Longplayer combines an interactive sculpture and a systems-theory experiment in the service of a 1,000-year-long musical composition.
An ambitious project for anyone who ever wondered about humanity’s ability to pursue trans-generational art, Longplayer was launched in 1999 by composer (and Pogues member) Jem Finer and an advisory board that included Brian Eno. In 2000, the project was turned over to the Longplayer Trust, a compendium of experts dedicated to its preservation until the 2999 completion of its first cycle.
Survival strategies for the project, including schematics for analog (i.e. human) performances featuring hundreds of Tibetan singing bowls, self-adjusting computer software, and a global radio signal are illustrated at the website.
Listen live online, buy Finer’s limited-edition books, stream talks with noted thinkers, and if you’re in London, attend an event featuring a live performance and speakers including Jeanette Winterson.
[audio:http://longplayer.org/media/longplayer_2000-01-01.mp3%5D Audio excerpt: January 1, 2000
[audio:http://longplayer.org/media/longplayer_2000-12-04.mp3%5D Audio excerpt: December 4, 2002
Schematic for planned 2009 live performance
The Listening Post at London’s Trinity Buoy Wharf
Graphical score for live Roundhouse performance