ORGAN2/ASLSP (2000 - 2639)

"How slow is “As slow as possible”? 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. The question of how to realise the opus leads to the conclusion that “as slow as possible” can be thought and played indefinitely – at least as long as the life of an organ lasts remains and also as long as peace and creativity in the following generations exist. But the question remained: How long should the piece be? The first organ performance was 29 minutes. A recent recording lasts 71 minutes. From that question a project was developed over the time that caused a worldwide sensation.

But why Halberstadt and why 639 years? Michael Praetorius, a composer of the late 16th and early 17th centuries, wrote that an organ with the first modern keyboard arrangement had been built in Halberstadt. cathedral in 1361. This organ was the first one with a claviature of 12 notes and this claviature is used on our keyboard instruments today. So one can say that the cradle of modern music was in Halberstadt. Subtract 1361 from the millennial year 2000, and the result is 639."

more info here.