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A John Cage piece is being played so slowly it will take 639 years

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In a German church, an organ has been holding chords since 2001 — and won't finish until 2640.

Verified · John Cage Organ Project, Halberstadt

John Cage’s organ work ORGAN2/ASLSP carries the instruction “As Slow as Possible.” In the St. Burchardi church in Halberstadt, Germany, organisers took that as literally as they dared: a single performance scheduled to last 639 years.

It began in 2001 and is due to end in 2640. The number 639 is no accident — it marks the span back to 1361, when Halberstadt installed the first large organ using the modern keyboard layout, 639 years before the project’s start.

The purpose-built organ grows as the music does, with pipes added or removed only when the score demands a new note. Chord changes are years apart and draw crowds when they happen; one came in February 2024, and the next is set for August 2026. With sandbags holding the keys down, the longest concert in history plays on — a single composition stretched across two dozen human generations.

639
Years long
2001
Start year
2640
End year

Sources & references

2 references

Well-established. Corroborated by 2 independent sources.

1 John Cage Organ Project, Halberstadt institution “The project spans 639 years, in tribute to the construction of the first modern organ 639 years before the project's start date; the first organ with the contemporary key layout still used today was installed here back in 1361. The performance, begun in 2001 at St. Burchardi church, is a world first.” halberstadt.de ↗
2 Classic FM media “The Halberstadt performance began in 2001 with a scheduled duration of 639 years, ending in the year 2640; chord changes are rare — one occurred in February 2024 and the next is scheduled for 5 August 2026.” classicfm.com ↗
✓ Last reviewed Jun 6, 2026

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