John Cage recital set to last 639 years recently witnessed a chord change

Meaning of “As Slow As Possible”

• Commenters debate what “as slow as possible” means:
  • Some argue the truly slowest piece would be a single note held “forever,” but others respond that such a piece could never be completed, which conflicts with Cage’s apparent interest in a performable work.
  • Several people see the phrase as an instruction to the performer, not an absolute: “as slow as you (or your technology/society) can manage.”
  • It emerges that the 639-year duration wasn’t Cage’s specification; organizers chose it because Halberstadt’s first organ was 639 years old in 2000.
• Others point out that any finite duration is arbitrary: if 639 is possible, in theory 640 is too, so the phrase ultimately relies on interpretation and practical limits.

Art, Music, and Interpretation

• A recurring theme is that no performance is a literal implementation of a score; interpretation is unavoidable and central to performance.
• Some defend Cage as using music to pose philosophical questions about time, listening, and what counts as music or a piece beginning (e.g., does a 17‑month opening rest “count”?).
• Others see Cage’s work as a gimmick or “no longer music,” likening this kind of avant‑garde to NFTs: value derived from concept and context, not from sound.
• There is a side debate on whether long rests at the start are musically meaningful or just notation convenience, and whether music “exists” if its structure is too slow for humans to perceive.

Long-Term Projects, Civilization, and Ethics

• Many compare the organ piece to the Clock of the Long Now, medieval cathedrals, and sci‑fi ideas like Foundation and generation ships:
  • Supporters see it as hopeful: a commitment to continuity, culture, and collaboration across centuries.
  • Skeptics worry about opportunity cost, future crises, and burdening later generations (especially given “finale tickets” sold centuries in advance; some view this as playful fundraising, others as ethically fraught).
• Power reliability and maintenance are recognized as practical threats; some see even a likely failure as itself a statement about our species.

Tech Details and Miscellany

• The piece can be (and has been) performed much faster; existing recordings compress the 24‑hour versions to show only chord changes, which many find jarring.
• The Halberstadt realization uses a special organ where pipes are added/removed rather than keys continuously held, enabling maintenance during rests.
• Humor and meta‑references thread throughout (4′33″ “earworm,” XKCD, pitch‑drop experiment), reflecting both affection and ridicule.