for a performance that was delivered online to an iPhone app for ArtsFest 2016 at Butler University. A thirty-five second snippet was posted each day for a year; the whole three and a half hour realization was played as a fixed media piece during the three-day Artsfest. [9] Daniel Cooper gave a 12-hour performance in Knox Church to mark the Southern Hemisphere's winter solstice in 2019. [10] Christopher Anderson gave a 16-hour performance, currently the second slowest performance and longest complete performance on record, on March 8, 2022, at Perkins Chapel on the campus of Southern Methodist University. Starting at 5:00 P.M. January 29, 2023, and finishing at around 5:00 P.M. January 30, Alexander Meszler completed a 24-hour solo performance of the complete work on the Hendrickson organ in the Sundt Organ Studio at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. [11]

Halberstadt performance

The bellows used for the Halberstadt performance. HalberstadtBurchardiChurchBellows.jpg
The bellows used for the Halberstadt performance.
The organ used for the Halberstadt performance. HalberstadtBurchardiChurchOrganForOrgan2ASLSP.jpg
The organ used for the Halberstadt performance.

Background

Musicians and philosophers discussed Cage's instruction to play "as slow as possible" at a conference in 1997, because a properly maintained pipe organ could sound indefinitely. The John Cage Organ Foundation Halberstadt decided to play the piece for 639 years, to mark the time between the first documented permanent organ installation in Halberstadt Cathedral, in 1361, and the originally proposed start date of 2000. Because of a lack of money, the date was postponed by one year. [12] The chord changes of the first part which ends in 2072 were calculated by Christoph Bossert and Rainer O. Neugebauer. Until August 2021 the Foundation sold plaques commemorating the years through 2640 to fund the performance. [13] [14]

The instrument

An organ was built specifically for the performance. [15] It is in the church's right transept, with the bellows in the left transept.

Until 2011 Acrylic glass encased it to reduce the volume. [16]

Performance

The Halberstadt performance started on September 5, 2001, with a rest lasting until February 5, 2003, when the first pipes played. [17] [18] Sandbags depress the organ's pedals to maintain the notes. [2] On July 5, 2008, two more organ pipes were added alongside the four already installed and the tone became more complex at 15:33 local time. The bellows provide a constant supply of air to keep the pipes playing. [19] On July 5, 2012, two more organ pipes were taken out, and two were in the organ. The note last changed on February 5, 2024. The performance is scheduled to end on September 4, 2640.

Gnome-mime-sound-openclipart.svg
"ASLSP, Halberstat, Jan 5 2006 note change"
The note change of January 5, 2006, takes place at 8:35 in this audio clip.
Problems playing this file? See media help.
John Cage ORGAN2/ASLSP (639 years, part 1: 70 years) [20]
ImpulseActionNotesDateChord
length
1BeginnoneSeptember 5, 2001
2SoundG♯4, B4, G♯5February 5, 2003518 d
3SoundE3, E4July 5, 2004516 d
4ReleaseG♯4, B4July 5, 2005365 d
5SoundA4, C5, F♯5January 5, 2006184 d
6ReleaseE3, E4May 5, 2006120 d
7SoundC4, A♭4July 5, 2008792 d
8ReleaseC4November 5, 2008123 d
9SoundD4, E5February 5, 200992 d
10ReleaseE5July 5, 2010515 d
11ReleaseD4, G♯5February 5, 2011215 d
12SoundC4 (16′), D♭4 (16′)August 5, 2011181 d
ReleaseA♭4
13ReleaseA4, C5, F♯5July 5, 2012335 d
14SoundD♯4, A♯4, E5October 5, 2013457 d
15SoundG♯3, E4September 5, 20202,527 d
16ReleaseG♯3February 5, 2022518 d
17SoundD4February 5, 2024730 d
18SoundA4August 5, 2026912 d
19ReleaseE4October 5, 2027426 d
20SoundG3April 5, 2028183 d
21ReleaseD4August 5, 2028122 d
22ReleaseA4March 5, 2030577 d
23ReleaseD♯4, E5September 5, 2030184 d
24ReleaseG3May 5, 2033973 d
25SoundB3December 5, 2033214 d
26SoundF3, D4August 5, 2034243 d
27ReleaseF3, D4September 5, 203431 d
28ReleaseB3October 5, 203430 d
29SoundD♭5June 5, 2035243 d
30SoundA2 (16′)September 5, 2037823 d
ReleaseD♭5
31SoundA♭4, A♭5March 5, 2038181 d
32ReleaseA♭5July 5, 2038122 d
33ReleaseA♭4May 5, 2039304 d
ImpulseActionNotesDateChord
length
34SoundD4, A♭4December 5, 2039214 d
35ReleaseD4, A♭4April 5, 2040122 d
36SoundD♭3, B♭3January 5, 2041275 d
37ReleaseD♭3, B♭3March 5, 2042424 d
38ReleaseA2 (16′)November 5, 2043610 d
39SoundA3, D4July 5, 2044243 d
40SoundE4March 5, 2045243 d
ReleaseA♯4
41SoundB4, C5, A♯5March 5, 2046365 d
42ReleaseC4 (16′), B4, C5, A♯5October 5, 2047579 d
43SoundC3 (16′)February 5, 2049489 d
44SoundD♯4, A4April 5, 2050424 d
45ReleaseA3, D4, E4February 5, 2051306 d
46ReleaseD♯4, A4November 5, 2051273 d
47SoundE♭3, B3May 5, 2053547 d
48ReleaseC3 (16′)November 5, 2054549 d
49ReleaseE♭3, B3July 5, 2056608 d
50SoundB♭4August 5, 2057396 d
51SoundA2 (16′)May 5, 2058273 d
52ReleaseA2 (16′)November 5, 2059549 d
53SoundG♭4, C5, D♭5April 5, 2060152 d
54ReleaseG♭4, C5, D♭5June 5, 206061 d
55SoundE4November 5, 2060153 d
ReleaseB♭4
56SoundB4, C5, E♭5, C6February 5, 206192 d
57ReleaseC5, E♭5, C6April 5, 206159 d
58SoundD4September 5, 2061153 d
ReleaseE4
59SoundA♯3, D♯4, F♯4August 5, 2062334 d
60ReleaseA♯3, F♯4February 5, 2064549 d
61SoundA3, A4January 5, 20671,065 d
ReleaseD♯4
62ReleaseD4June 5, 2067151 d
63ReleaseA2, A4July 5, 2068396 d
64ReleaseD♭4 (16′)March 5, 2071973 d
65ReleaseB4July 5, 2071122 d

See also

Related Research Articles

In musical terminology, tempo also known as beats per minute, is the speed or pace of a given composition. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece and is usually measured in beats per minute (BPM). In modern classical compositions, a "metronome mark" in beats per minute may supplement or replace the normal tempo marking, while in modern genres like electronic dance music, tempo will typically simply be stated in BPM.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ambient music</span> Music genre

Ambient music is a genre of music that emphasizes tone and atmosphere over traditional musical structure or rhythm. It may lack net composition, beat, or structured melody. It uses textural layers of sound that can reward both passive and active listening and encourage a sense of calm or contemplation. The genre is said to evoke an "atmospheric", "visual", or "unobtrusive" quality. Nature soundscapes may be included, and the sounds of acoustic instruments such as the piano, strings and flute may be emulated through a synthesizer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Cage</span> American avant-garde composer (1912–1992)

John Milton Cage Jr. was an American composer and music theorist. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one of the leading figures of the post-war avant-garde. Critics have lauded him as one of the most influential composers of the 20th century. He was also instrumental in the development of modern dance, mostly through his association with choreographer Merce Cunningham, who was also Cage's romantic partner for most of their lives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565</span> Organ music by Johann Sebastian Bach

The Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565, is a composition for organ by, according to the oldest sources, German composer Johann Sebastian Bach and is one of the most widely recognisable works in the organ repertoire. Although the date of its origin is unknown, scholars have suggested between 1704 and the 1750s. The piece opens with a toccata section followed by a fugue that ends in a coda, and is largely typical of the north German organ school of the Baroque era.

<i>4′33″</i> 1952 modernist composition by John Cage

4′33″ is a modernist composition by American experimental composer John Cage. It was composed in 1952 for any instrument or combination of instruments; the score instructs performers not to play their instruments during the entire duration of the piece throughout the three movements. It is divided into three movements, lasting thirty seconds, two minutes and twenty-three seconds, and one minute and forty seconds, respectively, although Cage later stated that the movements' durations can be determined by the musician. As indicated by the title, the composition lasts four minutes and thirty-three seconds and is marked by a period of silence, although ambient sounds contribute to the performance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Halberstadt</span> Town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany

Halberstadt is a town in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, the capital of Harz district. Located north of the Harz mountain range, it is known for its old town center, which was largely destroyed by Allied bombings in the late stages of World War II after local Nazi leaders refused to surrender. The town was rebuilt in the following decades.

<i>Vexations</i> Composition by Erik Satie

Vexations is a musical work by Erik Satie. Apparently conceived for keyboard, it consists of a short theme in the bass whose four presentations are heard alternatingly unaccompanied and played with chords above. The theme and its accompanying chords are written using enharmonic notation. The piece is undated, but scholars usually assign a date around 1893–1894 on the basis of musical and biographical evidence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pedal keyboard</span> Musical keyboard played with the feet, usually used for low-pitched notes

A pedalboard is a keyboard played with the feet that is usually used to produce the low-pitched bass line of a piece of music. A pedalboard has long, narrow lever-style keys laid out in the same semitone scalar pattern as a manual keyboard, with longer keys for C, D, E, F, G, A, and B, and shorter, raised keys for C♯, D♯, F♯, G♯ and A♯. Training in pedal technique is part of standard organ pedagogy in church music and art music.

Stephen Whittington is an Australian composer, pianist, teacher and writer of music.

Indeterminacy is a composing approach in which some aspects of a musical work are left open to chance or to the interpreter's free choice. John Cage, a pioneer of indeterminacy, defined it as "the ability of a piece to be performed in substantially different ways".

Scott Smith is a Canadian television and film director. He has won multiple film festival awards for his 1999 film Rollercoaster. He also directed the 2003 film Falling Angels, based on the Barbara Gowdy novel, which achieved a nomination from the Directors Guild of Canada for Outstanding Achievement in Direction – Feature Film.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ARTSaha!</span> Previous Nebraskan music festival

ARTSaha! was Omaha's new music festival. Held in the late summer, it was an annual showcase of contemporary music and art that stresses interdisciplinary and collaborative projects. ARTSaha! was produced by ANALOG arts ensemble, a non-profit global collective of artists. It was founded in 2004 and held annually through 2008.

Freeman Etudes are a set of etudes for solo violin composed by John Cage. Like the earlier Etudes Australes for piano, these works are incredibly complex, nearly impossible to perform, and represented for Cage the "practicality of the impossible" as an answer to the notion that resolving the world's political and social problems is impossible.

In contemporary history, the 3rd (third) millennium is the current millennium in the Anno Domini or Common Era, under the Gregorian calendar. It began on 1 January 2001 (MMI) and will end on 31 December 3000 (MMM), spanning the 21st to 30th centuries.

<i>Corona</i> (Takemitsu) Composition for piano by Toru Takemitsu

Corona is an experimental classical composition for pianist by Japanese composer Toru Takemitsu. It was finished in 1962.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Halberstadt Cathedral</span> Church in Germany

The Halberstadt Cathedral or Church of St Stephen and St Sixtus is a Gothic church in Halberstadt in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It was the episcopal see of the Bishopric of Halberstadt, established by Emperor Charlemagne in 804. The present-day church, which replaced an older Romanesque church, was built between 1236 and 1491 in a Gothic style, clearly inspired by the French Gothic cathedrals. In 1591 the Bishop of Halberstadt joined the Protestant Reformation, and the church has been used by the Protestant Church since. The cathedral was severely damaged in the Second World War, but has been restored in the decades after the war.

<i>As Long as Possible</i> 2015 art work by Juha van Ingen

AS Long As Possible (ASLAP) (2015–2017) is a 1,000-year long animated GIF made by Finnish artist Juha van Ingen. It premiered at Kiasma National Museum of Contemporary Art in Helsinki on 28 March 2017. The animation is created in collaboration with developer and sound artist Janne Särkelä.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rainer O. Neugebauer</span> German educationalist, historian

Rainer O. Neugebauer is a German educationalist, historian and social scientist.

<i>27 minutes 10.554 seconds</i> Composition by John Cage

27' 10.554" is a composition for percussion by American composer John Cage. It was finished in 1956.

References

  1. ↑ Oltermann, Philip (2024-02-04). "'There's a certain madness to it' … fans await new chord in John Cage gig with 616 years left to run". The Observer. ISSN   0029-7712 . Retrieved 2024-02-05.
  2. 1 2 Rosenberg, Steve (2008-07-05). "'World's longest concert' resumes" . Retrieved 2023-09-05.
  3. ↑ "The Towerlight, Fifteen hours at the organ". Media.www.thetowerlight.com. Archived from the original on 2009-02-10. Retrieved 2011-08-30.
  4. ↑ "AllRequest: As Slow As Possible 24 Hour Performance". YouTube. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
  5. ↑ "Stephen Whittington: Musical Renewal". RealTime. Retrieved 2012-09-27.
  6. ↑ "News and Events". J.M. Coetzee Centre for Creative Practice. Retrieved 2012-09-27.
  7. ↑ "John Cage Day, Wednesday 5th September 2012". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-13. Retrieved 2012-09-27.
  8. ↑ "John Cage Day Celebrated in Adelaide with Free Concert in Elder Hall". Herald Sun Newspaper. Retrieved 2012-09-27.
  9. ↑ "John Cage ASLSP".
  10. ↑ "John Cage: Organ2 / ASLSP". Music Canterburyn. 2019-06-14. Retrieved 2019-07-07.
  11. ↑ Weis, Roz (2023-03-21). "Meszler completes 24-hour organ performance". driftless multimedia. Retrieved 2024-02-04.
  12. ↑ "First notes for 639-year composition". 2003-02-05. Retrieved 2023-09-05.
  13. ↑ Gonsher, Aaron. "A Visit to John Cage's 639-Year Organ Composition". redbullmusicacademy.com.
  14. ↑ "Alle Stiftertafeln sind vergeben". Archived from the original on 2023-05-22. Retrieved 2023-07-22.
  15. ↑ "Sankt Burchardi Church Organ". atlasobscura.com. Retrieved 2018-12-20.
  16. ↑ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine : "5 Min 48 sek von 639 Jahren: JOHN CAGE ORGAN 2 / ASLSP IN HALBERSTADT". YouTube.
  17. ↑ "News – John-Cage-Orgelprojekt Halberstadt". www.aslsp.org. Archived from the original on 2021-09-07. Retrieved 2019-12-08.
  18. ↑ "the Halberstadt event website". John-cage.halberstadt.de. 2004-11-19. Archived from the original on 2011-07-22. Retrieved 2011-08-30.
  19. ↑ "One Thousand Hear Change of Note in World's Longest Concert". Deutsche Welle . Deutsche Presse-Agentur. 2008-07-05. Retrieved 2011-08-30.
  20. ↑ "Klangwechsel – John-Cage-Orgelprojekt Halberstadt". www.aslsp.org. Archived from the original on 2021-09-10. Retrieved 2019-12-08.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.