...And he Really Means it This Time

"As Slow As Possible", one of the many compositions by the late experimental composer John Cage, originally written in 1985 as a 20 minute piece for piano, is currently in the very first stage of it's longest performance ever. The concert began in 2001, the first sound was produced in February 2003. The final note won't be heard until 2639.

From the ASLSP site, translated from German:

"In 1985 ASLSP was created as a version for the piano but in 1987 John Cage changed it for the organ at the suggestion of the organist Gerd Zacher. 10 years after that, in 1997, on a symposium for organs in Trossingen, the question how one can understand „as slow as possible” and how one should perform the piece came up. Organists, musicologists, organbuilding workers, theologians and philosophers talk about the technical, the aesthetic and the philosophical aspects that can meet the title and the piece. The question of how to realise the opus leads to the conclusion that „as slow as possible” can be thought and played indefinetly – at least as long as the life of an organ is and also as long as peace and creativity in the following generations exists."

Link to official website

The thought of this at first makes me feel more than a bit pessimistic. But it also gives me an equal sense of optimism just knowing that there are people in this world that are forward thinking enough to even consider putting on such an IMMENSE thing like this with the intention of it being completed.

Whether its successful or not, I think this is a brilliant project that I'm sure John Cage would approve of.