July 07, 2008

World's Longest Concert Strikes a New Chord "The church organ in Halberstadt will play the next - sixth - chord of John Cage's As Slow As Possible work. The performance began in 2000 and is scheduled to last a total of 639 years."

I did a search, but I know, just know deep in my heart that one of you music geeks has beaten my to it. But hope springs eternal, so check it out!

posted by Lara 16 years ago
  • It's got a good beat but you can't dance to it. I give it a 7 out of 10.
  • Must-attend. Watch for the long lineups at the washrooms at intermission though.
  • I deny that 639 years is 'as slow as possible'.
  • So the organ is constantly playing a note... won't that damage it? What about maintenance?
  • I don't think it counts if you put weights on the pedals and go away.
  • I'm with Pleg on this. Much ado about nothing!
  • Brought to you by..... VIAGRA. ...for when your organ needs to last a long, long time.
  • I really wouldn't want to live next door to that church.
  • Maybe if you're there long enough you stop noticing the note playing.
  • So what's the chord the sixth of?
  • RTD FTW I deny that 639 years is 'as slow as possible'. Maybe it's the soundtrack to "The Never-Ending Story." Which, by the way, ended in 92 minutes.
  • His music normally sounds strangely random. Slowing it to a hypo-glacial pace - what would that do to the sense of its being that kind of Free Music? If only one, or maybe two chords, can ever be noticed at one sitting, the progression might seem sublime - or not. Decidable only by visiting Halberstadt.
  • nobody got my previous comment, dammit.
  • And yet still not as interminable as some metal guitar solos.
  • Meh, heard it before...
  • Maybe if you'd posted at 4:33, es el queso.
  • It took me four minutes and thirty-three seconds to get it, EEQ.
  • *buys nickyd and TUM a slow pulled draught*
  • there!
  • of course it's no longer funny anymore, but i feel better.
  • I can't believe you waited.
  • I imagine it sounds somewhat like that live 'The Band' album I bought and immediately regretted. GO SPUTNIKS!!!
  • It's been done. Stewart Copeland's 1985 album The Rhythmatist has liner notes in which he describes a tribe in Africa which "plays" a large rock once every few years (unsure of interval), the end effect being that of an extremely slow but distinct rhythm, audible only if speeded up or perceived on a wholly different time scale. This endeavor seems like the same thing, only the African version has been going on for a long, long, long time (and presumably still continues). (Copeland is the former drummer from The Police, BTW.)
  • And he wrote the theme to The Equalizer, the single best TV programme to come out of the 80s. C'mon, let's keep these Stewart Copeland facts coming!
  • Another fact about Stewart Copeland is that he is good at making up bullshit stories about non-existent African rock-banging tribes.
  • You're probably right, Hank. I don't know Mr. Copeland personally so for all I know he's an outrageous liar. But he sure can hit them drums... I wish he'd do more with Stan "Wall of Voodoo" Ridgway 'cuz I really liked "Don't Box Me In." Oh fine. Now I'm hearing "Mexican Radio" playing over and over in my head. Or maybe it's just a bunch of Africans banging on a rock.
  • Hank, I needed that today!
  • ...audible only if speeded up or perceived on a wholly different time scale. Reminded me of this.
  • From the article: The idea of taking so long to get through the composer's piece is to find a musical way of countering the hustle and bustle of modern life. That's pretty much the idea of the composer's piece itself, when you actually play it. But setting a weight on the organ and walking away to do other stuff counters the whole point. They are re-affirming the hustle and bustle of modern life, not countering it. (Of course, they were never trying to have that professed point in the first place. It's just a cute gimmick, that's all.)
  • The organist is rushing, dammit. Probably nerves.