Organ Performance in Halberstadt to Span 639 Years
An organ in Halberstadt, Germany, is playing a John Cage composition at an extremely slow pace, with the performance scheduled to last 639 years until 2640. The piece, "ORGAN²/ASLSP (As SLow aS Possible)," began in 2001, and Wednesday marked its…
Houston, TX, August 5, 2026 —
In Halberstadt, Germany, a unique musical performance is unfolding within the St. Burchardi Church, stretching the very definition of musical duration. The organ is currently rendering John Cage’s composition, “ORGAN²/ASLSP (As SLow aS Possible),” at an exceptionally deliberate tempo.
This ambitious project commenced in the year 2001 and is slated to continue uninterrupted until the year 2640, a total duration of 639 years. The piece is structured around a series of musical chords, with changes occurring at infrequent intervals.
On Wednesday, the performance reached a significant milestone: its 17th chord change. This incremental progression marks a small but notable step in the composition’s extended timeline, underscoring the extreme slowness at which the piece is being interpreted. The concept behind the performance aims to challenge and redefine listeners’ perceptions of musical pacing and temporal experience.
The “ORGAN²/ASLSP (As SLow aS Possible)” project is notable for its unconventional approach to musical interpretation, inviting audiences to contemplate the nature of time and sound over centuries. The slow pace is central to the artistic concept, offering a distinct listening experience that contrasts sharply with conventional musical performances.
Story summarized from the original created by AP on apnews.com, see more information here.
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