Cage's Longest Concert Just Hit Second Chord

John Cage, the American experimental composer behind such surreal pieces as 4'33", which consisted of a pianist sitting down at a piano and sitting in silence for four minutes and thirty-three seconds without playing a note, is, despite Woody Allen's preference, achieving immortality through his work. An organ performance of his organ2/ASLSP (or "As SLow aS Possible") began September 5, 2001 at an abandoned church in Germany and will conclude in another 635 years, give or take:

The first year and half of the performance was total silence, with the first chord -- G-sharp, B and G-sharp -- not sounding until February 2, 2003.

Then in July 2004, two additional Es, an octave apart, were sounded and are scheduled to be released later this year on May 5.

But at 5:00 pm (1600 GMT) on Thursday, the first chord was due to progress to a second -- comprising A, C and F-sharp -- and is to be held down over the next few years by weights on an organ being built especially for the project.

Link (via Fortean Times). Can you imagine how many psychotropic substances are being passed around the general admission lawn seats at this concert during its run?

Indexed by tags music, history, Europe, Germany, John Cage, organ2/ASLSP, 4'33", longest, concert.