St. Burchardi Church is a nearly thousand-year old church in Halberstadt, Germany, just a short walk away from the famed Halberstadt Cathedral.
On February 5, 2024, fans flocked to the church to bear witness to a moment they’d been waiting for for two years. Another such moment is expected to occur in 2026, and there will be quite a few more after that.
What’s going on behind that unassuming stone face?
Show Answer
A specially built organ in the church is currently playing a performance of the musical piece As Slow As Possible by composer John Cage (best known for his experimental piece 4'33" - 4 minutes and 33 seconds of silence and ambient noise.) The performance is expected to last 639 years, having begun in 2001 and set to end on September 4, 2640.
February 5th this year marked the first time in exactly two years that a new note was played, and the next note change is expected on August 5, 2026.